A rare case of peritoneal mesothelioma in a male with ascites

Mesothelial lesions can present significant diagnostic problems. An accurate identification of the lesion is important in deciding what course of action to follow, as well as what the required treatment will be. We report the case of a man with untreatable ascites. Four years after the first symptom appeared, the patient suddenly began to lose weight. The CT scan showed a thickening of the peritoneal profile; a diffuse lesion of the mesothelium was then observed at laparotomy. Histological examination led to a diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma in a well-differentiated mesothelial lesion with diffuse involvement of the serosa of the small intestine and the lesser omentum.