Solitary benign fibrous mesothelioma of the peritoneum: A rare entity in a 2-year-old child

Our plain-English summary of Solitary benign fibrous mesothelioma of the peritoneum: A rare entity in a 2-year-old child, by S. Singh, M. Sangwan, R. Sen, et al (Asian Journal of Surgery, 2016).

The study

• Authors: S. Singh, M. Sangwan, R. Sen, K.N. Rattan, R. Singh, M. Kala
• Journal: Asian Journal of Surgery
• Published: 2016;39(1):48-50
• Type of article: Case report
• Cited by: 1 article, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

Solitary benign fibrous mesothelioma (BFM) is uncommon and is termed as solitary fibrous mesothelioma or localized fibrous mesothelioma. Although the most common site for its development is the pleural region (65%), it has also been reported in the peritoneum. They are mostly seen in adults (average age: 54 years). Herein, we present a case of BFM in a 2-year-old male child, who presented to our hospital with abdominal pain and a lump in the abdomen. Differential diagnosis included solitary fibrous tumor, gastrointestinal stromal tumor, and benign fibrous lesions of mesentery. Establishing a preoperative diagnosis is difficult on the basis of clinical parameters or imaging studies and final diagnosis can only be assessed based on the results of histopathological and immunohistochemical examination.

Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Taiwan.

In plain English

This case report, from a pathology department in Rohtak, Haryana, India, describes one 2-year-old boy with a solitary benign fibrous mesothelioma of the peritoneum. The authors say this tumor is now also called a solitary fibrous tumor. The boy had excessive crying, episodic diarrhea and a lump of about 10 cm in the left lower abdomen. Imaging suggested a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), and an exploratory operation was done to remove the mass. It was a well-encapsulated tumor measuring 9 by 6.5 by 2 cm on the outer surface of the intestine. Under the microscope it was made of bland spindle-shaped cells. Stains were positive for CD34 and vimentin and negative for CD117, SMA, S100 and CD99, which led to the final diagnosis. The article does not mention asbestos or any other exposure, and it does not report how the child did after surgery. The authors concluded that the diagnosis depends on pathology findings, and that both the child's age and the tumor's site were rare.

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 (one patient)
• Who was studied: One 2-year-old boy seen at the pediatrics unit of a medical institute in Rohtak, Haryana, India
• Exposure: None described. The article does not mention asbestos or any other exposure, and the authors state that the cause of these tumors is unknown.
• Main results:
  • The child had excessive crying, episodic diarrhea and a lump in the abdomen. A solid mass of about 10 cm was felt in the left lower abdomen.
  • Based on symptoms and imaging, doctors first thought the mass was a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) and performed an exploratory laparotomy (abdominal operation).
  • The removed tumor measured 9 by 6.5 by 2 cm and sat on the outer (serosal) surface of the intestine.
  • Under the microscope the tumor consisted of bland spindle-shaped cells resembling fibroblasts.
  • The tumor stained positive for CD34 and vimentin and negative for CD117, SMA, S100 and CD99. The final diagnosis of benign fibrous mesothelioma was made from these stains.
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that a diagnosis cannot be reached from symptoms or imaging alone and depends on pathology findings. They also described the case as unique because both the patient's age and the tumor's site are rare.

Topics

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Mesothelioma, Peritoneum, Differential Diagnosis, Solitary Fibrous Tumor, Mesentery.

Related studies

• Solitary benign fibrous tumors of the pleura — M.A. Regal, A.M. Al Rubaish, et al. (2008)
• Solitary fibrous mesothelioma of the peritoneum — A.P. Stout (1950)
• Benign cystic mesothelioma of the peritoneum in a child-case report and review of the literature — V.C. Shakya, C.S. Agrawal, et al. (2011)
• Solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura — A. Orki, A. Kosar, et al. (2008)
• Solitary fibrous tumors of the pleura: a case report and review of the literature — P. Mordenti, R. Di Cicilia, et al. (2013)
• Huge malignant solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura — W.A. Arab, D. Lamoth, et al. (2012)

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