subject: What is peritoneal mesothelioma? [print this page] What is peritoneal mesothelioma?
Peritoneal mesothelioma is a relatively uncommon form of mesothelioma cancer that accounts for less than a quarter of all mesothelioma cases. It is called Peritoneal because it appears as a tumor in the pertioneum membrane of the abdomen. Exposure to asbestos is the only known cause of this disease and usually symptoms do not occur until 20 to 40 years afterward. Unfortunately, due to a lack of effective treatments, malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is often fatal and patients who are afflicted by it will live on average less than a year from the time of their diagnosis.
When peritoneal mesothelioma does becomes active victims will typically experience abdominal pains, a loss of appetite, nausea, and swelling of the abdomen. Obstruction of the bowels or hindered breathing due to tumor growth are also possible symptoms.
Generally peritoneal mesothelioma is first detected by X-rays or CT scans conducted after a patient has complained of abdominal symptoms. After an abnormality is detected doctors will perform an analysis of the peritoneum. This procedure is known as peritoneoscopy. If an abnormality is verified, the doctor will perform a 'biopsy' or in laymen terms obtain a tissue sample for examination by a pathologist. The pathologist will than look at the tissue under a telescope and determine if mesothelioma is present.
Once mesothelioma is diagnosed, there are two general types of treatments; systemic and localized. Localized treatments are an attempt to eliminate the cancer by either surgery or radiotherapy and treat only the immediate area of the cancer. Systemic treatments, on the other hand, are designed to combat the cancer through out the whole body, and may be used either in earlier stages or late stages of the disease.
Peritoneal mesothelioma is a dangerous cancer, please read Easy Guide How to Treat Peritoneal Mesothelioma as important point of this focus.
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