Peritoneal Mesothelioma Information

Peritoneal Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects the peritoneum of the human abdominal cavity. Hence, this medical condition is also called as abdominal mesothelioma.

But before seeing more about peritoneal mesothelioma, let us first take a look at the classifications and functions of the peritoneum membrane.

Peritoneum is classified into visceral and parietal peritoneum. The visceral peritoneum envelops the abdominal organs and forms the periphery of the intestinal tract. On the other hand, parietal peritoneum covers the abdominal cavity. The purpose of these layers is to protect the internal organs and to secrete a lubricating fluid that eases the movement of internal organs in the abdominal cavity.

Causes of Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Even though not a definitive explanation, it is widely considered that asbestos is the main cause for peritoneal mesothelioma. According to medical experts, in two ways asbestos dust could reach the intestine lining one through involuntary ingestion during working long hours and days amid asbestos, and secondly, through the lungs while breathing and hence along the lymph nodes to the peritoneal cavity. Either way, it is injurious to the human body, and may invariably lead to this cancerous condition if exposed to for a longer period of time.

Symptoms of Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Peritoneal mesothelioma, like the other forms of mesothelioma, shows a very long latency period and it wont be until 20-30 years since the asbestos-exposure days before any typical symptoms becomes apparent. But by then it will be too late to check the disease or provide any constructive medication or treatment. Further, a delay in diagnosing the disease can happen due to the fact that most of the symptoms of mesothelioma is not-specific and may resemble that of some other common and less serious diseases. For example, the common mesothelioma symptoms include anemia, fever, weight loss, abdominal pain, and bowel obstruction, and it is highly likely that the doctor initially may consider other options than contemplating cancer. Therefore, the patient telling the doctor about any previous asbestos exposure in the first one-to-one interaction itself is very crucial, and that helps the doctor to think of a possible mesothelioma threat even before considering other possibilities.

Treatments

Once the disease has been diagnosed, the doctor recommends the treatments based on several factors such as the extent of the damage, age and medical history of the person and overall health. The traditional treatments for mesothelioma include surgery if the tumor has spread out and is beyond radiation-curable radiation therapy, external and internal radiation, and chemotherapy, which includes using a pill or needle to insert anti-carcinogen drugs into the body.

With the advancement in science and technology, newer treatment techniques have been introduced, and some of it is looking promising as well.

Intraoperative photodynamic therapy is one such newer method that uses special drugs and light to destroy cancer cells. This method is used to study the earlier phases of mesothelioma in the chest.

Further, Immunotherapy is a way of boosting the immunity of ones own body against the spread of cancer. Also, recently, researches have found that Gene Therapy is effective in correcting the faulty genes causing mesothelioma. But these two methods are still in the clinical trials and are yet to be implemented in hospitals.

Even though a wide range of treatments are available for mesothelioma, clinical experiences reveals that none of this alone is capable of checking the disease effectively. Therefore, it is a selected combination of some of these treatments called the "multimodality approach" that is commonly followed and the different modes of treatments to be used are decided by the doctor based on the given medical condition of the patient and his/her age.

Tail Piece Passive exposure to asbestos can also lead to mesothelioma. This happens when asbestos fibers reach the domestic setup through clothes dirties with asbestos dust. Therefore it is advisable that those handling asbestos may change their clothes before returning home or going to any public place.

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Clinical Mesothelioma Symptoms

Many people who have clinical symptoms of mesothelioma have advanced disease at the time of diagnosis. This is because symptoms tend to present late in most cases. The majority of people have symptoms for only two or three months before a diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma is made. About one quarter of all patients with malignant mesothelioma have symptoms for at least six months before diagnosis.

A high index of suspicion is needed to make a timely diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma. This is because many of the clinical symptoms are seen in other conditions. Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma, such as cough, chest pain and breathlessness, are also seen in a number of other chest conditions such as infections, emphysema and lung cancer. Similarly, symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma, such as nausea, vomiting and appetite loss, may be seen in a number of abdominal and systemic conditions. Any person who has these symptoms, accompanied by a history of exposure to asbestos, should see a doctor to be evaluated for malignant mesothelioma.

Physicians use the symptoms that patients report to determine what tests are required to confirm a suspected diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma. If the patient has primarily chest-related symptoms, a chest x-ray, CT scan, MRI, and other imaging techniques may be used to locate any abnormalities that suggest malignant mesothelioma. Next, a pleural biopsy may be performed. There are some relatively new tests that can help differentiate pleural mesothelioma from lung cancer; this differentiation is sometimes difficult because the symptoms are so similar. If a patient presents with mostly abdominal symptoms, abdominal imaging techniques and biopsies may be used to confirm a diagnosis of peritoneal mesothelioma.



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Mesothelioma Diagnosis

Mesothelioma, a rare form of lung cancer, continues to remain a challenge for the medical fraternity. This form of cancer is primarily caused by exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma can be either malignant or non-malignant in nature. Perhaps the most important concern in mesothelioma is the inability to diagnose it at an early stage, as most people exposed to asbestos usually remain unaware of it. Since almost all cases of mesothelioma can be attributed to exposure to asbestos, it is also known as ?asbestos cancer.?

Mesothelioma results when the mesothelium cells become abnormal and divide uncontrollably. If not detected at an early stage, the cancer may spread to other body parts. Malignant mesothelioma continues to remain the most critical of all, and curing the disease at this final stage is extremely challenging. Physicians use several techniques to determine mesothelioma, particularly advanced imaging techniques. To determine the stage of mesothelioma doctors use several tested techniques such as the Butchart system, the TNM system, or the latest Brigham System. A definitive diagnosis, however, is still being practiced through techniques of fluid diagnosis and tissue biopsy.

General physicians are not able to treat the disease because of their lack of any special training for the disease. At best, the general physician can suspect mesothelioma and refer the patient to a special group of doctors who are specifically trained in several areas of mesothelioma. Once in the care of the specialist, the patient is taken care of by the pulmonologist, the thoracic surgeon, the medical oncologist, the radiation oncologist, and pathologists and the respiratory therapist, in sync with the agreed line of treatment.

The arduous process of mesothelioma diagnosis is a difficult experience for patients and their near and dear ones. The long-drawn tests, endless consultations and frequent visits to hospitals add to the woes of the sufferer. There are several missions and charitable organizations that understand the plight of the mesothelioma patients and their family members, and offer their services in the form of psychological counseling and other services that seek to mitigate the pains to a large extent.



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A Guide To Mesothelioma Doctors

Mesothelioma is not a common form of cancer; it is a very complicated disease that impacts the tissues of many organs in the human body, especially the heart, lungs and abdomen. Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos dust and flakes; as such, its victims are generally people who work in asbestos-related industries like asbestos mining, building construction, shipyards and insulation factories. Because it is a rare disease, the availability of specialist doctors for Mesothelioma is limited.

Obviously, no matter how qualified, one doctor alone cannot treat the different aspects of this rare kind of cancerous disease. It should not be surprising that specialist doctors for mesothelioma patients are not commonly found in every city or in county hospitals.

A ?mesothelioma doctor?, therefore, refers to a person who specializes specifically in mesothelioma and who participates either in the diagnosis or the treatment of this disease. Cancer by itself requires specialists in radiology, chemotherapy and surgery, as well as experts in other aspects of treatment. Usually, the first person you go to when the initial symptoms start appearing is your family physician, who refers you to the cancer specialist, even if the family physician himself has some expertise in this field.

It is obvious, therefore, that an interdisciplinary team of specialists treats those patients of mesothelioma. Some of these specialists include a pulmonologist who diagnoses and treats lung problems. Then there is a radiologist who conducts X-ray examination. A specialist is also required to interpret the MRI, CT scan, Ultrasound, etc. Treatment of mesothelioma also requires the services of an oncologist, who conducts chemotherapy and radiation therapy. A thoracic surgeon conducts surgery of the heart and lungs, while a pathologist examines the tissues taken after the biopsy and also conducts examination of the blood, stools, etc. in the laboratory. A specialist is also required for respiratory problems. Finally there is a doctor who coordinates all the aspects of the treatment, as well as specialist nurses, counselors and other paramedics. Professionally coordinated teamwork results in a successful treatment.



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Asbestos Mesothelioma Lawyers

Mesothelioma is only one of the asbestos-related diseases, but it is the most serious among them because it can be a deadly form of cancer that affects workers who have been working unprotected in an asbestos environment.

Mesothelioma cases in the States are still rare. It is estimated that there are about 2,000-3,000 new cases every year, but this is probably due to the fact that the majority of people who had been affected by asbestos in the 1930s and 1940s have already died and those who have been exposed to it in the 1960s-1970s still have not developed mesothelioma, so it is fair to say that more mesothelioma cases can be expected in the years to come.

Since mesothelioma is clearly related to unprotected exposure to asbestos in the past, there have been many lawsuits of the victims of the asbestos against companies, who instead of taking measures to protect them against the dangers, chose to hide from the general public facts about the devastating effects of asbestos on human health.

It is this wrongdoing that makes companies liable to their workers and gives grounds for asbestos mesothelioma lawyers to file lawsuits on behalf of their clients. There are lawyers who have significant experience in such cases and have won impressive verdicts for the companies, whose behavior was next to criminal.

Additionally, lawyers who have specialized in the area of mesothelioma know enough about the disease itself to plead the case in court and help their clients. There are mesothelioma lawyers who had virtually done miracles to defect their clients in court!

Therefore, if you or your family is considering starting a mesothelioma lawsuit, the first thing to do is to find a good asbestos mesothelioma lawyer.

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