Cancers that prefer peritoneal seeding typically originate in or near the abdominal cavity and tend to spread via transcoelomic (across a body cavity) routes. These cancers often deposit malignant cells onto peritoneal surfaces, including the omentum, mesentery, and serosal surfaces of abdominal organs.
| Primary Cancer | Likely to Cause Peritoneal Carcinomatosis? | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Ovarian cancer +/- Fallopian tube cancer | ✅ Very common | Often presents first as peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) |
| Gastric Cancer | ✅ Common, esp. diffuse/linitis plastica types | Often associated with malignant ascites and peritoneal nodules |
| ‣ | ✅ Possible, esp. mucinous or signet-ring cell | Higher risk after peritoneal/serosal invasion or perforation |
| ‣ (advanced stage) | ✅ Yes, but less commonly | Usually in advanced stages |
| ‣ (serous subtype) | ⚠️ Occasionally | High-grade serous histology more likely; rare in typical endometrioid |
Unlikely:
| Small bowel cancer | ⚠️ Rare but possible | Uncommon due to lower overall incidence |
|---|---|---|
| Gallbladder or biliary cancer | ⚠️ Rare | Less likely; typically spreads via lymphatics or hematogenously |
| Hepatocellular carcinoma | 🚫 Very rare | PC is extremely uncommon; liver cancers usually spread hematogenously |
| Lung/Breast cancers | 🚫 Rare | Can metastasize to peritoneum but PC is not typical |
Primary Cancer of the body cavity