Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that occurs in the thin cell walls surrounding the abdominal cavity, known as the peritoneum. This thin membrane acts a lubricant within the abdominal cavity so that surrounding organs and internal body structures may contract and expand within their normal body function. Incidence of peritoneal mesothelioma is quite rare, and typically presents in less than 500 individuals in the United States each year.

Asbestos cancer is more commonly known as mesothelioma. Mesothelioma, the type of cancer most commonly associated with asbestos exposure, is a malignancy that occurs in the lining of the lungs, abdomen, and heart. A mesothelioma diagnosis is generally classified as one of the following three types: pleural mesothelioma which occurs in the lining of the lungs (known as the pleura); peritoneal mesothelioma which occurs in the lining of the abdominal cavity (known as the peritoneum); and pericardial mesothelioma which occurs in the lining of the heart (known as the pericardium).