title: A case of mesothelioma masquerading pre-operatively as ovarian cancer and brief review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM) can masquerade as an ovarian epithelial neoplasm, with very similar presenting clinical symptoms and imaging findings. The gold standard in differentiating between these two diagnoses lies in tissue pathology.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a case of MPM that was initially misdiagnosed as ovarian cancer based on family history, imaging, and surgical findings. Tissue diagnosis preoperatively would have changed the planned procedure. Retrospectively, after the diagnosis of MPM, the patient was found to have had an indirect exposure to asbestos through her father.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This case highlights the importance of keeping a broad differential when diagnosing ovarian malignancies, collecting both family and social histories (including screening for exposure to asbestos), and the benefit of obtaining tissue diagnosis when MPM is suspected.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, United States.
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Hancock
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, United States.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Clinton
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, United States.
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Dinkelspiel
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, United States.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saab
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, United States.
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Caputo
keywords: Asbestos; Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma; Ovarian neoplasm