Primary malignant peritoneal mesothelioma: a report of two cases

Two cases of primary malignant peritoneal mesothelioma, a rather rare neoplasm, are reported. It is often mistaken by gynecologists for other, more common neoplasms such as ovarian cancer. The diagnosis is mainly established by laparotomy for tissue proof. There is no uniform agreement on the most appropriate therapeutic modalities to manage this tumor. Surgical resection is too technically difficult to achieve a satisfactory result. The response rate to chemotherapy or radiation is poor. The prognosis for primary malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is poor, with median survival from the time of diagnosis of less than 1 year, despite of aggressive treatment. A review of the literature is also presented.