What Is Peritoneal Cancer?
Peritoneal cancer, primary peritoneal cancer (PPC) or carcinoma is cancer that originates in the cells lining the abdominal cavity, the peritoneum. The peritoneum covers all of the organs in the abdomen such as the stomach, the intestines and the liver.
Peritoneal cancer is rare and there are no exact figures for how many people get it each year in the UK. The vast majority of cases are in women, and research suggests that between 7 and 15% of women with advanced ovarian cancer actually have peritoneal cancer.
The cause of peritoneal cancer is unknown, but like most cancers it is commonly diagnosed in people over the age of 60. In some cases it is associated with an inherited faulty gene that is also linked to family breast cancer.
The signs of peritoneal cancer can be attributed to other conditions and illnesses too, but should always be investigated. Symptoms include: appetite loss, indigestion, bloating, unexplained weight gain, lower abdominal pain and abdominal swelling.
Private treatments for peritoneal cancer are performed at the LOC by highly experienced specialists who perform the most advanced treatments in sophisticated clinics.