Accounting for between 10-20 percent of the mesothelioma cases, peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms can include fluid accumulation in the abdomen (ascites), which in turn leads to increased abdominal swelling. Other symptoms for this type of malignant mesothelioma include:
- Pain in the abdomen: Usually due to an increase in the tumor
- Weight loss: A result of a loss of appetite
- Leukocytosis: An elevated white blood count
Mesothelioma in any form may have a long latency period, meaning that symptoms sometimes do not appear for years after the patient is first exposed to asbestos. This period can range anywhere from 10 to 50 years before symptoms begin to appear. Because of this long latency period, many of the patients first diagnosed with the disease are between 50 and 70 years of age. For more information, visit our malignant mesothelioma symptoms page.
Peritoneal mesothelioma patients in another set of studies presented by P. Chahinian showed the following symptoms in varying degrees:
| Abdominal pain | 63% |
| Abdominal mass | 40% |
| Increased abdominal girth | 70% |
| Ascites (fluid in the abdomen) | 66% |
| Digestive disturbances | 33% |
| Fever | 20% |
| Weight loss | 44% |
| Thrombocytosis (increased platelets in the peripheral blood) | 23% |
| Leukocytosis (elevated white blood cell count) | 50% |
Remember that patients with mesothelioma may not begin showing signs of the disease for as long as 10-50 years following exposure to asbestos. For more information (the Meso Foundation also offers expert advice) contact us today.
