Primary Peritoneal Cancer Symptoms

Primary peritoneal cancer is a condition that affects primarily the abdominal region, predominantly women. To try and diagnose the condition a doctor will use blood tests, a biopsy of the affected region and imaging tests such as MRIs and CT scans. Diagnosis may also consist of a series of physical examinations to try and pinpoint the exact location of the cancerous cells.

Identification

• The peritoneum is a thin layer of skin that covers the inside of the abdomen, and also puts a protective layer over the uterus and urinary bladder. It creates its own fluid that allows the organs to comfortably slide around inside the abdomen. Primary peritoneal cancer is a growth of cancerous cells on the peritoneum. Primary peritoneal cancer can sometimes be difficult to properly diagnose, and for that reason it is often not diagnosed until it has reached its later stages.

Effects

• Since primary peritoneal cancer affects the protective lining of the abdomen, most of the symptoms are related to abdominal discomfort. These symptoms include a loss of appetite that could be accompanied by an unexplained weight gain, abdominal pain that could lead to nausea and a general feeling of being ill, a fluid build-up in the abdomen that causes cramps and discomfort, a bloated feeling along with persistent indigestion and bowel symptoms such as constipation or the persistent need to urinate.

Misconceptions

• Primary peritoneal cancer is sometimes misdiagnosed as ovarian cancer in its earliest stages, and that is why it is not properly diagnosed until later in the condition's development. Ovarian cancer and primary peritoneal cancer produce very similar symptoms, and because the ovaries may be involved in a minor way in the initial development of primary peritoneal cancer it can be misdiagnosed as ovarian cancer. As primary peritoneal cancer develops, the ovaries are not affected nearly as much as they are with ovarian cancer, and this is normally the point at which a correct diagnosis is made.

Prevention/Solution

• The most common forms of treatment for primary peritoneal cancer are surgery, chemotherapy medication, radiation therapy or a combination of all three. Surgery to treat primary peritoneal cancer may be rather extensive and will include the removal of the cancerous part of the peritoneum along with possible removal of the womb, ovaries and abdominal wall lining.

Considerations

• Treatment for primary peritoneal cancer is normally an ongoing process. The earliest stage that primary peritoneal cancer is detected in is normally the third stage, which means that it is cancer and it has the potential to spread. Even after a successful surgery, doctors may continue with chemotherapy medication or radiation treatment to try and prevent any remaining cancer cells from spreading.