Medical Symptoms and Facts

Fluid build up in the abdominal cavity is normally also seen in “wet” peritoneal mesothelioma. CT scan images of “dry” peritoneal mesothelioma typically reveal either multiple small tumors or a single dominant, localized tumor mass without the presence of fluid in the lining of the abdominal cavity.

If fluid is present in the diagnosis of peritoneal mesothelioma, it can usually be drained from the abdomen through a process called paracentesis. However, fluid analysis typically has little to no diagnostic value. A definite diagnosis generally requires a biopsy of tissue from the lining of the abdominal cavity. These tissue samples are usually obtained through laparoscopic explorative surgery, which removed small pieces of tissue that are possibly affected by peritoneal mesothelioma for examination using microscopes.

Early detection and diagnosis of peritoneal mesothelioma is the first step in choosing the most effective treatment options. Once peritoneal mesothelioma is diagnosed definitively, the first step in treatment is usually to drain any fluid built up in the gaps of the abdominal lining caused by the formation of cancerous tumors. Once any built up fluid has been drained, MRI or CT scans are generally used to determine the size, location and density of any tumors caused by the peritoneal mesothelioma.

Once, size and location of cancerous tumor growths has been established, patients of peritoneal mesothelioma normally undergo surgery to remove the tumors and surrounding tissue affected by the cancer. If peritoneal mesothelioma is diagnosed early enough, it is sometimes possible to use a combination of chemo and radiation therapy to prevent the cancerous cell from reproducing and forming new tumors. The effectiveness of chemo and radiation therapy varies from one patient to the next based on what chemicals are being used to fight the cancerous cells associated with peritoneal mesothelioma and how often the chemicals and radiation are being taken and in what dose.