Do You Know The Symptoms of Peritoneal Mesothelioma?

We all know that cancer is one of the most devastating diagnosis that someone can get. Peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer that occurs in less than 1,000 people in the United States each year, and while it’s usually most commonly diagnosed in people over the age of 65, is still something worth knowing what to look for. This cancer is believe to be caused from ingestion or exposure to asbestos, a chemical that is found in the ground very close to the product talc.

With the recent news of children’s makeup sets being recalled by retailer Claire’s after independent lab studies showing they contained Asbestos, as can happen with talc based cosmetic items. Asbestos fibers become embedded in the abdomen and after sitting for around 20-30 years can cause inflammation and mutations of cells and cause them to become cancerous.

 

This cancer causes symptoms that often look like they could be anything. If you have the below symptoms and they do not get better like a typical stomach flu or other gastrointestinal issue I heavily urge you to check with your doctor for testing. It’s also very important to check the labels of all cosmetic items you use, even those you may have used in the past. Don’t use baby powder with talc in it for small children, as it could expose you both to asbestos that could cause cancer later in life.  

 

Common peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms include:

• Feeling of fullness
• Night sweats or fever
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fatigue
• Anemia
• Abdominal pain or swelling
• Diarrhea or constipation

 

In addition to the symptoms above, other medical conditions can occur and give additional symptoms like:

• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
• Venous thrombosis (blood clots in a vein)
• Thrombocytosis (high platelet numbers in the blood)

 

Getting diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma can be difficult due to the symptom range lining up with other conditions https://survivingmesothelioma.com/mesothelioma/peritoneal/ has a full resource on the disease, created by the worlds longest peritoneal mesothelioma survivor Paul Kraus, that you can access through the link. Several tests need to be done to get a correct diagnosis and often doctors will check for other things first. Common misdiagnoses include hernias, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) or other cancers when the patient is female.  It’s important to check with a doctor if you start to have symptoms of this disease more so if you are older, have used products containing talc and don’t be afraid to push for further testing or get a second opinion.

 

There are treatment options now that can help prolong the life of Peritoneal Mesothelioma sufferers, the quicker the cancer is caught the better the treatment outcomes can be. If you’ve ever used play makeup kits, powdered makeup, talc powder or have possibly been exposed to asbestos, please keep an eye out for the above symptoms in you and those you love.