Peritoneal mesothelioma is less common than pleural mesothelioma, but both these typically malignant mesotheliomas are usually just as tragic. Peritoneal mesothelioma begins from the abdominal cavity, rather than the lungs and pleural areas of pleural mesothelioma. "Peritoneal" means it has to do using the peritoneum, the membrane that surrounds the abdominal area. "Pleural" refers to the pleura which is a membrane that surrounds the lungs. There is also a "pericardial" mesothelioma which targets the very center membrane first.The lungs, abdominal area and heart all have a membrane made up of mesothelial cells, named the mesothelium. A cancerous attack of such membrane areas are mesotheliomas. Asbestos is the reason for peritoneal mesothelioma, pleural mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma in well over 90% on the cases.
There are some rare recorded cases of malignant mesothelioma when asbestos exposure wasn't identified. If you've been exposed to asbestos, we have a high chance you will experience an asbestos-caused disease just like asbestosis or pleural plaques. However, not all asbestos-caused diseases are fatal.Peritoneal mesothelioma, pleural mesothelioma symptoms and pericardial mesothelioma is usually fatal malignant mesotheliomas which spread uncontrollably, or they can be benign, when the tumor stays where it is and can be removed. Unexplainable fat loss is a mesothelioma symptom which may appear in as many as 90% of benign and malignant mesothelioma. Generally, benign mesothelioma is likely to show less symptoms than malignant mesothelioma. Mesothelioma for peritoneal mesothelioma almost always includes abdominal pain. This is because there is excess fluid between the peritoneal membrane and also the abdomen walls. Pleural mesothelioma has excess fluid inside the pleural area which causes shortness of breath and heart problems.
The mesothelioma of pleural mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma are not as outwardly visible as the symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma. In peritoneal mesothelioma, the abdomen can seem larger. Tumor masses may be visible, but external tumor visibility only happens in a minority of peritoneal mesothelioma cases. Nausea is a common mesothelioma symptom with peritoneal mesothelioma, and the abdominal area will also be very tender.In a healthy peritoneal area between membrane and the wall, the peritoneal fluid helps the intestines move food. In peritoneal mesothelioma however, excess fluid causes bowel obstruction. The what is mesothelioma of extra fluid and bowel obstruction both contribute to abdominal pain. The bowel obstruction could also produce mesothelioma symptoms of constipation and diarrhea. Many peritoneal malignant mesothelioma patients have reported mesothelioma symptoms of a burning sensation in the abdomen. Mesothelioma symptoms for peritoneal malignant mesothelioma may not surface for 20-30 years after asbestos exposure, but it generally surfaces earlier than pleural mesothelioma.