Mesothelioma Resources

The peritoneum is the tissue that lines the wall of the abdomen. It covers most vital organs. The peritoneum protects these organs, as well as secrets fluid that allows the organs to move against each other. Peritoneal cancer – specifically peritoneal mesothelioma affects these tissues and typically causes uncontrolled production of these fluids, which creates the need for paracentesis as mentioned earlier, which is a process that removes excess fluid from the abdominal cavity. Peritoneal mesothelioma cancer is caused almost exclusively by asbestos exposure, and it represents a small fraction of total mesothelioma cases.

The most common symptoms of this and other types of mesothelioma include difficulty breathing, pain or lumps in the abdomen, unexplained weight loss, and bowel problems. It is possible to have some, all, or none of these symptoms and have peritoneal mesothelioma. If left untreated, peritoneal mesothelioma cancer will cause the abdomen to deteriorate from the fluid buildup. The abdomen/mesothelioma tumor could become distended, causing bowel problems and pain if the distention pushes an organ into a nerve cluster.

This disease must be diagnosed in the very early stages in order to have a high survival rate. Like other forms of mesothelioma, this disease unfortunately is often diagnosed in the later stages, and at that point is usually fatal. If possible, those who have been exposed to asbestos in the past and are still asymptomatic should go to a doctor to receive regular abdominal and pulmonary examinations to check for irregularities. More treatment options are viable at an early stage, including possibly surgery to remove the affected area of the peritoneum if it is still isolated.