Abdominal Mesothelioma Cancer For patients with peritoneal mesothelioma, the life expectancy is contingent on the treatment Some live for more than 10 years after diagnosis, before becoming mesothelioma survivors Mesothelioma is usually diagnosed by an x-ray or CT scan They can also use an peritoneoscope for examination of the abdomen Mesothelioma symptoms can be compared to those of other diseases This is why mesothelioma can be difficult to recognize Signs and symptoms Contrary to pleural mesothelioma that affects the tissue surrounding the lungs and chest cavity Peritoneal mesothelioma is found in the abdominal lining It is caused by asbestos fibers become trapped in the digestive tract and move to the peritoneum, where they could be trapped for a long time leading to inflammation and genetic damage In the process malignant cells develop that build up and pressurize organs This type of mesothelioma can be more rare than pleural, however, it can still spread to other parts of the body Mesothelioma is a result of a mutation that occurs in a cell's DNA, causing it to grow out of control These abnormal cells can grow into a large tumor or many smaller nodules throughout the body Mesothelioma can be found in the chest or abdomen, or the testicles There are four types, including pericardial, peritoneal, and mesothelioma of the pleural region The most frequent symptoms of mesothelioma are trouble breathing, a constant cough that doesn't go away, and fatigue Mesothelioma patients can also experience stomach discomfort, bloating or diarrhea Symptoms often do not appear until the cancer has advanced This can cause delays in the diagnosis and treatment It is essential to speak with your physician if you experience any of these symptoms Peritoneal mesothelioma can mimic other conditions Your doctor will perform tests and review your mesothelioma background to determine if these symptoms are related to the disease If a patient is diagnosed with mesothelioma, treatment can improve their prognosis and ease their symptoms Treatments may include radiation, surgery, chemo and immunotherapy to kill mesothelioma as well as stop it from spreading Patients and their families could find the treatment for mesothelioma stressful A mesothelioma specialist can make the process simpler The more details you give your mesothelioma physician, the better they'll be able to treat your condition They can also provide you with advice on how to manage your symptoms after you have been treated Diagnosis Peritoneal mesothelioma, a rare cancer, is found in the lining of the abdomen It develops only due to exposure to asbestos Patients should seek out a mesothelioma specialist They are knowledgeable and have tools to identify mesothelioma of the peritoneal region correctly They can also treat it Doctors will review your medical records and conduct physical examinations to determine a diagnosis They will check for any lumps or other indications of mesothelioma They may also order imaging tests like a CT scan, MRI or X-ray These tests provide more detail of the body than an X-ray The results will help them determine whether you have a mesothelioma tumour and how far it has spread A doctor will perform a biopsy on any suspicious tissue in order to confirm the diagnosis of mesothelioma There are a variety of mesothelioma biopsy methods are available A doctor will select the procedure that is best for your specific symptoms Paracentesis for instance is a procedure that takes peritoneal fluid from the abdomen to be tested In most instances, however, a surgeon will perform an laparoscopic biopsy After the mesothelioma experts test the biopsy, they will determine whether the cells are cancerous They also determine the stage of the tumor which could affect your prognosis They will use a system known as TNM tumor, node, and metastases to identify the mesothelioma's stages Mesothelioma is divided into three types of cells https//wwwlungcancermesotheliomatop/ are more likely to respond better to treatment and have a higher lifespan than sarcomatoid cells which are more aggressive There are biphasic mesothelioma cancers that contain both epithelioid and sarcomatoid cell The staging of mesothelioma is crucial to aid doctors in determining the best treatment plan for you A peritoneal-mesothelioma expert will likely determine the stage of the cancer based on your symptoms and the extent to which the tumor has spread throughout the abdominal cavity They will also take into consideration your general health and determine if you are suitable for clinical trials They will then create a treatment plan to fit your specific needs Treatment Mesothelioma cancer cells develop from thin asbestos fibers that get into the body through swallowing or breathing Asbestos fibers cause irritation and inflammation and damage DNA Over time, this leads to abnormal cell growth and the formation of tumors The cancerous cells can cause irritation to the abdominal lining peritoneum and result in abdominal fluid accumulation and other signs Mesothelioma is found most often in the pleura the membrane that encloses the chest cavity to protect the lungs However, it could also affect the abdomen's lining and other organs Other types of mesothelioma include the pericardial which is formed in the tissue that surrounds the heart and testicular which affects the surrounding lining of the testicles It is difficult to diagnose the early stages of mesothelioma because they are similar to other conditions Your doctor might recommend magnetic resonance imaging MRI or computed tomography scan CT These tests can identify abdominal masses and measure their growth rate Your doctor might inject a dye into your bloodstream to make the masses more apparent on the CT scan Your doctor can also perform an examination to take samples and test mesothelioma tissue and cells A peritoneal biopsies is the most commonly used method to confirm the diagnosis of mesothelioma Your doctor may also perform a paracentesis procedure to collect peritoneal fluid for analysis or a laparotomy This eliminates a portion or all mesothelioma tumors It also provides immediate relief from pain and pressure on internal organs If a diagnosis is confirmed, your doctor will discuss the treatment options Your prognosis will be determined by the type of mesothelioma you have You may receive a combination of chemotherapy and surgical procedures Your surgeon can remove mesothelioma tumours by an operation known as the cytoreduction procedure and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy HIPEC HIPEC involves injecting a heated mix of chemotherapy drugs into the abdominal cavity following surgery This procedure can eliminate any microscopic traces of mesothelioma left behind after surgery and boost your survival chances A palliative physician can prescribe medication to control the side effects and pain They may also recommend occupational or physical therapy and other complementary therapies Prognosis The prognosis of peritoneal msothelioma is dependent on the type of cancer, the location and the stage of the disease at the moment of diagnosis Mesothelioma could begin in the tissues of the chest pleura, or the abdomen's lining Pleural mesothelioma, which is more frequent, has a higher survival rate Peritoneal mesothelioma on the other hand has a poorer prognosis Mesothelioma can also grow, or metastasize from the initial site to other parts of the body Doctors can use a scoring system to determine the stage of a mesothelioma at the time of diagnosis One such system is PERC peritoneal Cancer Index This scores the cancer according to how much it has spread It is based upon the Butchart staging Stage I is a localized tumor that can be completely removed, whereas stage 4 shows an increased prevalence of disease in which tumors have infiltrated organs The PERC score will also tell you whether mesothelioma cancer is epithelioid or sarcomatoid This is important, as the two types have distinct behaviors and responses to treatment Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is more difficult to treat than an epithelioid one however, this doesn't mean that patients cannot have hope Once a mesothelioma is clearly diagnosed, doctors can offer treatments to manage symptoms and improve the quality of life This could include palliative and pain relief Palliative care includes a team of professionals including nurses, occupational and physical therapy and nutritionists who can assist you in managing your symptoms Patients with mesothelioma can also seek out support from a therapist who can help them cope when they receive an end-of-life diagnosis They can also receive financial aid to help pay for their treatment Many people with mesothelioma have received compensation from the asbestos companies that were responsible for their exposure A mesothelioma specialist is the ideal person to speak with when you or someone you know has been diagnosed with mesothelioma Mesothelioma specialists have years of experience and the expertise needed to provide patients with the highest quality of treatment available Use our free physician match program to find the right specialist in your area Our experts are on hand to answer any questions about the best mesothelioma doctors