Abdominal Mesothelioma
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Another kind of a rare mesothelioma, which is asbestos linked cancer, is abdominal mesothelioma, also referred to as peritoneal mesothelioma. The name gives the description that abdominal mesothelioma is a variation of cancer that affects the abdominal cavity tissues. The most common public for abdominal mesothelioma to affect are men aged from 50 to 70, leaving only one fifth of total abdominal mesothelioma cases to women. 1
In the abdomen, a cancer of the peritoneum or tissue lining the abdominal cavity and covering various organs is called malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. When asbestos fibers are swallowed they reach the abdominal cavity and cause peritoneal mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma refers to a cancer of the lining of the lung (pleura), peritoneal mesothelioma refers to a cancer of the abdominal cavity (peritoneum) lining, and pericardial mesothelioma is a cancer that occurs in the lining that surrounds the heart (pericardium). 2
Only 100 to 500 cases of abdominal or peritoneal mesothelioma are reported in the United States each year. The cause of this cancer is widely attributed to exposure to asbestos. Some sources say that exposure to asbestos is the only known cause of malignant mesothelioma, while other sources mention the asbestos connection in a more non-committal way. In cases where asbestos has been identified as a contributing factor, the lag between the time of exposure to asbestos and the inception of the disease can be one or more decades. 3
Treatment of abdominal mesothelioma may consist of surgery, radiation or chemotherapy or all three depending on the stage of the cancer and the rate of growth of the cancer. There is a great deal of information available for patients about abdominal mesothelioma, including information about seeking a lawsuit related to your exposure to asbestos fibers. It is important to consider this aspect as well as your treatment since medical treatment of abdominal mesothelioma is expensive and a successful lawsuit could make the difference for you and your family related to getting the right treatment and living comfortably. 4
As in most cases of asbestos related cancer, a combination of treatments is usually called for. This may include surgical removal of the cancerous mass or cancerous tissue, draining of fluid in the abdominal cavity, chemotherapy or radiation treatments or some combination of these treatments. In most cases, mesothelioma treatment options are aimed at prolonging life and improving the comfort of the patient. Rarely do patients live more than five years after diagnosis, and in the most advanced cases treatment may be limited to providing relief of symptoms. 5
The first course of action if the Mesothelioma Peritoneal is suspected is to consult the local doctor and explain the previous asbestos exposure circumstances so that the right tests are conducted. Generally the first steps in diagnosing the cancer is to perform X-ray scans and also CT scans which can determine the existence and the locations of the cancers. The next step is to actually have a look at the Peritoneal which involves surgery. If the cancer does indeed look plausible a biopsy is done to confirm its malignancy. 6
Abdominal mesothelioma generally affects men ages 50-70, although women make up about one-fifth of all abdominal mesothelioma cases. Abdominal mesothelioma, also known as peritoneal mesothelioma, is one form of a rare asbestos-linked cancer, mesothelioma. 7
Peritoneal (abdominal) mesothelioma is a cancer affecting the abdominal lining, or peritoneum (paira-tin-e-um), which is why is is sometimes referred to as abdominal mesothelioma. This membrane supports and covers the organs of the abdomen. 8
Although there’s no definitive explanation, it is widely believed that asbestos causes peritoneal mesothelioma in one of two ways. First, asbestos fibers may be ingested, and when in the intestinal tract, the fibers may work themselves into the peritoneal cavity and peritoneum. Second, they may be inhaled and transported through the lymph node system to the peritoneal cavity. 9
On a personal level, one of the most obvious ways to avoid exposure to this cancer would be to stay away from places which have high concentrations of asbestos. There are many different forms of asbestos now being developed, and the ones which have been noted as causing Abdominal Asbestos Mesothelioma were versions primarily developed in the 1970s and 1980s. Modern fire retardant materials are much safer and have been mandated in some parts of the world to replace asbestos entirely. 10
Since asbestos fibers normally have to be ingested or inhaled to cause mesothelioma then using a face mask and avoiding eating around asbestos is a good safety practice. However, since the fibers are invisible to the naked eye and can actually be carried on skin and clothing, another safety tip is to wear a completely different set of clothing when working around asbestos, and to both remove the clothing and bathe completely after exposure. This minimizes the risk that any fibers will be taken home to one’s families after work and consequently avoid abdominal mesothelioma caused by asbestos exposure. 11
At present time peritoneal mesothelioma can be treated but cannot be cured. Treatment has different factors for prognosis, like the stage and the size of the tumor, the affected area extent and cell type, and the ability of the tumor to respond to treatment. Nevertheless, there are a lot of constantly improving abilities for peritoneal mesothelioma patients’ relief and treatment. This is especially good news for the patients with the early-diagnosed and intensively treated peritoneal mesothelioma. The patients sometimes receive multimodal therapy that combines various therapies. 12
These symptoms can accompany many other, less serious medical conditions; if you are experiencing any of these symptoms, and have been exposed to asbestos, you should see a doctor immediately. Asbestos exposure may have taken place 20, 30, even 50 years prior to symptoms appearing, but is a major risk factor; exposure is reported in between 70-80% of all mesothelioma cases. 13
This cancer linked with asbestos as well, aims its attack at abdominal cavity lining. Peritoneal mesothelioma is caused by the small fibers of chrysotile being swallowed or inhaled and settled down in the tissue. Peritoneal mesothelioma that is related to chrysotile can have quite long latency period sometimes lasting over 40 years between the exposure takes place and the disease diagnosed. 14
Regarding interval chemotherapy: The Columbia Mesothelioma Center uses multiple cycles over a 6-month time period of intraperitoneal cisplatin plus doxorubicin or cisplatin plus mitomycin C. The Washington Cancer Institute uses multiple cycles of intraperitoneal paclitaxel with systemic cisplatin (bidirectional chemotherapy) for treatment of these patients. Currently, treatment plans utilizing intraperitoneal Pemetrexed and systemic cisplatin are being initiated as several institutions. The success with bidirectional (intravenous and intraperitoneal) chemotherapy that has been recently reported for patients with ovarian cancer should be directly applicable to peritoneal mesothelioma patients. 15
References
The Panacea offers these health-extracts to help people investigate health-related subjects in greater depth using the references given in each paragraph. Kindly note that these are current extracts from the web, meant for research, and that these are not meant to be medical advise. For all your health-related needs you must consult trained and licensed personnel.
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