Clinical Presentation of Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Abstract

Aim To describe the clinical presentation of peritoneal mesothelioma and its impact on survival. Methods Data was collected from 51 patients with peritoneal mesothelioma treated at the Washington Cancer Institute. The demographic, clinical and pathologic information were analyzed. Results Pain was the most common symptom (recorded in 33% of patients); increased abdominal girth occurred in 31%, increased abdominal girth and pain in 5%, and a new onset hernia in 12%. In an additional 14% of patients, a variety of other clinical findings led to the diagnosis. There was a statistically significant difference in survival by gender, weight loss and volume of disease. Conclusions Pain was the most common initial presenting symptom, with increased abdominal girth as a second. A more favorable prognosis occurred in women with a small disease volume.