Background: A standard treatment for primary peritoneal carcinoma has not been established to date. We describe a case in which this cancer was successfully treated by use of paclitaxel and carboplatin chemotherapy.
Case: An 80-year-old woman who presented with abdominal distension and right upper abdominal pain was diagnosed with massive ascites and an omentum tumor via abdominal computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); her ovaries were normal-sized. Serum levels of the tumor marker CA125 were above normal (170 U/mL), and aspiration cytology showed the presence of adenocarcinoma cells. Despite several examinations, the primary tumor was not detected. The patient underwent exploratory laparotomy and was diagnosed with primary peritoneal carcinoma. She received combination chemotherapy consisting of paclitaxel and carboplatin. Serum CA125 levels returned to normal, and an MRI showed no evidence ofa tumor.
Conclusion: Paclitaxel and carboplatin combination chemotherapy is effective for treatment of primary peritoneal adenocarcinomas.