There is a particular type of cancer that affects the abdominal lining called peritoneal mesothelioma. Exposure to asbestos and asbestos products is the source of this cancer.
Because it is known to affect the lining of the abdomen called the peritoneal, there are issues related to how well the abdomen is able to protect the organs in the region and how well it is lubricated which enables the organs to shift around and function correctly.
Peritoneal mesothelioma is occasionally known as diffuse peritoneal mesothelioma, which means that the cancer has expanded to surrounding organs. This type of mesothelioma is given credit for approximately ten percent of mesothelioma and is the second most common form of asbestos related mesothelioma. The most common form is called pleural mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma is notorious for having a long latency period where it is silently growing but, not affecting health and functioning. In fact, more often than not, symptoms go decades before they become obvious and this unfortunately means that the disease is in an advanced stage before the symptoms start to appear. Many times this delay in diagnosis negatively impacts the prognosis for the patient.
Sometimes there is an additional interval between symptoms and diagnosis because the first symptoms are so non-specific and so much like other diseases and ailments. More than likely a physician is going to look for less serious causes for symptoms and then by ruling these out, the peritoneal mesothelioma diagnosis in ruled in.
Because mesothelioma is rare, a doctor is not likely to think about it unless somewhere in the medical history taking process there has been mention of working in a field associated with asbestos. Thus, it is imperative to inform a doctor about all possible events that might have led to exposure to asbestos.
As with all cancers, there are a variety of symptoms that are particular to the disease, after the general nonspecific early symptoms evolve. The most common symptoms of this cancer are: abdominal pain, frailness or weakness; loss of weight; nausea and vomiting; loss off appetite; abdominal swelling; and bowel obstruction.
There can be a variety of additional symptoms depending on the location of the tumor. These other symptoms can include: breathing difficulties and extreme pain.
There is an assortment of treatment options with more being developed and tested each day.
Thus, the rate of mortality is getting less each year. Treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. When the diagnosis of peritoneal mesothelioma is final, a physician or team will recommend options for the patient.
These options will be founded on variables like: the magnitude of the disease and its’ stage of advancement; the general health condition of the patient will be taken into consideration; the patient’s medical history; and age.
As mentioned earlier, there are a range of treatment options and one of them is surgery. If surgery is the treatment of choice, the goal will be to focus on removing enough of the peritoneal lining and diseased tissue from the abdomen so the tumor can be removed. The decision to conduct surgery is based on how far advanced the cancer is, how far it has expanded, and the size of the tumor.
How much tissue is to be removed will be determined by how much spreading has occurred. If the cancer has spread to the diaphragm, parts of that may be removed as well as the tumor.
Another form of treatment is radiation therapy which is a process of targeting the part of the body where the tumor resides and trying to annihilate the cancer cells by blasting it with high energy x-rays. Radiation therapy is typically delivered in one of two ways: externally or insertion.
When external radiation is the course of treatment, a machine is aimed at the tumor and radiation is emitted through the body at the tumor. When internal radiation is the course of treatment, plastic tubes carry the radiation to the affected region of the body. It is also possible that a physician may also place drugs into the body through the inserted tubes.
A final type of treatment is chemotherapy which is a process of using a drug or combination of drugs to destroy the cancer cells. Chemotherapy drugs, in the form of pills, are taken by mouth.
There may be times when chemotherapy is best delivered intravenously into a muscle or a vein with a needle. With this approach, the cancer drug will penetrate the blood stream and permeate through the body.
Watch the video related to mesothelioma cancer
Mesothelioma, which is a rare but aggressive cancer almost exclusively linked to asbestos exposure, is most often contracted by those who work directly with the substance, and found in many of the industries and specific job sites listed here.
Help answer the question about mesothelioma cancer
what is nature of mesothelioma ??i think mesothelioma was cancer…
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For great information on mesothelioma go to: discussmesothelioma.blogspot,com
It would cause an avenue tor the cancer to spread to other areas of the body. This is a highly lethal disease. Less than 10% survive 5 years.
The ONLY treatment I've ever seen work (and work often!) is the Immuno Augmentive Therapy (IAT) Clinic in Freeport Grand Bahamas. They are run by British and Bahamian medical doctors, and are in my opinion by far the best alternative cancer treatment center in the world.
For some reason, their treatment (small injections you take several times a day containing immune system proteins) works especially well with mesothelioma, and they are well known for treating it, and often get referrels from Stateside and British MD.s.
Visit their website at either…
Dear Raviela I am NOT a doctor, but I do know cancer, all types including Mesothelioma, and i will be honest where most doctors will not be….
Based on what you are telling me here, it is time to call in Hospice since the chemotherapy is not doing anything and this cancer is spreading… There is nothing that can be done and Celebrex in NOT for lung cancer especially Mesothelioma… Also, the radiogrequency ablation will NOT help your husband since his cancer is SO VERY FAR ADVANCED…..
The way to help him now is to call in Hospice, stop all treatments, let Hospice keep him as pain-free and comfortable as possible… It is almost inhumane to keep hoping for a cure when for this type and stage of his cancer, there is NO CURE….
You did not mention here anything about where he use to work, did he work or live in an environment where asbestos was prominent etc…. I would also contact a good attorney who will handle a Mesothelioma law suit for you if you husband worked around asbestos etc…. Asbestos is the MAJOR cause of Mesothelioma in patients with this type of lung cancer….
You can refer to this blog which show you a articles and videos of Mesothelioma and Texas Mesothelioma Lawyers
http://the-cancer-mesothelioma.blogspot.com/2009/05/blog-post.html
Mesothelioma article:
http://the-cancer-mesothelioma.blogspot.com/
Texas Mesothelioma
http://the-cancer-mesothelioma.blogspot.com/2009/05/texas-mesothelioma-lawyer-asbestos.html
Good luck on finding anything that even comes close to working . . if there were alternatives that worked than everyone would be using them . . since no one ever comes forward to provide documented scientific proof that alternatives did any good at all (notice they just want you to always 'believe and take it on their word . .or worse the 'evidence is fabricated' . . why would you bother. But if you truly insist than at least check with legitimate places that are actually trying to 'prove' one way or the other if these treatments are worth the time and effort.
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Med
http://nccam.nih.gov/
Memorial Sloan Kettering: Integrative Med
http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/1979.cfm
MD Anderson Cancer Center: Complementary/Integrative Medicine Education Resources
http://www.mdanderson.org/education-and-research/resources-for-professionals/clinical-tools-and-resources/cimer/index.html
Always ask for documented scientific evidence for any type of treatment . . if someone is unwilling to provide it than be very suspicious.
Try the links in http://www.hot8sites.com/lawyer/mesothelioma-lawyers-helping-the-mesothelioma-v.html
I would like to try and help you if I can.
Are you sure that the doctor said that it was mesothelioma? and he did not say that he was doing the biopsy to check for mesothelioma?
Or have you definitely had the biopsy results and they have confirmed mesothelioma?
As pleural effusion can be caused by other conditions as well as mesothelioma.
You must be feeling very afraid and confused – you may email me with more details if you like.
Kind regards,
Ann.
I understand where you are coming from. You just want the facts not someone to try to make you feel better (as if that is possible at this point). Although I deal with cancer everyday I really don’t know the answer to your question and honestly his oncologist would know the answer specifically to your grandfather better than anyone. However, I am on my way to a tumor board now and will ask one of the oncologist when I’m there and edit my answer when I return.
EDIT: According to one of my oncologists most often death is due to heart failure.
Now for the rest of your question., there is a small chance the new chemo may help pull him out of this for awhile, but it is more likely this is the beginning of the end. You will know when he loses weight, sleeps more, tires easily, coloring changes, gets confused and he doesn’t want to eat or drink much.
You may want to look into hospice so that when you and your family are ready, you have a plan. They help the entire family not just the patient and they are wonderful people. I am very sorry you and your grandfather have to go through this. May God bless both of you.
For full details of causes and other information about mesothelioma click below
http://mesothelioma-commonquestions.blogspot.com/