Mesothelioma Malignant Cancer

Peritoneal Mesothelioma is defined as the cancer that invades the lining of the abdomen. Many of the organs in the abdomen are covered by a thin membrane called the peritoneum. Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer of this membrane. Caused by asbestos exposure this type of mesothelioma attacks the peritoneum, or the lining that protects the contents of the abdomen.

Because of the correlation between peritoneal mesothelioma and asbestos exposure, it is advisable to seek legal counsel from an experienced mesothelioma lawyer to determine your options for compensation should you have been exposed to asbestos at your place of employment. An experienced asbestos attorney can best advise you to your legal rights.

It is not quite clear how the fibers from asbestos exposure migrate into the peritoneal cavity. Mesothelioma can develop years after asbestos fibers are inhaled or swallowed. With malignant peritoneal mesothelioma it is thought that as these asbestos fibers enter the body, they make their way into the intestinal tract where they can eventually move through the walls of the intestine and into the peritoneal cavity. It is also thought that perhaps the asbestos fibers that initially lodge in the lungs are carried to the peritoneal cavity by the lymphatic system.

The symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, weight loss, abdominal pain or swelling. If the peritoneal mesothelioma begins to press upward into the chest, you may also experience shortness of breath, chest pain. If the tumor begins to press on the intestines then you can develop a bowel obstruction. If the expanding tumor presses against abdominal areas with multiple nerve fibers, and the bowel expands, the amount of pain you experience can increase.

As with other types of mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma is treated with surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or a combination of all three. Your physician may elect to perform surgery to remove the cancer from the abdomen. The extent of cancer will determine the extent of the surgery…the peritoneal lining, lung or other tissue may be removed in order to attempt to manage the disease. Your general health, age, other health conditions and the extent of the disease will also help to determine the course of treatment.

Regardless of the early symptoms, malignant peritoneal mesothelioma requires aggressive treatment to improve your outcome. Although there is currently no cure for peritoneal mesothelioma, treatment options have certainly improved and a strong multi-disciplinary team is the best choice for leading your care.

People who have been exposed to asbestos such as constructions workers and manufacturing workers have a greater risk of developing lung cancer which is 3 to 4 times greater risk than the workers who have not been exposed to asbestos. There have also been reported incidents of family members of these workers developing mesothelioma lung cancer.

It is believed that the family members developed malignant mesothelioma as a result of the asbestos fibers sticking to the clothing of the workers and then that same clothing being handled by family members. Mesothelioma is a very rare form of lung cancer that arises in the mesothelium. The mesothelium is made up of two layers. The first layer, closest to the body organs, is known as the visceral layer.

The second layer, which is the sac around the body cavities, is known as the parietal layer. The mesothelium surrounds several internal organs and body cavities, such as the peritoneum (the abdomen), the pleura (thoracic cavity) and the pericardium (the sac surrounding the heart). The mesothelium produces a fluid which provides lubrication for movement and helps the organs move easily among the surrounding body structures. For example, in the case of the lungs, it helps reduce friction between the lungs and chest wall during normal breathing as the lungs expands.

Mesothelioma lung cancer is related to asbestos exposure. As with all cancers, abnormal malignant cells begin to divide and replicate without any control. These malignant cells begin to crowd out the healthy cells and can invade surrounding cells, tissue and organs.

Cancer cells can also break away from a malignant tumor and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system (the tissues and organs that produce, store, and carry white blood cells that fight infection and other diseases). This process, called metastasis is how cancer spreads from the original (primary) tumor to form new (secondary) tumors in other parts of the body.

Mesothelioma lung cancer is a rare and deadly type of lung cancer. Immediate treatment is recommended to prolong the life span and to improve the quality of life for both the patient and their family.