Asbestos Workers – Abdominal Mesothelioma
Did You Know?
In the mid 1920s, an English doctor made the first diagnosis of asbestosis, and this was followed by a study which showed that 25% of English asbestos workers showed signs of a related lung disease.
Abdominal mesothelioma, also known as peritoneal mesothelioma, is one form of a rare asbestos-linked cancer, mesothelioma. The abdominal mesothelioma, as the name suggests, is a cancer of the tissues in the abdominal cavity. Abdominal mesothelioma generally affects men ages 50-70, although women make up about one-fifth of all abdominal mesothelioma cases.
Abdominal mesothelioma is an aggressive but rare malignancy that principally affects the pleura and peritoneum. The pleura and peritoneum are lining that cover the lung (pleura) and the abdominal cavity (peritoneum).
Abdominal Mesothelioma Symptoms
- Abdominal pain
- Abdominal swelling due to fluid accumulation
- Weight loss
- Loss of Appetite
- Weakness
- Nausea
- Bowel Obstruction
- Breathing Difficulties
Abdominal mesothelioma patients with these symptoms should schedule further examinations to search for other abdominal mesothelioma signs. If an X-ray or CT scan indicates signs that you indeed may have abdominal mesothelioma, a biopsy is conducted, allowing the physician to determine the malignancy level.
Any abdominal mesothelioma treatment will be determined by the doctor and patient, taking into account the stage of the abdominal mesothelioma, the location and sizes of any tumors, and the age and health of the patient.
Doctors have two theories on how asbestos fibers enter the peritoneum. The first theory is that the asbestos fibers are trapped by the mucus in the trachea or bronchi and eventually swallowed. The second theory is that asbestos fibers stuck in the lungs eventually move into the lymphatic system and are transferred to the peritoneum.
Abdominal mesothelioma has a very high mortality rate, and in many cases, diagnosis occurs when the abdominal mesothelioma has already progressed too far. In such cases, all actions focus on making the abdominal mesothelioma as comfortable as possible, often removing portions of the tumor to relieve pressure.
All forms of asbestos-related cancers, including abdominal mesothelioma can be dormant for decades.
Your doctor might also execute peritoneoscopy, which basically means taking a sample of tissue for examination. In this case the doctor makes a small opening in the abdomen and inserts a unique device called peritoneoscope into the abdominal cavity. This test is called a biopsy.
More extensive tests could take place if the diagnosis turns out to be abdominal mesothelioma. The doctor must know the stage of the cancer and whether it has expanded from its original membrane surface to other parts of the body.
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