Peritoneal Tuberculosis Mimics Ovarian Cancer: A Case Report

Peritoneal tuberculosis is a form of abdominal and/or pelvic tuberculosis. This entity can sometimes imitate ovarian cancer clinically, and is accompanied by an increase of serum cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) level, which may make the differential diagnosis between the two diseases a challenge for clinicians. We report herein a case of a 49-year-old woman whose symptoms, signs, imaging and laboratory findings suggested ovarian cancer, and document the risk factors for the development of tuberculosis. Finally, the diagnosis of peritoneal tuberculosis can be obtained through further research and appropriate data analysis. The purpose of this case is to improve the medical community’s understanding of the importance of distinguishing peritoneal tuberculosis in patients with suspected ovarian cancer, so as to make accurate differential diagnosis and avoid subjecting patients to unnecessary surgery.