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Peritoneal Mesothelioma Basic Facts

You don’t often hear of peritoneal mesothelioma even in medical circles. This is because it is a rare form of cancer. If you have experienced asbestos exposure at some point in your life however, you may want to know more about it.

Cancer of the Mesothelium

The mesothelium is a membrane that covers internal organs. It essentially serves as a kind of protection. Mesothelioma or asbestos cancer is therefore a kind of cancer that affects this membrane. There are two major subtypes, pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma.

Asbestos cancer in general is rare. Among the two types however, the pleural type is the more common one. This affects the lining of the lungs which has led some patients to be mistakenly diagnosed with lung cancer. It makes sense for this to be the more common type. Mesothelioma is linked to asbestos exposure and one of the surest ways for the substance to find its way into the body is through inhalation.

A lower percentage of about 30% of patients suffer from the second type. Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the lining of the abdomen. The condition can develop if asbestos is ingested.

The peritoneal type may not be easy to diagnose. This is because the symptoms of the condition are not exclusive. Patients may suffer from abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, stomach swelling, fever and weight loss. Such symptoms can easily be interpreted as indications of other medical conditions. The prompt detection and treatment of peritoneal mesothelioma is made even more difficult by the delay of disease progression. A patient may not show symptoms until 30 or so years after exposure to asbestos.

Asbestos Exposure

Not every patient with mesothelioma experienced exposure to asbestos. The substance however remains to be the highest risk factor in the development of this type of cancer. One of the most common ways to get exposed is through work. If you work for a company that handles asbestos, you may inhale or swallow some asbestos fibers. That is if your company does not have sufficient guidelines to protect workers from exposure.

Family members of workers may also be put at risk of asbestos exposure. Fibers may stick to work clothes which are then brought home. Spouses and children may therefore be in danger too.

It is obvious that the responsibility for preventing asbestos exposure lies more on the shoulders of company owners. It is their job to ensure that workers are properly protected and trained to handle asbestos. This is why some individuals who are sick with either pleural or peritoneal mesothelioma may seek legal options. Patients who have good, experienced lawyers may be able to enjoy legal compensation.

Peritoneal mesothelioma may be rare. Even so, if you work closely with asbestos, you need to make sure that you and your family are not at risk of developing it.

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Word Count: 470 words
Main Keyword: peritoneal mesothelioma
Other Keywords: asbestos exposure, mesothelioma