How Does Peritoneal Mesothelioma Develop?

In the world of cancers, there are many varieties. There are so many varieties, in fact, that many varieties of cancer also have sub-varieties. For example, take mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer that develops almost exclusively as a result of exposure to asbestos. Within the category of mesothelioma, there are several subtypes that affect different parts of the body.

One of these subtypes is peritoneal mesothelioma, which affects the mesothelial lining around the abdomen. But how exactly does this specific type of cancer develop?

A Primer on Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Peritoneal mesothelioma is a specific subcategory of mesothelioma. To better understand it, we need to understand mesothelioma itself. Mesothelioma is so named because it typically involves developments in the mesothelial lining around certain organs of the body. Asbestos exposure is the primary and exclusive risk factor of this deadly disease.

Asbestos is a problem because of its material composition. This substance was used in a number of applications because of its inexpensiveness, its inherent strengths, and its value for improving insulation, fire resistance, and more. However, asbestos is packed with jagged, invisible fibers that can disperse into the air if the material is disturbed. Even gently handling the material can cause thousands of fibers to spread in the air.

When a person breathes in or ingests these fibers, they can dig themselves into the mesothelial lining of your organs. In the case of peritoneal mesothelioma, these fibers dig into the lining around your abdomen.

The most common subtype of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma, which affects the lungs. However, peritoneal mesothelioma is the next most common form of the disease.

The Process of Development in Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Once asbestos fibers begin to lodge themselves into the mesothelial lining of your organs, cancer could begin to develop at any time. This irritation causes a number of processes, which can eventually result in cell mutation.

Mesothelioma is also subject to a latency period in many cases. After you were exposed to asbestos, you might not notice any signs or symptoms of mesothelioma developing until years, or even decades have passed.

At some point, however, you’ll begin to notice a variety of troubling symptoms, and those symptoms will begin to grow worse. If you can identify peritoneal mesothelioma early enough, you’ll have access to more potential treatments, but it’s still likely that this disease will spread throughout your body eventually.

Early Signs of Peritoneal Mesothelioma

These are some of the earliest warning signs of peritoneal mesothelioma developing:

· Abdominal pain. One of the hallmark symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma that isn’t present in other types of mesothelioma is abdominal pain. This pain comes in many forms and levels of intensity, so it can be hard to recognize it for what it is.

· Swelling. You may also notice abdominal swelling. This becomes especially noticeable as mesothelioma develops and begins to spread.

· Digestive issues. As you might imagine, cancer in the abdominal region can lead to digestive issues. You might notice a variety of symptoms associated with your digestive health.

· Unexplained weight loss. If you’re stressed and eating less, or if you’re deliberately trying to lose weight, there’s no reason to be concerned. But if you start losing weight unexpectedly, it could be a sign that something is wrong.

· A persistent fever. Fevers are also common among patients with peritoneal mesothelioma. Pay close attention to how frequently you have a fever, how that fever changes, and whether the fever is associated with a specific illness, like the flu.

· Chronic fatigue. There are many reasonable explanations for fatigue. You might be tired at the end of a long day. You might be chronically sleep deprived. You might just be having a rough time in general. But if there’s no reasonable explanation for your fatigue, and it seems to be chronic, it might be a sign of something seriously affecting your health, like peritoneal mesothelioma.

Are You at Risk?

Are you at risk for developing peritoneal mesothelioma? If you can confidently say you’ve never been exposed to asbestos, the answer is no. But keep in mind that not everyone who has been exposed to asbestos is aware that they’ve been exposed to this material. If you’ve been exposed to asbestos repeatedly over an extended period of time, you’ll be at much higher risk of developing this disease.

When to See a Doctor

It’s important to see a doctor as early as possible if you have even a mild suspicion that you might develop peritoneal mesothelioma. If you know or suspect that you’ve been exposed to asbestos in the past, and you notice any of the early warning signs listed above, you owe it to yourself to see an oncologist right away. If you act quickly enough, you can greatly improve your prognosis.