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Peritoneal Mesothelioma is the second-most prevalent form of
asbestos-related cancer, rarer than the pleural variety, and accounting for
about 10% - 15% of all diagnosed
Mesothelioma cases. This form of cancer
affects the lining of the abdomen, known as the peritoneum.
Doctors and researchers offer two theories as to how asbestos fibers are
able to enter the peritoneum. Some believe that the fibers are caught and
held by the mucus in the trachea or bronchi and ultimately swallowed. The
second explanation notes that fibers lodged in the lungs may move into the
lymphatic system and be transferred to the peritoneum.
Regardless of which explanation is correct, peritoneal
Mesothelioma can be
quite difficult to detect, as the cancer may lay dormant for many years.
Like all types of asbestos-related cancers, documented incidences show that
this type has, at times, been dormant for up to four decades. That, of
course, makes it all the more difficult to treat this disease because, by
the time it’s detected, it has reached its advanced stages.
Specific symptoms of Peritoneal
Mesothelioma:
The symptoms of peritoneal Mesothelioma are non-specific and can often
be mistaken as indicators of a much less serious disease. Therefore, it’s
important to let medical professionals know that the patient has been
exposed to asbestos in the past. Symptoms of this type of
Mesothelioma might
include:
Weight loss
Abdominal pain
Buildup of fluid in the abdomen
Bowel obstruction
Abnormal blood clotting
Abdominal mass
Fever
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