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Peritoneal Mesothelioma Information
Peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare disease. The tissue lining
the abdomen is called the peritoneum. It helps to protect the contents of the
abdomen. It also produces a lubricating fluid. This helps the organs to move
smoothly inside the abdomen as we move around. Mesothelioma of the tissues
lining the abdominal cavity in known as peritoneal mesothelioma.
A thin membrane of mesothellial cells, known as the peritoneum develops many of
the organs in the abdomen. Peritoneal mesothelioma is a tumor that is on this
membrane. Its only known cause is exposure to asbestos, and it is not detected
until the tumor has begun to grow. The large tumor mass that results late in the
disease might resemble many different subtypes of mesothelioma pressed together
in the peritoneal space of a single patient. However, some patients with primary
peritoneal surface malignancy do show a wide divergence of histological types of
peritoneal surface cancer. Peritoneal mesothelioma cancer accounts for about
one-fifth of all mesothelioma cases.
Like pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma can be either benign or
malignant. This discussion is only about malignant peritoneal mesothelioma.
Histologically, four types of malignant mesotheliomas are recognized:
epithelial, sarcomatous, mixed and poorly differentiated. 75% of peritoneal
mesotheliomas are of the epithelial form in which the mesothelial cells are
arranged in tubulopapillary or trabecular formations.
There are at least two explanations for how asbestos fibers can get into the
peritoneum. The first is that fibers caught by the mucus of the trachea and
bronchi end up being swallowed. Some of them lodge in the intestinal tract and
from there they can move through the intestinal wall into the peritoneum. The
second explanation is that fibers that lodge in the lungs can move into the
lymphatic system and be transported to the peritoneum.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma Symptoms
The symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma typically include weight loss, abdominal
pains, loss of appetite, weakness, nausea, and abdominal swelling. Fluid often
accumulates in the peritoneal space, a condition known as ascites. Over time the
peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms can become more and more severe.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma Treatment
There are some treatment methods in use, but there is no known cure for
peritoneal mesothelioma. The prognosis depends on various factors including the
size and stage of the tumor, its extent, the cell type, and whether or not the
tumor responds to treatment. However, the peritoneal mesothelioma treatment has
been improved as the time goes by. The peritoneal mesothelioma treatment
includes; chemotherapy and other drug-based therapies, radiation therapy, and
surgery.
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