Post number two for Pseudomyxoma Peritonei Awareness Month and
today I will be focusing on the cancer itself. I hope you find this post
interesting, remember to check Pseudomyxoma Survivor to find out more. I will
be using the abbreviation PMP in this post.
PMP usually begins as a slow growing tumour in the appendix known as
a low grade appendiceal neoplasm (LAMN). It can also begin in the bowel,
bladder or ovary but this is very rare. The causes of PMP are currently unknown.
Most PMP sufferers don’t have symptoms but when they do, they can
include:
*Slow Increase in Waist Size
*Hernia
*Loss of Appetite
*Unexplained Weight Gain
*Abdominal or Pelvic Pain
*Changes in Bowel Habits
*Appendicitis
As with most symptoms, the above do not mean you have PMP but they
should be investigated by a doctor to rule anything out.
PMP can be difficult to diagnose and can sometimes be incorrectly
diagnosed, as my friend Dawn Green discovered. It is sometimes discovered
during an operation for another issue or during investigations into abdominal symptoms.
A CT scan can be used to make a PMP diagnosis but biopsies and operations are
also sometimes required.
As with most cancer types, PMP is treated depending on a number of
factors including your general health, the size and position of the tumour and
whether it has spread or not.
Radiotherapy isn’t suitable for PMP as the PMP cells aren’t sensitive
to radiotherapy and they are usually spread over too large an area for this
treatment type to be effective.
Surgery may be offered to treat this cancer type and is available in
two forms:
Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy
(HIPEC)
This is also known as the Sugarbaker technique (as Sugarman is the
name of the surgeon who developed it) and can also be known as The Mother of
All Surgeries. It is an intensive treatment that is used to remove the tumour
and hopefully cure PMP. It involves removing the lining of the abdomen or
organs such as the bowel and gallbladder as well as the fatty tissue found in
the stomach (omentum). Women may also have their uterus and ovaries removed.
Around half of people undergoing HIPEC require a stoma (colostomy bag) but this
is usually temporary and can be revered after around six months.
The second part of the surgery involves a heated chemotherapy drug
being put in the tummy for around ninety minutes once the tumour has been
removed. This is known as Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy or a chemo
bath. The combination of the heat and the chemo aims to kill any of the
cancerous cells that may have been left behind.
This is a huge operation and can last around ten hours. It also involves
a stay in the critical care unit whilst you recover and you may in hospital for
around two weeks following the surgery. It has possible serious complications
which should be discussed with you beforehand.
There are two specialist centres that offer this surgery: The
Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital and The Christie Hospital
Debulking Surgery:
This is done with HIPEC is not possible. The aim of this surgery is
to remove as much of the tumour as possible to reduce the symptoms. It can involve
removing the omenum and bowel as well as the uterus and ovaries for females.
This surgery is unlikely to remove all traces of the cancer and it
is likely to grow back afterwards which means further debulking surgeries may
be needed. The downside of this is the procedure becomes more complicated and
there are fewer benefits but more risks. A permanent stoma is sometimes needed
after this kind of surgery to prevent bowel obstructions.
I hope this post has been informative for you. Please do check out
Dawn’s fantastic charities website for more information http://www.pseudomyxomasurvivor.co.uk/
xxx
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