Asbestos Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Asbestos, including details on mesothelioma, lung disease, dangers, effects, risks.

Peritoneal mesothelioma: an unusual cause of an acute phase response presenting to the rheumatologist.

Hamdulay SS, Cook HT, Strickland N, Davies KA, Mason JC

Rheumatology Section, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, W12 ONN, London, UK. sh_hamdu@hotmail.com

The presence of an acute phase response may pre-date the eventual diagnosis of malignant disease by months or even years. We describe two patients referred to the rheumatology clinic, in which extensive investigation failed to identify an underlying cause to account for the presenting symptoms and an associated acute phase response. Several months later, repeated abdominal CT scans revealed an abnormality and subsequent laparoscopic biopsy confirmed a diagnosis of peritoneal mesothelioma.

Published 2 March 2007 in Clin Rheumatol, 26(4): 584-6.
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