A patient with peritoneal mesothelioma may not demonstrate symptoms for 20 to 50 years following asbestos exposure. Once asbestos fibers have irritated and caused mesothelial cells to become inflamed, the peritoneum starts to thicken. The buildup of fluid, known as ascites, is the next phase of cancer progression for some patients. Overtime, mesothelioma tumors form and this places pressure on internal organs.

The peritoneum is a membranous layer that is made up of two sub-layers called the parietal and visceral layers. The parietal layer covers the abdominal cavity, while the visceral layer surrounds abdominal organs. Together these two layers provide support and protection for abdominal organs and the abdominal cavity as a whole.
There are two main theories regarding how asbestos exposure leads to the development of peritoneal mesothelioma:

• Asbestos fibers are ingested and these fibers work their way from digestive organs into the peritoneal membrane.
• Asbestos fibers are inhaled and travel to the peritoneal membrane via the lymphatic system.

Regardless of how asbestos fibers actually enter the peritoneal layers, the body experiences difficulty in expelling them. Trapped asbestos fibers eventually cause changes in mesothelial cells, leading to irritation and inflammation. The exact way in which asbestos fibers cause these changes is uncertain, but researchers believe such changes are responsible for cancer development.

Peritoneal mesothelioma is the second-most common type of mesothelioma, accounting for 10 to 20 percent of all mesothelioma cases. About 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed annually in the United States and approximately 300 to 600 of these are peritoneal mesothelioma. Asbestos exposure is its primary cause and most cases take more than two decades to develop once asbestos fibers are inhaled or ingested. X-rays and other tests are used to detect peritoneal mesothelioma, but biopsies help confirm a diagnosis. Although the cancer is usually diagnosed in the later stages of development, treatment options are available to combat symptoms and improve prognosis.
Overall prognosis for peritoneal mesothelioma patients is less than one year. However life expectancy can increase with effective treatment and early detection. Some patients may be candidates for surgery that can send the cancer into remission, while others may elect to receive palliative measures that improve symptoms and quality of life. Working with a mesothelioma specialist can help patients receive the best possible care for their cancer and potentially improve prognosis.

After the diagnostic process, doctors will analyze their mesothelioma patient’s clinical data to predict the expected course and outcome for the disease. This prediction is known as the patient’s prognosis.
Past studies indicate that average survival ranges from four to 18 months, but many factors can significantly affect the prognosis of pleural mesothelioma patients. The most substantial factors include the current stage of disease and the overall health of the patient. Staging is a system doctors use to describe how far the mesothelioma has advanced, so diagnosis at an early stage offers a better prognosis. And patients in good health who can still perform normal daily tasks tend to respond better to the demands of treatment.
Other important prognostic factors include the patient’s age, sex and smoking history. Survival is generally better for female patients, non-smokers and patients younger than 55. The cancer’s histology, or the cellular structure of the tumor, can also strongly influence prognosis. Accounting for 50 to 70 percent of all cases, a subtype known as epithelial mesothelioma offers the most hopeful prognosis. Patients with epithelial mesothelioma respond best to treatment, and other subtypes like sarcomatoid and mixed mesothelioma are associated with poorer survival.
Providing mesothelioma patients with an accurate prognosis can be a challenging task for doctors. Not only is pleural mesothelioma a rare disease, but it is also uncommon for patients to be diagnosed at an early stage. Because most patients don’t qualify for surgery and an operation is required for accurate staging, survival data for stage I and stage II is limited.
Overall, around 40 percent of pleural mesothelioma patients survive one year after a diagnosis. Approximately 20 percent survive for two or more years, and 10 percent will be alive five years later. It is important, however, to understand that these statistics are drawn from large samples of patients. Each individual case is unique, so survival statistics should only serve as general guidelines.
Patients can work with the nation’s top mesothelioma specialists to improve their prognosis and discuss treatment options to extend life expectancy. Many mesothelioma survivors have turned to a dynamic treatment plan that unites traditional and alternative medicine to boost prognosis.

The pleural lining is composed of two layers that provide protection and support for the lungs and other vital structures of the chest. It also produces a lubricating fluid for the cavity between the two layers to aid the expansion and contraction of the lungs as we breathe. The outer layer, the parietal pleura, lines the entire chest cavity. The inner layer, or visceral layer, covers the lungs.
It is not uncommon for mesothelioma to affect both layers of the pleura. Pleural mesothelioma generally develops in one layer of the pleura and rapidly invades nearby locations such as the diaphragm, chest wall or lung. If the cancer reaches the lymph nodes, it can metastasize, or spread, to distant locations in the body.

Pleural mesothelioma is the most prevalent of all types of mesothelioma. It affects the soft tissue surrounding the lungs known as the pleura or pleural membrane. Mesothelioma tumors can develop in multiple locations throughout the body, but they originate from the pleura in approximately 75 percent of all cases. In each case, cancer forms in the mesothelium, a tissue membrane that protects various organs and body cavities.

Pleural mesothelioma is typically caused by occupational exposure to airborne asbestos fibers. Because this exposure is frequently in male-dominated industries, around 80 percent of all pleural mesothelioma patients are men. Once inhaled into the lungs, needle-like asbestos fibers migrate to the pleural membrane, where the body cannot easily get rid of them. Fibers irritate the pleura, which can result in chronic inflammation and scarring. Infrequently, this causes pleural mesothelioma.

Over an extended period of time – usually three or more decades – asbestos triggers genetic changes in the pleural cells. If the cells become cancerous, they begin to divide uncontrollably, forming tumors that reduce lung capacity and generate excess fluid buildup between the pleural layers.
The overall outlook for pleural mesothelioma patients is poor. This is because symptoms do not usually arise until more advanced stages of cancer where curative surgery is no longer an option. However, an early diagnosis facilitates the most effective treatment options, potentially improving a patient's outlook and life expectancy.