Peritoneal mesothelioma

Peritoneal mesothelioma

Micrograph of a cytopathology specimen showing mesothelioma. The cytopathologic appearance of mesothelioma in the pleural cavity and peritoneal cavity is not distinguishable.
Classification and external resources
ICD-10 C45.1

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.

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.

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.

Causes

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

A 1975 study of three small villages in central Cappadocia—Tuzköy, Karain and Sarıhıdır—found that peritoneal mesothelioma was causing 50% of all deaths. Initially, this was attributed to erionite, a zeolite mineral with similar properties to asbestos, but detailed epidemiological investigation demonstrated that the substance causes the disease mostly in families with a genetic predisposition to mineral fiber carcinogenesis. The studies are being extended to other parts of the region.[8][9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ ATSDR reference page on asbestos
  2. ↑ U.S. National Institutes of Health - National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet
  3. ↑ Consensus Report (August 1997). "Asbestos, asbestosis, and cancer: the Helsinki criteria for diagnosis and attribution". Scand J Work Environ Health 23 (4): 311–6. PMID 9322824.
  4. ↑ Cai SX, Zhang CH, Zhang X, Morinaga K (April 2001). "Epidemiology of occupational asbestos-related diseases in China". Ind Health 39 (2): 75–83. doi:10.2486/indhealth.39.75. PMID 11341561.
  5. ↑ Boffetta P (June 2007). "Epidemiology of peritoneal mesothelioma: a review". Ann. Oncol. 18 (6): 985–90. doi:10.1093/annonc/mdl345. PMID 17030547.
  6. ↑ Scripcariu V, Dajbog E, Lefter L et al. (2006). "[Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma]". Chirurgia (Bucur) (in Romanian) 101 (6): 641–6. PMID 17283842.
  7. ↑ Burdorf A, Järvholm B, Siesling S (December 2007). "Asbestos Exposure and differences in occurrence of peritoneal mesothelioma between men and women across countries". Occup Environ Med 64 (12): 839–842. doi:10.1136/oem.2006.031724.
  8. ↑ Dogan, Umran (2003). "Mesothelioma in Cappadocian villages". Indoor and Built Environment (Ankara: Sage) 12 (6): 367–375. doi:10.1177/1420326X03039065. ISSN: 1420-326X.
  9. ↑ Carbone, Michelle et al. (2007). "A mesothelioma epidemic in Cappadocia: scientific developments and unexpected social outcomes". Nature Reviews Cancer 7 (2): 147–54. doi:10.1038/nrc2068. PMID 17251920. ISSN 1474-175X. Retrieved 2008-03-04.


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

External links