PERITONEAL MESOTHELIOMA (ABDOMINAL MESOTHELIOMA)

Peritoneal Mesothelioma accounts for approximately twenty percent of all mesothelioma cases diagnosed annually. There are only several hundred cases of mesothelioma of the peritoneum, and associated abdominal mesothelioma diagnosed each year. When asbestos is breathed in, the small fibers enter the deep recesses of the lung. Some asbestos fibers remain in the lung tissue (known as the lung parenchyma) where they can cause scarring (asbestosis) or primary lung cancer. However, when fibers move from the lung to other areas of the body, including the peritoneum, this may cause abdominal mesothelioma from asbestos. The peritoneum is the lining of the abdominal cavity. The peritoneum supports the abdominal organs and assists in blood flow and with the lymph system. The peritoneum consists of two layers: the parietal peritoneum and visceral peritoneum. In a healthy person, a fluid known as "serous" fluid allows these two layers of the peritoneum to slide freely and facilitate abdominal functions including digestion. The formation of cancerous tumors on the peritoneum is known as peritoneal mesothelioma, which is often characterized by excessive fluid-build up in the abdomen. Also, the tumor itself is commonly spread out in "sheets" on the peritoneal surface. A person with advanced peritoneal mesothelioma may visibly appear to have a distended stomach.

All types of mesothelioma are caused by asbestos, including abdominal or peritoneal mesothelioma. Studies have shown that short thin asbestos fibers, particularly the chrysotile variety are most prevalent in cases of mesothelioma of the peritoneum.

Mesothelioma surgeons have performed different types of surgeries on patients with peritoneal mesothelioma. One of the most common types of surgery for abdominal mesothelioma is a surgical debulking followed by post-surgical intraperitoneal chemotherapy. With this procedure, a heated chemotherapy agent is directly administered into the peritoneal space immediately after the debulking portion of the surgery. (See Feldman et al., Analysis of Factors Associated with Outcome in Patients with Malignant Mesothelioma Undergoing Surgical Debulking and Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol 21, Issue 24, 2003). This new approach to treating peritoneal mesothelioma is also referred to as cytoreductive surgery (debulking) plus perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Hundreds of patients have now undergone this procedure and results have been reported by the National Cancer Institute (USA); The Washington Cancer Institute; The Columbia University Mesothelioma Center; and the National Cancer Institute (Italy). Asbestos litigation affords victims of abdominal or peritoneal mesothelioma the opportunity to retain a experienced mesothelioma cancer attorney and obtain monetary compensation from the companies responsible for causing this disease.