Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma associated with deep vein thrombosis following radiotherapy for seminoma of the testis

Our plain-English summary of Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma associated with deep vein thrombosis following radiotherapy for seminoma of the testis, by F. Sato, H. Yamazaki, K. Ataka, et al (Internal Medicine, 2000).

The study

• Authors: F. Sato, H. Yamazaki, K. Ataka, I. Mashima, K. Suzuki, T. Takahashi, H. Umezu, F. Gejyo
• Journal: Internal Medicine
• Published: 2000;39(11):920-4
• Type of article: Case report
• Cited by: 9 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

A 52-year-old man developed malignant peritoneal mesothelioma 17 years after radiotherapy for seminoma of the testis. Although asbestos exposure is considered to be the major risk factor for the development of malignant mesothelioma, prior therapeutic radiation has also been postulated as a causative factor. The unexplained appearance of ascites or pleural effusion within a previously irradiated area should be considered suggestive of malignant mesothelioma in any long-term survivor of cancer. In addition, the patient suffered a deep vein thrombosis four years before the diagnosis of mesothelioma. Deep vein thrombosis is a common complication of malignant disease, and is often the first clue to occult malignancy.

In plain English

This case report described one patient. A 52-year-old Japanese man was referred in July 1999 with fluid in the abdomen (ascites) and blockage of both common iliac veins. In 1982 his right testis had been removed for seminoma, followed by radiation therapy to the iliac region (32 Gy), the paraaortic region (61 Gy) and the right kidney (51 Gy). He had worked for over 30 years as a plasterer. The article states he had no history of asbestos exposure. In 1995 a blockage of the right common iliac vein was found and treated with warfarin. That was four years before his cancer was diagnosed. A laparoscopic biopsy showed a well-differentiated epithelial variant of malignant mesothelioma of the peritoneum. It was diagnosed 17 years after the radiotherapy. Cisplatin given into the abdomen reduced the ascites, but the overall response was poor. The authors concluded that it was highly likely this peritoneal mesothelioma was a secondary cancer related to the radiotherapy. As a single case, the report cannot show how often this happens.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: case report (single patient)
• Who was studied: One 52-year-old Japanese man, referred in July 1999 to Niigata University School of Medicine, Japan
• Exposure: Radiation therapy in 1982 after orchiectomy for seminoma of the right testis: iliac region 32 Gy, paraaortic region 61 Gy, right kidney 51 Gy. He worked over 30 years as a plasterer. The article reports no history of asbestos exposure.
• Main results:
  • The patient had worked over 30 years as a plasterer but had no history of exposure to asbestos
  • A right common iliac vein obstruction (deep vein thrombosis) was found four years before the mesothelioma diagnosis
  • The vein obstruction was treated with warfarin and the leg swelling disappeared
  • Laparoscopic biopsy of the peritoneum showed a well-differentiated epithelial variant of malignant mesothelioma
  • The interval from irradiation to mesothelioma diagnosis was 17 years
  • Intraperitoneal cisplatin reduced the ascites, but the overall response was poor
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that it was highly likely this malignant peritoneal mesothelioma was a secondary cancer related to the earlier radiotherapy

Topics

The National Library of Medicine indexes this study under subjects our site covers: Mesothelioma, Peritoneal mesothelioma.

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Peritoneal Mesothelioma, Asbestos Exposure, Malignant Mesothelioma, Ascites, Pleural Effusion, Mesothelioma.

Related studies

• Long-term outcomes following post-operative radiotherapy for Stage I/II testicular seminoma - an Australasian single-institution experience — W.L. Ong, L. Nazareth, et al. (2016)
• Colon cancers and peritoneal mesothelioma occurring 29 years after abdominal radiation for testicular seminoma. A case report and review of the literature — D. Tassile, A.D. Roth, et al. (1998)
• Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma following radiotherapy for seminoma of the testis — R.J. Stock, Y.S. Fu, et al. (1979)
• Commentary: Focused attention on proactive identification of deep venous thrombosis after pleurectomy/decortication for malignant pleural mesothelioma — S.S. Groth, R.T. Ripley, et al. (2020)
• Malignant Mesothelioma of the Tunica Vaginalis Testis: Outcomes Following Surgical Management Beyond Radical Orchiectomy — P. Recabal, B. Rosenzweig, et al. (2017)
• Malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis: a case with an unusually indolent course following radical orchidectomy and radiotherapy — J.L. Harmse, A.T. Evans, et al. (1999)

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