Peritoneal metastases from extra-abdominal cancer - A population-based study

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Cancer Epidemiology
• Surgical Pathology

Background:

• Peritoneal metastases (PM) are typically associated with intra-abdominal cancers.
• The incidence of PM originating from extra-abdominal primary tumors is not well-documented.
• Understanding these patterns is crucial for patient management and prognosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the incidence of peritoneal metastases (PM) from extra-abdominal cancers in Ireland.
• To analyze the patterns and survival outcomes of patients with PM from extra-abdominal primary malignancies.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the National Cancer Registry of Ireland database (1994-2012).
• Identified patients diagnosed with peritoneal metastases (PM) from extra-abdominal primary cancers.
• Analyzed patient demographics and tumor characteristics.

Main Results:

• 9% of 5791 PM patients had an extra-abdominal primary malignancy.
• Breast (40.8%), lung (25.6%), and melanoma (9.3%) were most common.
• Median survival from PM diagnosis was 5.8 months; survival was poor for lung and melanoma.
• PM from breast cancer often diagnosed late (median 59.5 months post-primary diagnosis).

Conclusions:

• This is the first population-based study on PM from extra-abdominal cancers.
• Melanoma, breast, and lung cancers are the most frequent origins.
• Peritoneal metastases uniformly indicate a poor prognosis.