Peritoneal Mesothelioma - What Is Peritoneal Mesothelioma?

The form of mesothelioma that is found in the peritonium region is called peritoneal mesothelioma. The abdominal mesothelium membrane is named the peritonium. It is an rare form of mesothelioma as only 30% of all cases are peritoneal mesothelioma. It is thought that patients suffering from this kind of mesothelioma have been exposed to asbestos at a number of point in the past..

How long an exposure to asbestos to get mesothelioma is not known. Symptoms of this cancer mostly deal with the abdominal region such as lumps, swelling and pain. Almost all patients suffering from peritoneal mesothelioma will lose their lives to it in the end.

A cure has not been found and efforts are typically made in the area of lengthening life expectancy. It is thought that asbestos fibers are transported to the peritonium where they start to influence the cells of the peritonium membrane. With the fibers lodged, the membrane itself begins to thicken.

The abdomen experiences fluid build-up. Treatment of peritoneal mesothelioma includes draining of the fluid in the abdomen, Cytoreductive surgery which is an attempt at removing as much visible tumors as possible. Aggressive radiation and chemotherapy commonly follow after such procedures.

In theory, the chemotherapy and radiation tries to destroy the rapidly dividing cells as efficiently as possible. Every so often, these chemicals are used directly on the affected peritonium. While there have been cases of patients surviving more than a decade, those are very exceptional with a good number patients having a lifespan of about one year give or take a few months. This is dependent of how early the cancer was detected and the kind and success of the treatment. That said, it's not possible to guess how any one patient will do.

The majority of patients however, are typically too far along for radiation and chemotherapy to be effective. In such situations, the physician in charge will in general attempt to improve the quality of the patients remaining lifespan.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma with Pericardial Mesothelioma make up merely two main of several articles by the writer. Shan Durai operates a online portal exclusively on the matter of mesothelioma. For added information on mesothelioma in addition to the kinds of mesothelioma, please click on the links highlighted.