Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Our plain-English summary of Peritoneal Mesothelioma, by T.R. Hendrix (1972).

The study

• Author: T.R. Hendrix
• Published: Gastroenterology 62(2):346-350 August (1972)
• Type of article: Journal article
• Our copy: from Johns-Manville's own medical library. The article is still under copyright, so we describe it here rather than post it.

In plain English

This article is a review of published reports, not an original study. It appeared in the journal's "Current Clinical Concepts" section. The citation names T.R. Hendrix, but the article names Charles G. Moertel of the Mayo Clinic as author; Hendrix was the section editor. The author summarized the literature on peritoneal mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the abdomen. Reported cases had grown to at least 169 in the English literature, partly because pathologists had become better at recognizing the tumor. In the reviewed reports, 54 of 84 adequately documented cases had known occupational asbestos exposure or significant numbers of asbestos bodies in lung tissue. When experimental animals were inoculated with asbestos fiber, producing tumors with the tissue appearance of mesothelioma, amosite, chrysotile and crocidolite proved equally carcinogenic under those conditions. The author noted that not all mesotheliomas are related to asbestos exposure. Among 118 reported cases where sex was stated, men outnumbered women 67 to 51, and the median age at diagnosis was 53. Radiation, chemotherapy and cytotoxic substances instilled into the abdomen had all failed against malignant disease, though some localized, presumed benign mesotheliomas had been cured by surgery. Death had uniformly been reported within 12 months of diagnosis. The author called for more organized treatment trials.

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: Narrative review of published literature (journal section "Current Clinical Concepts")
• Who was studied: Published cases of peritoneal mesothelioma, mainly in the English literature (at least 169 cases by the time of writing, 1972)
• Exposure: Asbestos exposure in general. The author lists shipyard work, asbestos textile manufacturing, brake lining installation, insulation work and sack repair as particularly vulnerable occupations. The author mentions amosite, chrysotile and crocidolite in animal inoculation experiments.
• Main results:
  • In the reviewed literature, 54 of 84 adequately documented peritoneal mesothelioma cases had known occupational asbestos exposure or significant numbers of asbestos bodies in lung tissue.
  • When experimental animals were inoculated with asbestos fiber, producing tumors of mesothelioma histology, amosite, chrysotile and crocidolite all proved equally carcinogenic under those conditions.
  • In several series, the induction period from first asbestos exposure averaged between 33 and 43 years.
  • The author stated that not all mesotheliomas are related to asbestos exposure, and that the proportion that are depends on the occupational pattern of the region studied.
  • Among 118 reported peritoneal mesothelioma cases where sex was stated, men outnumbered women 67:51.
  • In reported cases, the median age at diagnosis was 53 years, with a range of 13 to 92 years.
  • Ascites was seen in almost 90% of reported cases. A palpable abdominal mass was a presenting finding in 16%.
  • Some surgical cures of localized, presumed benign mesotheliomas had been recorded. The author stated that the malignant variety is always beyond any hope of resection at diagnosis.
  • Radiation therapy, systemic chemotherapy and instillation of cytotoxic substances into the peritoneal cavity had all been tried and had all failed.
  • Death had uniformly been reported less than 12 months after diagnosis of peritoneal mesothelioma.
• The authors' conclusion: The author concluded that peritoneal mesothelioma is likely to become an increasingly frequent clinical challenge, and that more organized therapeutic trial programs are needed.
• Limitations the authors state:
  • The author noted that much of the rise in reported cases can be attributed to improved pathological recognition.
  • The author noted that the diagnosis is difficult: many pathologists will only make a diagnosis of "probable mesothelioma".

Topics

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Peritoneal Mesothelioma, Asbestos Exposure, Asbestos Bodies, Mesothelioma, Amosite, Chrysotile, Crocidolite, Carcinogenic.

Browse return to medical research.