Peritoneal Mesothelioma Cancer :-
Peritoneal mesothelioma cancer is found in 10% to 20% of the mesothelioma patients. The only known cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. For pleural mesothelioma (cancer of the lung lining), the disease process is fairly well understood. It is caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibers that settle in the lungs. These asbestos fibers become inserted in the lung lining (or pleura). Asbestos fibers are very durable and cannot be eliminated through the body's processes. Over time, they cause chronic inflammation that eventually leads to growth of cancerous tumors or in some cases asbestosis.
For peritoneal mesothelioma, it is not clearly understood how the asbestos fibers become lodged in the abdomen's peritoneum lining. It is possible that asbestos fibers, after being broken into smaller pieces in the lungs, are carried from the lungs into the blood stream, and lodge from the blood stream in the abdomen lining.
A more probable cause is that asbestos fibers were ingested with food or drink. Most asbestos mining or processing facilities had constant clouds of asbestos fibers. These fibers could have settled on the food of the workers. Also, it is well established that many of the workers' clothing became infiltrated with asbestos dust. This dust could have contaminated the kitchens of the workers as they arrived home with the dirty clothing. Once lodged in the peritoneum, the chronic inflammation process leading to cancerous growths is similar to that occurring in pleural mesothelioma.
A rare form of peritoneal mesothelioma affects the male testicles. The covering layer of the scrotum is actually an outpouching of the peritoneum. It is thought that the asbestos fibers migrate from the stomach area to become lodged in the portion of the peritoneum surrounding the scrotum.Surgery is also performed just as with other organs that are located within the abdomen. The section of the mesothelium is removed, and sometimes the organ (in this case, the testicles) that is infected. The latter procedure is known as an orchidectomy or orchiectomy (the surgical removal of the testes). The layer that covers the scrotum is actually an outpouching of the peritoneum. The asbestos fibres may well move form the abdomen onto the peritoneum that surrounds the scrotum.
