PSEUDOMYXOMA PERITONEI - REPORT ON 19 CASES

Nineteen patients, 15 women, 4 men, mean age 65 years, were treated fo r pseudomyxoma peritonei between 1971 and 1991. The clinical onset was generally insidious, predominant signs being ascites (9 cases), a mas s (9 cases), distension (8 cases) and abdominal pain (8 cases). Diagno sis was assisted by scan imaging and alteration in serum A CE levels. The initial mucosecreting tumor was appendicular (12 cases), ovarian ( 11 cases) or both (4 cases). Histology was benign in 17 of the 19 pati ents. After surgical treatment in all cases, 10 patients relapsed, glo bal survival at 5 years being 65 % and at 10 years 49 %.