Multicystic mesothelioma with endometriosis

Our plain-English summary of Multicystic mesothelioma with endometriosis, by G.M. Groisman, H. Kerner (Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, 1992).

The study

• Authors: G.M. Groisman, H. Kerner
• Journal: Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica
• Published: 1992;71(8):642-4
• Type of article: Case report
• Cited by: 20 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

A multicystic mesothelioma of the omentum in a 36 year old woman consisted of a multicystic mass with foci of typical endometriosis and 'necrotic pseudoxanthomatous nodules'. The presence of endometriosis within multicystic mesothelioma has never been reported. Our findings support the hypothesis that endometriosis plays a rôle in the pathogenesis of multicystic mesothelioma and that this is a reactive rather than a neoplastic lesion.

In plain English

This case report, from the Department of Pathology at Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, Israel, described one 36-year-old woman with a multicystic mesothelioma. This is a rare cyst-forming growth of the lining cells of the abdominal (peritoneal) cavity, also called a multilocular peritoneal inclusion cyst. She had abdominal pain lasting several months. Surgery found a cystic mass, 23 by 20 by 7 cm, involving the entire omentum. The omentum and appendix were removed, and she was alive and well one year later. Under the microscope, the cysts were lined by mesothelial cells without significant atypia or mitotic activity. The mass also contained foci of typical endometriosis and several 'necrotic pseudoxanthomatous nodules', which earlier work had described as a rare form of endometriosis. The authors stated that endometriosis within this kind of lesion had not been reported before. They concluded that the finding gives convincing evidence that reactive inflammatory changes caused by endometriosis play a role in causing the lesion, and that it is reactive rather than a true tumor (neoplastic). The article did not mention asbestos.

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, pathology study)
• Who was studied: One 36-year-old otherwise healthy woman admitted to Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel, with abdominal pain of several months' duration
• Main results:
  • Surgery found a cystic mass involving the entire omentum
  • The mass measured 23 x 20 x 7 cm and was made of many thin-walled locules ranging from 5 mm to 5 cm
  • The cysts were lined by flat to cuboidal mesothelial cells without significant atypia or mitotic activity
  • Foci of endometriosis (endometrial glands with endometrial stroma) were found within the multicystic mesothelioma stroma or next to cysts
  • The authors stated that typical endometriosis within a multicystic mesothelioma had not been reported before
  • Several necrotic pseudoxanthomatous nodules, 1 to 4 mm across, were present in the stroma
  • Necrotic pseudoxanthomatous nodules had earlier been described by Clement et al. as a rare manifestation of endometriosis
  • Transitional areas between endometriosis and mesothelial cysts were seen
  • Electron microscopy showed that the cells lining the cysts had typical features of mesothelial cells
  • The patient was alive and well one year after omentectomy and appendectomy
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that endometriosis and necrotic pseudoxanthomatous nodules within the multicystic mesothelioma provide convincing evidence that reactive inflammatory changes caused by endometriosis play a role in its development, and that it is a reactive rather than a neoplastic lesion

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: Multicystic Mesothelioma (MCM), Omentum.

Related studies

• Multicystic mesothelioma caused by endometriosis: 2 case reports and review of the literature — Y. Kurisu, M. Tsuji, et al. (2011)
• Combined adenomatoid tumor and well differentiated papillary mesothelioma of the omentum — Y. Hatano, Y. Hirose, et al. (2011)
• Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma in patients with endometriosis — K.J. Butnor, J. Rueckert, et al. (2018)
• Laparoscopic management of peritoneal mesothelioma associated with pelvic endometriosis — F.R. Nezhat, S.M. DeNoble, et al. (2010)
• Peritoneal mesothelial hyperplasia associated with gynaecological disease: a potential diagnostic pitfall that is commonly associated with endometriosis — R. Oparka, W.G. McCluggage, et al. (2011)
• Benign multicystic mesothelioma with concurrent colonic adenocarcinoma: a report of two cases — A. Husain, M. Ozdemirli (2012)

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