Asbestos is a natural mineral that was once used in the
construction and home improvement industries. It was put on ceilings
when it was mixed with aertex, it was used to make surfaces semi flame
resistant and it was also mixed with cement as it is very strong. At one
point asbestos was seen as a revolution for these industries as it was
just so versatile - it was also deadly. No one realised at the time that
every time they were exposed to asbestos that they were taking their
life in their hands and putting themselves in grave danger. Asbestos is
now banned but its legacy lives on in the thousands of people who are
feeling the after effects of being exposed to it over the years.
Exposure
to asbestos is directly related to certain types of cancer, including
peritoneal mesothelioma which is cancer of the membranes in the
abdominal cavity. Peritoneal mesothelioma is the second rarest form of
mesothelioma and each year it is responsible for around 20% of the cases
of diagnosed mesothelioma. As exposure to asbestos is the only known
cause of peritoneal mesothelioma there are two main ways that doctors
believe that it can actually reach the abdominal wall. One way is
through the digestion of asbestos fibres which is actually easy than
most might think. Once in the digestive system the asbestos fibres get
stuck in the peritoneum and over time this can result in peritoneal
mesothelioma. The second way that asbestos gets to the abdomen is
through the lymph nodes and lungs when asbestos is inhaled. In some
cases pleural mesothelioma will result in peritoneal mesothelioma ad the
asbestos moves through the lungs and into the abdominal cavity if left
untreated and undiagnosed for some months.
Suspicion of peritoneal
mesothelioma is usually made when a patient exhibits signs such as pain
in the abdomen, chest or stomach and many suspect hernias are actually
created by a tumour caused by peritoneal mesothelioma. Often a
misdiagnosis that does not include peritoneal mesothelioma can be made
and this can have severe repercussions on the life expectancy of a
patient. It is usual for someone who is thought to have peritoneal
mesothelioma to have to undergo many tests to get a correct diagnosis
and these tests are imaging scans and tissue biopsies.
Patients
who are found to have peritoneal mesothelioma do not have a good
prognosis. However if a diagnosis of peritoneal mesothelioma is made
early enough they could have surgery to remove the disease and some
cases it can extend a patient's life span for a few more years. If
surgery is not an option then chemotherapy or radiotherapy can help
although there is no guarantee that this will make much of a difference.
It is essential that a person with peritoneal mesothelioma gets the
right kind of treatment for any pain that they experience so that they
are as comfortable as they can be. Peritoneal mesothelioma, like the
other forms of mesothelioma is highly unpleasant and hard to live with.
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