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Mesothelioma and Stomach Cancer
After occupational exposure to asbestos, workers may develop a variety of different diseases, including mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive form of cancer. It most often develops in the lining of the lungs, causing difficulty with breathing and other complications. However, it can also develop in other areas of the body.
The second-most common area for mesothelioma to develop is in the lining of the abdomen. This type of cancer, called peritoneal mesothelioma, commonly spreads quickly throughout the abdomen[1]. By the time it’s usually diagnosed, it has advanced to the point that there is little doctors can do. This is because peritoneal mesothelioma is exceptionally rare, and the symptoms are nonspecific. Though there have been advances in treatment for peritoneal mesothelioma, it is considered universally fatal.
Though stomach cancer presents a variety of symptoms[2], peritoneal mesothelioma only has a few recognized symptoms due to its rarity. The symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma do overlap with stomach cancer, however. These include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, constipation, and swelling or fluid build-up in the abdomen[3].
Because of the rarity of peritoneal mesothelioma, and the symptoms common between that disease and stomach cancer, it’s not uncommon for mesothelioma to be misdiagnosed as simple stomach cancer. Of course, because these may also be the symptoms of everyday stomach viruses, diagnosis of either cancer may be delayed by either the patient not seeking treatment, or the doctor not considering cancer as the cause.
In addition to peritoneal mesothelioma, stomach cancer itself has been shown to be correlated with asbestos exposure in certain countries. However, because the very few studies that have been done on the matter have shown mixed results, there is not enough evidence to infer a causal relationship between exposure to asbestos and the development of stomach cancer[4]. Other studies cite asbestos exposure as one of several factors that could possibly cause gastrointestinal cancers, including stomach cancer.[5]
However, one isolated study of lighthouse keepers in Norway showed an increase in gastrointestinal cancer risk in general, and stomach cancer risk specifically, after the ingestion of asbestos. Again, this study only supported the hypothesis of an association between asbestos exposure and stomach cancer, and did not offer definitive proof[6].
Any mesothelioma patient who is experiencing symptoms of stomach cancer should report the symptoms to their doctor, as pleural (lung) mesothelioma can metastasize to distant structures such as the stomach in its late stages.[7] In addition, anyone who had occupational exposure to asbestos and is experiencing symptoms of stomach cancer should be evaluated by their physician.
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5497105/
[2] https://www.cancer.org/cancer/stomach-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/signs-symptoms.html
[3] https://www.cancer.org/cancer/malignant-mesothelioma/detection-diagnosis-staging/signs-symptoms.html
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK20334/
[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1306225/
[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15986115
[7] https://www.cancer.org/cancer/malignant-mesothelioma/detection-diagnosis-staging/staging.html
