Peritoneal tuberculosis (PTB) is an uncommon extrapulmonary infection mimickng primary peritoneal cancer (PPC). We retrospectively included 23 women with PTB and 47 women with PPC treated in a medical center to study the clinical and radiological features that differentiate PTB from PPC. Body temperature above 38 °C was a unique feature of PTB (34.7% versus 0%, p < 0.001). Body Mass Index (BMI) was lower (21.9 ± 3.7 versus 25.2 ± 4.1, p = 0.003), white blood cell (WBC) count was lower (5179.6 ± 1502.2 versus 7716.2 ± 2741.8, p < 0.001), and CA-125 level was lower (508.0 ± 266.1 versus 2130.1 ± 2367.2 U/mL, p < 0.001) in PTB compared with PPC. Imaging detected more pulmonary infiltration and consolidation (52.2% versus 6.4%, p < 0.001), and less omental/mesentery changes (52% versus 83%, p < 0.001) in PTB compared with PPC. The operated patients received earlier treatment compared to patients without operation (7.9 ± 5.3 days versus 17.2 ± 11.0 days, p = 0.010). In conclusion, fever above 38 °C, lower BMI, lower WBC count, less elevated CA-125 level, and imaging of less omental involvement were features of PTB differentiated from PPC.
Keywords: peritoneal neoplasms; radiography; symptom assessment; tuberculous peritonitis.