Medical Zine

Mesothelioma is a tragic and deadly form of cancer, caused by exposure to asbestos, that often shows signs between ten and forty years after contraction, although a few cases have popped up as long as sixty years after the asbestos exposure. There are three main types of Mesothelioma, each named after which part of the body it attacks. Pleural Mesothelioma attacks the protective lining of the lungs, which is called the pleura. Pericardial Mesothelioma attacks the protective lining around the heart, while Peritoneal Mesothelioma is centrally focused on the abdominal cavity.
All forms of Mesothelioma are treated like cancer. Aggressive treatments such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy are often used, as well as surgical options when appropriate.
Peritoneal is not the most common form of Mesothelioma, but it can certainly be equally as deadly as any other form of Mesothelioma. Mesothelioma develops in the lining of the intended target and manifests over decades before finally releasing itself on the victim. Most cases of Mesothelioma only carry a maximum of a twenty four month life span. Mesothelioma progresses quickly, and often debilitates within months or even weeks of showing initial symptoms such as weight loss and loss of appetite, bowel distress, abdominal cramping or pain, or abdominal swelling or obstruction.
Mesothelioma treatments are not easy to deal with and take quite a bit out of the body. Peritoneal Mesothelioma treatments have the best shot at directing an affected body toward health when Peritoneal Mesothelioma is diagnosed prior to the onset of symptoms. Mesothelioma doctors and Mesothelioma lawyers agree that those who know or suspect that they have been exposed to asbestos in the past should get regular Mesothelioma testing done to attempt to diagnose this deadly disease early. The earlier the diagnosis, the greater the chances of surviving Peritoneal Mesothelioma.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma can often be treated with chemotherapy. Chemotherapy involves either intravenously introducing cancer killing chemicals into the body or allowing the patient to ingest the chemical concoctions in pill form. Either way, the goal is to kill the cancer cells with a dictated set of chemicals that are known to kill the Mesothelioma cancer cells.
Chemotherapy comes with its share of risks and physical complications. The body does not appreciate the chemicals that are introduced to the Mesothelioma cells. A feeling of illness often accompanies chemotherapy. Weight loss, the loss of hair, the loss of appetite, the loss of taste, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting are just a few of the symptoms a Mesothelioma patient can expect to go through when undergoing chemotherapy. Chemo therapy can weaken the immune system as well as exhaust the body to the point that continuing with chemotherapy is actually just too much for the patient to handle.
When treating Peritoneal Mesothelioma with chemotherapy, radiation is often added to the treatment plan. Treating Peritoneal Mesothelioma with radiation involves introduction radiation directly into the heart of the tumor or tumors. When radiation and chemotherapy are used together to attempt to kill the Mesothelioma cancer cells, the patient tends to feel drastically ill, and treatment rounds are often scheduled with a reasonable break in between to allow the patient to recover.
Mesothelioma treatments are difficult to go through, difficult on families, expensive, and in the case of Mesothelioma, are often unsuccessful at prolonging healthy life. Mesothelioma doctors are frustrated that they do not have greater resources or advanced research at their disposal. Despite cutting edge technology, Mesothelioma is not very high on the list of cancer researchers agendas as it is still considered a rare disease.
Some Peritoneal Mesothelioma patients undergo a surgical procedure where the protective lining which encases the spleen, stomach, liver, pancreas, and intestines is removed. In some Mesothelioma patients, this has proven to lead to the removal of most of the cancer, which is the only time that this procedure is really recommended.
Palliative therapies are often added to the regimen of treatments for Peritoneal Mesothelioma patients. Palliative therapies help to relieve the immense pressure which can build up inside the abdomen when dealing with Peritoneal Mesothelioma. The fluid accumulation that builds up inside the abdomen can be relieved via suction, often placing a needle or various forms of suction into the abdomen and drawing out the build up of fluids.
The earlier that treatment for Peritoneal Mesothelioma begins, the greater the chance the patient has at survival. Mesothelioma is highly deadly, and without early detection, the painful treatment options typically are used to extend life for as long as there is still a quality of life to extend.