Mesothelioma of the abdomen in women monitoring of therapy by peritoneal fluid study

Two cases of malignant diffuse mesothelioma of the abdomen are presented. Both women demonstrated a prompt response to an oral alkylating agent, melphalan. The drug produced in both women a 22 and a 9 mo interval in which they were clinically free of disease. Multiple serial peritoneal fluid cytologic studies and biochemical evaluations using the sequential multiple analyzer (SMA 12–60) were carried out in the women. Cytogenetic analyses of peritoneal fluid was carried out in one woman during chemotherapy. These multiple serial peritoneal fluid studies indicated the disease-free state and allowed cessation of therapy and detected recurrent disease before clinical symptoms appeared. Monitoring of therapy for mesothelioma of the abdominal cavity in women is possible by serial peritoneal fluid study.