Peritoneal cancer is a rare type of tumor that appears in tissue that coats the entire inner part of the abdomen and organs, resulting in symptoms similar to those of ovarian cancer, such as abdominal pain, nausea, abdomen, and significant apparent weight loss. Reason.
Diagnosis of peritoneal cancer may be made by a generalist or oncologist, using imaging tests such as CT and positron emission tomography (positron emission tomography); Blood tests to look for specific proteins, called tumor markers, mainly, perform a tissue biopsy Treatment to be performed will depend on the stage of the tumor and the health conditions of the person, which may include performing surgery to remove tumor tissue, chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.
- This type of cancer can be aggressive and the lifespan of the person who has the tumor is not well defined.
- However.
- After surgery and chemotherapy.
- It can reach a lifespan of up to 5 years.
- If the cancer is discovered at an early stage.
- The person may live longer.
- But annual checkups will still be required.
Peritoneal cancer reaches the cover in your abdomen and can cause signs and symptoms, such as:
Swelling of the abdomen;
Abdominal pain;
Destruction of diarrhoea;
Tiredness and general discomfort;
Lack of appetite;
Difficulty digesting food
Unsused weight loss
Also, if the disease is at a later stage, it is possible to identify ascites, which is the accumulation of a amount of fluid in the abdominal cavity that can compress the lungs, causing shortness of breath and shortness of breath.
Peritoneum cancer begins to develop mainly from organ cells in the abdomen in the gynecological region, in the case of women and is divided into types, which are:
Women diagnosed with ovarian cancer who have the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes may be at risk of developing secondary peritoneal cancer, so these women must be constantly tested. Learn more about ovarian cancer symptoms.
The causes of peritoneal cancer are not well defined, as it is known that in some cases this type of cancer develops because the cancer cells of other organs reach the cover that lines the abdomen through the bloodstream and multiply, giving rise to the tumor.
Some risk factors may be related to the development of peritoneum cancer in women, the use of hormones after menopause, endometriosis and obesity. In return, women who use birth control pills, who have ovaries to remove what they like, are less likely to develop peritoneal cancer.
Diagnosis of peritoneal cancer could be made by your family doctor through imaging tests such as ultrasound, MRI, CT and PET (positivity emission tomography), however, to know the stage of the tumor you need to perform a biopsy, which could be done by exploratory laparoscopy.
The biopsy is done by removing a small piece of tissue, which is sent to the lab for examination by a pathologist. The pathologist checks whether the tissue contains cancer cells and determines the type of cells, which the oncologist determines to define the type of treatment In addition, additional blood tests may be done to identify tumor markers that are present in different cancers.
The oncologist defines the treatment of peritoneal cancer based on the stage of the disease and the following options may be indicated:
Intrarapitoneal chemotherapy involves the application of drugs in the peritoneum and is the most suitable type of treatment for this cancer, as it allows drugs to be rapidly absorbed into tissues, usually these drugs are heated to a temperature between 40 and 42 degrees Celsius to prevent the body from colliding and facilitating the entry of drugs into cells.
This treatment is indicated for cases where peritoneum cancer has not spread to other organs, such as brain and lung, and is performed at the same time as surgery to remove the tumor, benefiting from the person’s rapid recovery, without having side effects, such as hair loss and vomiting.
Intravenous chemotherapy is indicated for peritoneal cancer before surgery, so the tumor is smaller and easier to remove. This type of chemotherapy is not used as a conventional treatment in this type of cancer, as tumor-sick cells are resistant to several often used chemotherapy drugs.
Surgery is done to remove the tumor in the peritoneum, when the cancer has not reached other organs in the body and is indicated in people who may receive anesthesia. This type of operation should be performed by experienced oncologist surgeons, as it is very complicated and often involves the removal of organ parts such as the liver, stomach and intestine.
Before surgery, your doctor will order several blood tests, such as blood clotting and blood type, if the person needs blood transfusions for blood loss during surgery. Learn more about blood groups and compatibility.
Radiation therapy is the treatment that uses radiation to destroy the cells that cause peritoneal cancer and is done through a machine that emits radiation directly to the site where the tumor is located.
This treatment is indicated by your doctor before surgery, to reduce the size of the tumor in the peritoneum, and also, the removal of cancer cells may be recommended after the operation.
This type of cancer is very difficult to cure and the goal of treatment is to increase the life expectancy of the person, providing a better quality of life and physical, mental and social well-being.
In the most severe cases where peritoneal cancer is at an advanced stage and spreads to other organs, it is important to take palliative care measures so that the person does not feel pain or discomfort.