Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer of the peritoneum, or tissue lining the abdomen and some of its organs. This lining tissue provides a small amount of lubricating fluid that allows organs in the gut to move and work properly. This cancer accounts for approximately ten percent of all malignant mesotheliomas and is therefore rarer than malignant pleural mesothelioma, which affects the tissue lining the chest and lungs. Irrespective of location, the majority of malignant mesotheliomas are associated with exposure to asbestos.
A person with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma may be diagnosed because of complaints such as an abdominal lump or swelling, unexplained weight loss, fever, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, nausea, and constipation caused by bowel obstruction. There are many other conditions that could cause similar symptoms, and in the absence of an accurate history of asbestos exposure, a diagnosis of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma may be missed.
When malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is suspected, the patient’s doctor orders a CT scan or an MRI to detect the presence of any abnormality in the abdomen. If features suggesting this cancer are present, a biopsy of the potentially cancerous tissue is taken to determine the types of cells in this tissue.
Once diagnosed, the exact treatment and the eventual outcome depend on the types of cells found in the cancer. People with epithelioid cell cancers typically have the best survival, followed by those with mixed cell cancers. Sarcomatoid cell cancers carry the worst prognosis. The average survival time is approximately one year, and five-year survival is lower than ten percent. Because of this poor prognosis, the cancer is treated as aggressively as the patient’s overall physical condition allows, with some combination of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Surgery helps remove the bulk of the cancer. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are then used to kill the remaining cancer cells.
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Peritoneal Mesothelioma
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Peritoneal Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that attacks the lining of the abdomen. The cancer envelops many of the organs in the abdomen by a thin membrane of mesothelial cells, known as the peritoneum. Its only known cause in the U.S. is previous exposure...
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Malignant Mesothelioma
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Malignant mesothelioma is a rare cancer in which malignant or cancerous cells form in the thin layers of tissue lining the human chest, heart or abdomen. When the cancer is in the chest, it affects the pleura or tissue lining the lungs and is called...
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Malignant Mesothelioma Diagnosis
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When a patient has symptoms suggesting malignant mesothelioma, a doctor starts with imaging techniques to confirm a diagnosis. X-rays and CT scans of the chest or abdomen are taken to identify any abnormalities, such as fluid collections, thickening of tissue, or growths, that may indicate...
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Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Survival Rate
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Malignant pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of malignant mesothelioma. Many factors may be involved in determining the survival rate for this aggressive cancer; some are better understood than others. Estimates of median survival time range from one to two years; survival depends on...
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Mesothelioma Symptoms: An Overview
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Malignant mesotheliomas are rare cancers that form in the tissues lining the lungs (pleura), abdomen (peritoneum) or heart (pericardium). Pleural mesothelioma, which affects the lining of the lungs, is the most common, accounting for about 75 percent of all malignant mesotheliomas. Between ten and twenty...
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Mesothelioma Diagnosis: An Introduction
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A physician may suspect malignant mesothelioma in a patient who has symptoms suggesting this cancer and who reports a history of asbestos exposure. Careful medical examination may also reveal the presence of fluid in the pleural or abdominal cavity. Once malignant mesothelioma is suspected, a...
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A Guide To Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma
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Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma is neoplasm arising from the serosal lining of the peritoneal and pericardial cavities. Primary tumors arising from the peritoneal mesothelioma are extremely rare. The accurate diagnosis of the diffuse peritoneal mesothelioma is important because it almost invariably has a fatal outcome. In...
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A Guide To Peritoneal Mesothelioma
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Approximately 10-20 percent of the cases of mesothelioma begin in the lining of the abdominal cavity (peritoneal mesotheliomas). This type of mesothelioma does not respond well to treatment, but is less common than pleural mesothelioma, which affects the membrane covering the lungs. Since it is...
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Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a cancer of the thin layer of tissue that lines the chest and lungs. It is a rare form of cancer that is mostly associated with exposure to asbestos. Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a fast-moving cancer with a median survival time...
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A Guide To Malignant Mesothelioma Diagnosis
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The most critical form of mesothelioma is the malignant form. Known as malignant mesothelioma, the primary causal factor is asbestos infection. According to the US National Cancer Institute, “Malignant mesothelioma is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the sac lining the...