Peritoneal Cancer Index

**Semantic type:** Intellectual Product

**Definition:** A method for detailed evaluation of the peritoneal spread of tumors of gastrointestinal origin. The index is based on tumor size in 13 separate regions, 9 regions in the abdomen and 4 in the small intestine. Each region is given a score from 0 to 3, based on the size of any tumors present, and the cancer index is the sum of all scores, ranging from 0 to 39. This score has been found to be a prognostic indicator of survival.

**Synonyms:** - PCI - Peritoneal Carcinomatosis Index