Micrograph of a cytopathology specimen showing mesothelioma. The cytopathologic appearance of in the pleural cavity and peritoneal cavity is not distinguishable.

Peritoneal mesothelioma is the name given to the cancer that attacks the lining of the abdomen. This type of cancer affects the lining that protects the contents of the abdomen and which also provides a lubricating fluid to enable the organs to move and work properly.

The peritoneum is made of two parts, the visceral and parietal peritoneum. The visceral peritoneum covers the internal organs and makes up most of the outer layer of the intestinal tract. Covering the abdominal cavity is the parietal peritoneum.

[edit] Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma

Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and abdominal pain and swelling due to a buildup of fluid in the abdomen. Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.

[edit] Diagnosis

Peritoneal mesothelioma has two clinical types which can be differentiated with the help of CT findings, the "dry" type and the "wet". It is classified as "dry" when there are multiple tiny masses or one dominant localized mass and generally little or no ascites. The "wet" type has widespread small nodules, no dominant mass and a presence of ascites. If fluid is found, the process of eliminating it is through paracentesis; however the analysis of this fluid has limited diagnostic significance. Normally, a definitive diagnosis may be obtained through tissue biopsy.

[edit] Causes

Asbestos is a known cause of peritoneal mesothelioma in humans.^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]}

[edit] See also

• Mesothelioma
• Asbestosis
• Malignant mesothelioma
• Serous carcinoma

[edit] External links

• Peritoneal Mesothelioma: A Review research article from MedScape General Medicine
• Malignant mesothelioma entry in the public domain NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
• Peritoneal-mesothelioma Mesothelioma: Questions and Answers
• [1] Peritoneal research from Mesothelioma Symptoms

[edit] References

1. ^ ATSDR reference page on asbestos
2. ^ U.S. National Institutes of Health - National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet
3. ^ Consensus Report, Asbestos, asbestosis, and cancer: the Helsinki criteria for diagnosis and attribution, Scand. J. Work Environ. Health 1997:23:311-6
4. ^ Shi Xiong CAI, Epidemiology of Occupational Asbestos-related Diseases in China, Industrial Health, 2001 39:75-83
5. ^ Bofetta, P., Epidemiology of peritoneal mesothelioma: a review, European Society fort Medical Oncology, August 18, 2006
6. ^ Scripcariu et al., Mezoteliomul malign peritoneal, Chirurgia (2006) 101:641-646, Nov.-Dec.
7. ^ Burdorf, A., Asbestos Exposure and differences in occurrence of peritoneal mesothelioma between men and women across countries, Occup Environ Med 2007;64:839-842

This article includes text from the U.S. National Cancer Institute's public domain Dictionary of Cancer Terms.

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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Peritoneal mesothelioma".