Learn About Peritoneal Mesothelioma 

Peritoneal mesothelioma, or more commonly known as abdominal mesothelioma, is a malignant and very rare form of cancer. Reports in the US alone would perceive to have 100 out of 500 cases that are diagnosed with this form of cancer. This makes up around thirty percent of all mesothelioma cases worldwide. 

When we talk about abdominal mesothelioma, the cancer affects the abdominal lining within a person's internal organs. More specifically speaking, it attacks and scars the membrane that supports and covers the internal organs in the abdominal area. 

The abdominal lining, or peritoneum, have cells that would secrete a fluid that allows the internal organs located within the abdomen to move against one another. For example, the fluid helps the intestines move about food through its tract through the body. When a patient has this form of cancer, it would cause the fluid to overproduce thus there is an excess build-up of this fluid inside the abdominal cavity that would cause a lot of scarring and damage. 

The cause of Peritoneal Mesothelioma 

There are many research materials available that would tell about the many different causes of this form of cancer. However, there would be no specific and definitive explanation as to what would be the real cause except for the fact that patients somehow intake asbestos fibers into their bodies. There are a couple speculations as to what would be the real cause of this form of cancer to form inside the body.

(1) The asbestos fibers would be ingested by the patient thus making the intestinal tract work the fibers within the internal organs of the body that would lead it into the abdominal sections of the body

(2) the asbestos fibers may have been inhaled and thus transported from the nasal cavity into the abdominal peritoneal cavity of the body. 

Symptoms of Abdominal Mesothelioma 

There are many symptoms that this rare form of cancer exhibit throughout the patient's body. Here are some of the many symptoms that this cancer carries. 

·  Ascites – This is the abnormal production of fluid within the abdominal layers inside the patient's internal body structure. When it is caused by the cancer, it is now known as malignant ascites. These ascited can be quite the burden within the patient's body as it can be very uncomfortable, causes swelling within the abdominal area, weight gain, nausea, indigestion, and swelling of other parts in the body such as the feet, hands, wrists, and ankles. 

·  Swelling in the abdominal area – The cause of this swelling is found to be the fluid retention within the internal abdominal area of the body because of the overproduction of the fluid. The pain that is being felt by the patient are the results of the tumor that can now be found within the internal abdominal area of the patient. 

·  Bowel obstruction – There is a high chance that a patient of peritoneal mesothelioma would experience a blockage of some sort that can be located within the small or large intestine within the patient's body.