Essential Questions to ask if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Mesothelioma ***IMPORTANT***

Peritoneal Cancer Index (PCI) for Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Posted on: December 13, 2023 *Updated on: May 25, 2024

The Peritoneal Cancer Index (PCI) serves as the primary staging system for peritoneal mesothelioma, assessing the extent of cancer spread within the abdomen. The PCI scores range from 0 to 39 and are assigned to 13 sections of the abdomen. A score of 0 indicates no signs of mesothelioma in a section, while a score of 30 indicates extensive tumor presence.

To simplify the PCI, some doctors associate the scores with four stages:

  • PCI of 1-10 corresponds to Stage 1
  • PCI of 11-20 corresponds to Stage 2
  • PCI of 21-30 corresponds to Stage 3
  • PCI of 31-39 corresponds to Stage 4

Lower PCI scores provide more treatment options, but seeking a second opinion after diagnosis is always advisable.