Primary peritoneal adenocarcinoma causes pleural effusion

CONTEXT The most common malignancies associated with malignant pleural effusions are carcinomas of the breast, lung, gastrointestinal tract, ovary and lymphomas. Primary peritoneal adenocarcinoma is a very rare cause of malignant pleural effusion. CASE REPORT A 72-year old female patient presented to us with shortness of breath for the last 2 months. A contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) scan of her-thorax revealed only bilateral pleural effusion with absence of any mass lesion or any mediastinal lymphadenopathy. A cytologic examination of pleural fluid revealed adenocarcinoma cells. A CECT of her abdomen and pelvis revealed heterogenous thickening of omentum with nodular appearances and small amount of ascites. Her ovaries were normal and no other mass lesion was detected. A histological examination of a peritoneal lesion was suggestive of adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSIONS The patient was diagnosed with a rare case of primary peritoneal adenocarcinoma with bilateral pleural effusion.