A new report discusses a seven-year Mesothelioma survivor's story

A study published in the Journal of Medical Case Reports 2011 confirmed a case of peritoneal malignant mesothelioma in a 48-year old woman.

Peritoneal malignant mesothelioma is a form of cancer that generally affects the cavity of the chest, abdomen, and in some cases, the lining of the heart. This type of cancer generally occur as a result of exposure to asbestos, a substance that was commonly used as general construction material in recent years.

Symptoms of the disease may appear years after the exposure.

The patient was said to be suffering from the disease for seven years. For nearly half a decade, she was experiencing severe discomfort and abdominal pain. She underwent a series of exams in attempts to determine the cause of this discomfort.

Initial macroscopic findings showed a peritoneal tumor however microscopic examinations found areas of prominent papillary tumors on mesothelial surface. The patient underwent estrogen receptor expression as an experimental treatment to alleviate her condition.

Malignant mesothelioma cancer and other asbestos cancer diseases were found to be common in Australia.

According to the report, it has the highest rate of mesothelioma cancer per capita in the world.