Peritoneal / Abdominal Mesothelioma Information-Basic facts you need to know

Peritoneal Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects the peritoneum, which is the protective lining of the abdomen. So, this disease is also known mesothelioma.The abdominal peritoneum has two layers, the visceral and the parietal peritoneum. The visceral peritoneum is the inner layer that surrounds the abdominal organs and forms the periphery of the intestinal tract. On the other hand, the parietal peritoneum is the outer layer that covers the abdominal cavity. The purpose of these layers is to protect the internal organs and secrete a lubricating fluid that facilitates the movement of internal organs in the abdominal cavity.Causes of peritoneal MesotheliomaIt is widely believed that asbestos is the main cause for peritoneal mesothelioma. According to medical opinion, there are two ways asbestos dust could reach the gut lining, one through involuntary ingestion during working long hours and days amid asbestos, and secondly, through the lungs while breathing and through the lymph nodes in the peritoneal cavity. In both cases, it is harmful to the human body, and can inevitably lead to this cancerous condition if exposed for a long period of time.Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma MesotheliomaPeritoneal, as other forms of mesothelioma, shows a very long latency period and its symptoms appear 20 to 30 years after exposure to asbestos. Most of the time from now will be too late to effectively treat the disease or providing any medication or treatment constructive. Also because most of the symptoms are not specific for cancer, a cancer diagnosis is usually not made ​​in haste. For example, the common symptoms of mesothelioma include anemia, fever, weight loss, abdominal pain, and bowel obstruction, and it is highly likely that your doctor may initially consider other options to contemplate cancer. Therefore, the patient tells the doctor of any previous exposure to asbestos during the first consultation visit is very important, and that helps the doctor to think of a possible mesothelioma threat even before considering other possibilities.TreatmentsOnce the disease has been diagnosed, the doctor recommends the treatments based on several factors such as the degree of spread of the tumor, the age and medical history of the person and the general state of health of the person.The traditional treatments for mesothelioma include surgery, radiation therapy and external-internal radiation, and chemotherapy, which involves the use of anti cancer drugs that are given orally or intravenously.With the progress of science and technology have been introduced in the latest treatment techniques, and some of them look promising photodynamic therapy. Intraoperative is one of these more recent methods that uses special drugs and light to destroy cancer cells.Immunotherapy, which is a way to increase the immunity of your body against the spread of cancer is another new form of therapy.Also, recently, research has found that gene therapy is effective in correcting defective genes that cause mesothelioma. These two methods, however, are still in clinical trials and are yet to be implemented in the general population. Although a wide range of treatments are available for mesothelioma, clinical experience reveals that none of this alone is able to effectively treat the disease.Therefore, it is a selected combination of some of these treatments called "multimodal approach" that is commonly followed and the different modes of treatments to be used are decided by the physician according to the general state of health of the patient, the level of progress of cancer and his / her age