[Peritoneal tuberculosis mimicking ovarian cancer--diagnostic difficulties. Two cases reports]

Tuberculosis, and specially its extrapulmonary location still causes diagnostic difficulties. In 2007, in Poland 7.3% of newly registered cases of tuberculosis in Poland were located extrapulmonary. Peritoneal tuberculosis is often wrongly diagnosed as an ovarian cancer, it is due to similar symptoms like abdominal pain, abdominopelvic masses, ascites and elevated serum CA-125. Two patients who were admitted to our department with suspicion of ovarian cancer are presented. Subjective symptoms suggested the ovarian cancer, elevated levels of CA-125, chest x-rays without abnormal findings or with minimal fibrotic changes and uncharacteristic results of additional investigations were disclosed. A diagnostic laparoscopy was made to establish the diagnosis. Because of clinical and operative picture suggesting ovarian cancer in both cases resections were performed. The procedure consisted of total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Biopsy specimens were taken up and verified histopathologically. The peritoneal tuberculosis was recognized in both cases.