Mesothelioma Information

Peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos.  For decades asbestos workers have been experiencing deadly health conditions like peritoneal mesothelioma.

Asbestos companies continued exposing their employees even when they knew about serious health risks.  Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the abdomen, specifically the abdominal membrane called the peritoneum.  Sometimes doctors refer to peritoneal mesothelioma disease as mesothelioma of the peritoneum.

Mesothelioma is a cancer of the serous membranes. Serous membranes enclose a number of organs throughout the midsection of the body, including the abdomen.  The most common type of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma.  The second most common mesothelioma cancer is peritoneal mesothelioma.

Peritoneal mesothelioma can spread to the lungs.  Mesothelioma is also referred to as an asbestos lung disease.

Asbestosis is a type of asbestos lung disease that originates in the lungs and is often confused with mesothelioma. 

Peritoneal Mesothelioma Cancer

Peritoneal mesothelioma cancer is found in 10% to 20% of mesothelioma patients.  The only known cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos.  Asbestos fibers become inserted in the abdominal lining (or peritoneum).  Over time they cause chronic inflammation that eventually leads to growth of cancerous tumors or another serious health condition called asbestosis.

For peritoneal mesothelioma, it is not clearly understood how the asbestos fibers become lodged in the abdomen's peritoneum lining.  It is possible that asbestos fibers, after being broken into smaller pieces in the lungs, are carried from the lungs into the blood stream, and lodge from the blood stream in the abdomen lining.  A more probable cause is that asbestos fibers were ingested with food or drink.  Most asbestos mining or processing facilities had constant clouds of asbestos fibers.  These fibers could have settled on the food of the workers.

Mesothelioma of the lining of the Testicles (Tunica Vaginalis Testis Mesothelioma)

A extremely rare form of mesothelioma affects the tissue surrounding the testicles.  The covering layer of the scrotum is actually an outpouching of the peritoneum.

Researchers believe asbestos fibers move from the stomach area and become lodged in the portion of the peritoneum surrounding the scrotum.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma Symptoms

Once cancerous tumors start to grow in the peritoneum, fluid begins to rapidly accumulate in the abdominal area.  This fluid causes swelling and discomfort leading to the first common symptom of peritoneal mesothelioma:  upper abdominal pain.

Less common symptoms include cough and shortness of breath.  Many patients experience symptoms four- to six-months before a definitive peritoneal mesothelioma diagnosis.

All three kinds of mesothelioma cancer cells can be found in peritoneal mesothelioma patients:  epithelioid mesothelioma, sarcomatoid mesothelioma and biphasic mesothelioma.  The cancer cell type can affect the prognosis.  Research has shown patients with biphasic mesothelioma cancer cells have a shorter life expectancy than those with epithelioid or sarcomatoid cancer cells.