There are many rare types of cancer, but we shouldn’t always take our assumptions about rarity for granted. After all, an event that only happens to one in a billion people in the course of an average day happens to seven or eight people, on average, every day. And even if particularly rare events never happen to us, it pays to be aware of them, so we can maybe adjust those risks in our favor.
Cancer itself isn’t particularly rare. In fact, most of us know at least one person who has had cancer in the past. But there are hundreds of types and subtypes of cancer, some of which are exceedingly rare. Even though we may not be at particular risk for them, it pays to understand them.
What Is Peritoneal Mesothelioma?
Peritoneal mesothelioma is a specific type of mesothelioma. It affects the mesothelial lining in the abdomen, rather than the lungs, and because of this, it’s slightly less rare than pleural mesothelioma. Despite that, it’s still the second most common type of mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma itself is a very rare type of cancer, in part because of how it develops. Nearly all cases of mesothelioma are a direct result of exposure to a harmful material we call asbestos. If you’ve never heard of asbestos before, that’s probably because it’s largely been eradicated. It’s no longer used as a common building material, and in many cases is highly regulated; additionally, because we understand the risks of asbestos exposure much better, we have methods that can abate asbestos if it’s found in a building.
Even so, mesothelioma is still a risk for a couple of main reasons. For starters, mesothelioma has a very long latency period, meaning mesothelioma can develop without symptoms for many years, or even decades, then arrive in full force. If you were exposed to asbestos decades ago, you’re still at risk for developing mesothelioma. Additionally, asbestos is still used as a construction material in some types of applications, and it isn’t heavily regulated throughout the world.
Once it begins to manifest, peritoneal mesothelioma can grow extremely quickly. There is no cure for this disease, and treatment is difficult, although certain treatment methods may be able to improve your prognosis.
The Baseline Statistics
Currently, there are only about 600 new cases of peritoneal mesothelioma diagnosed each year. We expect this number to decrease with each passing year, as fewer and fewer people are exposed to asbestos and the people who have been exposed to asbestos begin to dwindle in numbers.
This makes peritoneal mesothelioma one of the rarest types of cancer, but there are still hundreds of people diagnosed with this disease every year.
Why Is Peritoneal Mesothelioma Rare?
Peritoneal mesothelioma is rare for a couple of main reasons. First, it develops almost exclusively in response to asbestos exposure, and as we’ve already mentioned, asbestos exposure is increasingly rare. Very few people alive today have ever been around asbestos, and those that have probably haven’t been around it long enough to begin developing this disease.
Second, it’s an uncommon form of mesothelioma because most people are exposed to asbestos fibers by breathing them in. It’s much more common for these tiny fibers to lodge themselves in the lining of the lungs than the lining of the abdomen.
Diagnosing Peritoneal Mesothelioma
If you suspect that you’ve been exposed to asbestos, or if you begin noticing symptoms in line with peritoneal mesothelioma, it’s a good idea to undergo an examination. There are many tests that oncologists can use to look for cancer, including CT scans, MRI scans, blood analysis, and fluid analysis. However, a biopsy is the only way to fully confirm a peritoneal mesothelioma diagnosis.
What Can You Do About Peritoneal Mesothelioma?
What can you do if you have peritoneal mesothelioma?
· Act early. You need to act as early as possible. Although there is no way to fully eliminate peritoneal mesothelioma, this disease is somewhat controllable if caught early enough. Acting quickly can greatly prolong your life.
· Work with specialists. It’s also a good idea to work with people who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma. This is a unique type of cancer and it shouldn’t be treated like any other.
· Remain patient. Despite the fact that mesothelioma often spreads quickly, it can feel like a slowly encroaching disease, and treatment is similarly slow. Try to remain patient during this process.
· Improve your lifestyle. You can improve your odds and feel better generally by improving your lifestyle. Eat healthy, exercise however you can, and try to get a lot of sleep.
Peritoneal mesothelioma is an extremely rare disease, but that doesn’t mean we can afford to ignore it or take it lightly. If you’ve ever been exposed to asbestos in the past, you need to be on the lookout for potential symptoms so you can catch this disease early and mitigate its growth.