Synchronous Pleural and Peritoneal Mesothelioma: a Case Report and Narrative Review

Indian Journal of Surgical Oncology 2023 June [Link]

Miguel Enrique Alberto Vilchez, Eva Pachmayr, Alexander Arnold, Safak Gül-Klein, Andreas Brandl, Beate Rau

Abstract

Malignant mesotheliomas most often affect the pleura and tend to spread locally within the originating cavity. Mesotheliomas are already rare diseases, and cases with synchronous pleural and peritoneal involvement are scarce in the literature. Mesothelioma in children is a rare disease representing only 0.9% of all mesotheliomas. They exhibit similar distribution and characteristics as mesotheliomas in adults and generally, a poor prognosis. Due to the rarity, there is no standardized treatment recommendation for children with mesothelioma. Though the malignant mesothelioma tends to spread locally within the originating cavity, pleuM have been reported to metastasize into the peritoneal cavity and vice versa. As there are only few studies concerning the metastatic spread of mesothelioma, it is difficult to define a precise incidence and risk factors for patients to develop metastases of the other mesothelium. There is no standardized therapeutic recommendation for patients with synchronous pleuM and perM. Our patient proved to profit from a radical two-stage surgical approach in combination with locoregional chemotherapy; she showed no sign of tumor recurrences 9 years after tumor resection. In conclusion, clinical studies are needed to confirm the benefit of this treatment and to determine its limitations and selection criteria.