Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Eur J Radiol Open 2019 31;6:72-77. Epub 2019 Jan 31.

Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.

Localized malignant pleural mesothelioma (LMPM) is an extremely rare tumor. We report the case of a 40-year-old Japanese male with an LMPM mimicking an anterior mediastinal tumor due to invasion to the anterior mediastinum, and we discuss mainly the differentiation of LMPM from an anterior mediastinal tumor. The present tumor had a long shape along the pleura, and LMPM could be one of the differential diagnoses. Read More

Respir Med 2019 Feb 18;147:72-75. Epub 2019 Jan 18.

Pneumology Department, CHU Liège, Domaine Universitaire du Sart-Tilman, B35, B4000, Liège Belgium.

Probe based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE) is a new optical endoscopic technique, generating fluorescent light emission from the tissue of interest and allowing in vivo live imaging at a cellular level ("optical biopsies"). To the best of our knowledge, this article is the first to present pCLE images during medical thoracoscopy. We present here 3 different patients referred for various health problems. Read More

J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2019 Jan 10;157(1):404-413. Epub 2018 Oct 10.

Department of Thoracic Surgery, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan.

Objectives: Definitive diagnosis of the T-component is sometimes challenging in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Pleural thickness has been reported to be a prognostic factor for MPM and is a potential T-component.

Methods: We conducted a historical cohort study of patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and curative-intent surgery as a multimodal treatment for MPM from January 2007 to June 2016. Read More

Respiration 2018 Dec 13:1-8. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Division of Respirology, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario,

Background: Use of indwelling pleural catheters (IPCs) for the management of symptomatic pleural effusions in patients with mesothelioma has increased in popularity. An important concern with this approach is the potential for the development of catheter tract metastasis (CTM).

Objectives: To determine the incidence of IPC-related CTM in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Read More

J Mol Med (Berl) 2019 Feb 11;97(2):231-242. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.

No tyrosine kinase inhibitors are approved for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Preclinical studies identified focal adhesion kinase (FAK) as a target in MPM. Accordingly, we assessed the novel, highly selective FAK inhibitor (BI 853520) in 2D and 3D cultures and in vivo. Read More

Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Thoracic Surgery, University Hospitals KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.

Objectives: Combined modality treatment (CMT) for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) remains a matter of debate regarding the choice of surgical procedure: extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) or pleurectomy/decortication.

Methods: We performed a prospective interventional cohort study between 2003 and 2014. All consecutive patients with any histological MPM subtype, ≤70 years old, World Health Organization performance status ≤1, medically fit for pneumonectomy and stage cT1-2cN0-2cM0 (TNM7) or lower were included. Read More

Molecules 2018 Nov 29;23(12). Epub 2018 Nov 29.

Unidad de Investigación Biomédica en Cáncer, INCan/UNAM, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (INCan), Ciudad de México 14080, Mexico.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is the most common tumor of the pulmonary pleura. It is a rare and aggressive malignancy, generally associated with continuous occupational exposure to asbestos. Only a multimodal-approach to treatment, based on surgical resection, chemotherapy and/or radiation, has shown some benefits. Read More

AJR Am J Roentgenol 2019 Feb 4;212(2):311-319. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

1 Department of Radiology, Division of Functional and Diagnostic Imaging Research, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-2 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0017, Japan.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of whole-body MRI, coregistered FDG PET/MRI, integrated FDG PET/CT, and conventional imaging examination including bone scintigraphy, contrast-enhanced brain MRI, and CT for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) staging according to the new International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) system.

Subjects And Methods: The study subjects were 23 consecutively registered patients with MPM (15 men, eight women; mean age, 68 years for both sexes) who had prospectively undergone whole-body FDG PET/CT, whole-body MRI, conventional radiologic examination, surgical or conventional treatments, pathologic examination, and follow-up conventional imaging examinations between January 2011 and December 2017. TNM staging was evaluated by two independent readers. Read More

Oncologist 2018 Nov 26. Epub 2018 Nov 26.

Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Department of Medicine, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.

Background: Multimodality therapy with preoperative radiation (RT) followed by extrapleural pneumonectomy (EP) for patients with operable malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) has demonstrated encouraging results. At relapse, there are few data on the tolerance and efficacy of systemic therapies after prior multimodality therapy.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with relapsed MPM after RT and EPP ± adjuvant chemotherapy to determine overall survival (OS; date of relapse to death) and the proportion of patients that received systemic therapy and associated response rate (RR). Read More

Transl Lung Cancer Res 2018 Oct;7(5):537-542

Department of Pathology, University Hospital of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium.

Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM) is a very rare malignancy of the peritoneum and has a poor prognosis. Of all mesotheliomas, pleural mesothelioma is more common than MPM. In comparison to pleural mesothelioma, the link with asbestos exposure is weaker (33-50% >80%), but it is still the best-defined risk factor. Read More

Transl Lung Cancer Res 2018 Oct;7(5):520-536

Laboratory of Experimental Medicine and Paediatrics, Antwerp University, Wilrijk, Belgium.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a tumour related to a historical exposure to asbestos fibres. Currently, the definite diagnosis is made only by the histological examination of a biopsy obtained through an invasive thoracoscopy. However, diagnosis is made too late for curative treatment because of non-specific symptoms mainly appearing at advanced stage disease. Read More

Hell J Nucl Med 2018 Sep-Dec;21(3):191-197. Epub 2018 Nov 10.

Nuclear Medicine Department, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy.

Objective: To evaluate the role of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (F-FDG PET/CT) in therapy response assessment according modified response evaluating criteria of solid tumors (mRECIST) and the predictive role of volume-based semi-quantitative parameters in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Furthermore modified RECIST criteria for MPM mRECIST and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) criteria were compared and the predictive role of F-FDG PET/CT in the post-therapy outcome.

Subjects And Methods: Thirty five selected patients with MPM underwent F-FDG PET/CT scan at baseline (1) and after therapy (2). Read More

Ann Gastroenterol 2018 Nov-Dec;31(6):659-669. Epub 2018 Sep 14.

Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital of Ioannina, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Greece (Konstantinos H. Katsanos, Dimitrios K. Christodoulou).

Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare disease with a wide clinical spectrum. It arises from the peritoneal lining and commonly presents with diffuse, extensive spread throughout the abdomen and, more rarely, metastatic spread beyond the abdominal cavity. Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and positron-emission tomography are important diagnostic tools used for the preoperative staging of MPM. Read More

Clin Nucl Med 2019 Jan;44(1):55-56

Nuclear Medicine, Medical Center Leeuwarden, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.

A 57-year-old man presented with shortness of breath and ankle edema. Constrictive pericarditis with an unexplained mass surrounding the heart was diagnosed by ultrasound. Accordingly, F-FDG PET/CT was performed. Read More

Clin Case Rep Rev 2018 30;4(5). Epub 2018 May 30.

Department of Internal Medicine, State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA.

Mesothelioma is a rare tumor of the pleura, peritoneum, pericardium or tunica vaginalis. About 2,500 cases are diagnosed annually in the United States. Mesothelioma often presents with pleuritic chest pain and dyspnea related to local invasion; distal metastasis and lymphadenopathy at the time of diagnosis is rare. Read More

Rev Pneumol Clin 2018 Dec 5;74(6):427-435. Epub 2018 Oct 5.

Service de Pathologie, Hôpital Abderrahman Mami, 2037 Ariana, Tunisie; Unité de recherche, 12SP18, Ariana, Tunisie.

Background: The malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare tumour usually associated to asbestos exposure. The delay between the exposure and the occurrence of the cancer can reach 40 years. This caused the pick of incidence described in many countries including Tunisia. Read More

Int J Oncol 2018 Nov 7;53(5):2034-2046. Epub 2018 Sep 7.

Division of Thoracic Surgery, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) following lung-sparing extended pleurectomy for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) has been investigated as a potential means to kill residual microscopic cells. High expression levels of folate receptor 1 (FOLR1) have been reported in MPM; therefore, targeting FOLR1 has been considered a novel potential strategy. The present study developed FOLR1‑targeting porphyrin-lipid nanoparticles (folate-porphysomes, FP) for the treatment of PDT. Read More

J Cancer Res Ther 2018 Jul-Sep;14(5):1029-1035

Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.

Background: Photon dose distribution of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) in matched photon-electron technique is influenced by media inhomogeneity, lateral electronic disequilibrium at interfaces and narrow field. These may influence the dose calculation accuracy, calculated by treatment planning systems (TPS). This study aimed to evaluate the dose calculation accuracy of TiGRT TPS in radiation therapy of MPM. Read More

Eur J Surg Oncol 2018 11 11;44(11):1818-1823. Epub 2018 Aug 11.

Lyon 1 University, 43 Boulevard du 11 Novembre 1918, 69100, Villeurbanne, France; EMR 3738, 165 Chemin du Petit Revoyet, 69921, Oullins, France; Department of Oncologic and General Surgery, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, 165 Chemin du Grand Revoyet, 69495, Pierre-Bénite, France.

Background: Malnutrition is associated with increased postoperative morbidity in abdominal surgery. This study aimed to determine if sarcopenia and/or abdominal fat composition could predict postoperative outcomes for patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC) for pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) and peritoneal mesothelioma (PM).

Methods: All patients who underwent a complete CRS-HIPEC for PMP and PM, between January 2009 and September 2017, were retrospectively studied. Read More

Cureus 2018 Jun 6;10(6):e2749. Epub 2018 Jun 6.

Department of Pathology, Louis A. Weiss Memorial Hospital, Chicago, USA.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare neoplasm. It predominantly affects elderly individuals aged over 70 years presenting with a unilateral pleural tumor usually associated with previous asbestos exposure. The respiratory symptoms are associated with ipsilateral pleural involvement with concomitant pleural effusions. Read More

Clin Radiol 2018 Dec 29;73(12):1014-1024. Epub 2018 Jul 29.

Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St 510 S Kingshighway Blvd, Campus Box 8131, St Louis, MO 63110, USA.

There are various neoplasms and tumour-like conditions of the pleura. Mesothelioma is perhaps the most widely recognised; however, there are many others that are more common and should be considered. Understanding the similarities and differences can be helpful in managing the patient with a newly found pleural lesion. Read More

Ann Thorac Surg 2019 Jan 17;107(1):224-232. Epub 2018 Jul 17.

Center for Precision Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Electronic address:

Background: Macroscopic complete resection can improve survival in a select group of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. During resection, differentiating residual tumor from inflammation or scar can be challenging. This trial evaluated near-infrared (NIR) intraoperative imaging using TumorGlow (a novel NIR imaging approach utilizing high-dose indocyanine green and delayed imaging) technology to improve detection of macroscopic residual disease. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Nov 6;119:402-415. Epub 2018 Jul 6.

Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.

Background: Rhabdoid meningiomas are rare World Health Organization grade 3 tumors that tend to follow an aggressive course, with an increased likelihood for local recurrence, remote metastasis, and cerebrospinal fluid dissemination. Genetic testing has found certain genes associated with reduced time to tumor recurrence. BAP1 (BRCA1-associated protein 1) is a tumor suppressor gene that is associated with multiple tumors, including rhabdoid meningiomas. Read More

Eur Radiol 2019 Feb 2;29(2):682-688. Epub 2018 Jul 2.

Department of Radiology, The University of Chicago, 5841 South Maryland Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.

Objectives: The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the utility of haemodynamic parameters derived from dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (DCE-CT) scans in the assessment of tumour response to treatment in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) patients.

Methods: The patient cohort included nine patients undergoing chemotherapy and five patients on observation. Each patient underwent two DCE-CT scans separated by approximately 2 months. Read More

Anal Chem 2018 Aug 16;90(15):8831-8837. Epub 2018 Jul 16.

Institute of Chemical Technologies and Analytics , TU Wien , Getreidemarkt 9 , 1060 Vienna , Austria.

Laterally resolved chemical analysis (chemical imaging) has increasingly attracted attention in the Life Sciences during the past years. While some developments have provided improvements in lateral resolution and speed of analysis, there is a trend toward the combination of two or more analysis techniques, so-called multisensor imaging, for providing deeper information into the biochemical processes within one sample. In this work, a human malignant pleural mesothelioma sample from a patient treated with cisplatin as a cytostatic agent has been analyzed using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI MS). Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2018 Jun 26;19(7). Epub 2018 Jun 26.

Department of Thoracic and Endocrine Surgery, University Hospitals and University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a thoracic aggressive cancer caused by asbestos exposure, which is difficult to diagnose and treat. Here, we characterized an in vivo orthotopic xenograft model consisting of human mesothelioma cells (designed as H2052/484) derived from a pleural NCI-H2052 tumor injected in partially immunodeficient athymic mice. We assessed tumor formation and tumor-dependent patterns of inflammation. Read More

Cancer Immunol Immunother 2018 08 26;67(8):1317-1324. Epub 2018 Jun 26.

Medical Oncology and Immunotherapy, Center for Immuno-Oncology, University Hospital of Siena, Istituto Toscano Tumori, Siena, Viale Mario Bracci n. 16, 53100, Siena, Italy.

Treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) represents a highly unmet medical need. Here, we discuss the results and therapeutic potential of first- and second-generation immunomodulatory antibodies targeting distinct immune checkpoints for the treatment of MPM, as well as their prospective therapeutic role in combination strategies. We also discuss the role of appropriate radiological criteria of response for MPM and the potential need of ad hoc criteria of disease evaluation in MPM patients undergoing treatment with immunotherapeutic agents. Read More

J Thorac Oncol 2018 Jul;13(7):871-873

Department of Radiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.

J Natl Cancer Inst 2018 03;110(3):258-264

Division of Thoracic Surgery, Brigham and Women's, Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.

Background: Analysis of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM) database revealed that clinical (cTNM) staging minimally stratified survival and was discrepant with pathological (pTNM) staging. To improve prognostic classification of MPM, alternative staging models based on quantitative parameters were explored.

Methods: An institutional review board-approved MPM registry was queried to identify patients with available pathological and preoperative imaging data. Read More

Chest 2018 Jun;153(6):e123-e128

Pleural Medicine Unit, Institute of Respiratory Health and Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia; School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia. Electronic address:

Detection of pleural abnormalities on CT scan is critical in diagnosis of pleural disease. CT scan detects minute parenchymal lung nodules, but often fails to detect similar-sized pleural nodularity. This is likely because the density of the visceral/parietal pleura and pleural fluid is similar. Read More

Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2018 Jun 6. Epub 2018 Jun 6.

Unit of Nuclear Medicine, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy.

Purpose: The value of FDG PET-derived parameters in predicting overall survival (OS), local relapse-free survival (LRFS) and distant relapse-free survival (DRFS) in treated patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) was evaluated.

Methods: This retrospective evaluation included 55 MPM patients treated between March 2006 and February 2015 with FDG PET/CT-guided salvage helical tomotherapy (HTT) after previous surgery plus chemotherapy. Univariate Cox regression analysis was performed to assess the impact of the following FDG PET-derived parameters: biological target volume (BTV), mean and maximum standardized uptake values (SUV), metabolic tumour volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG), measured using different uptake thresholds (40%, 50% and 60%). Read More

Postgrad Med J 2018 Oct 6;94(1116):604. Epub 2018 Jun 6.

Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Medicina Interna y Urgencias, Hospital del SAS San Carlos, Cádiz, Spain.

ANZ J Surg 2018 Jun 5. Epub 2018 Jun 5.

Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

J Thorac Dis 2018 Apr;10(4):E281-E284

First Department of Surgery, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu City, Japan.

A 61-year-old man was admitted to the emergency room because of sudden right chest pain and dyspnea. A chest X-ray and chest computed tomography (CT) revealed severe right pneumothorax with massive pleural effusion. Chest drainage was performed and approximately 1. Read More

Mol Clin Oncol 2018 Jun 12;8(6):725-728. Epub 2018 Apr 12.

Department of Nuclear Medicine, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210006, P.R. China.

Primary malignant pericardial mesothelioma (PMPM) is an aggressive tumor that originates from the mesothelial cells of the pericardium. PMPM with extensive atrial infiltration and bone metastasis is extremely rare. The diagnosis and staging of PMPM based on anatomical imaging may be difficult when concurrent pericardial and pleural effusions are present. Read More

Oncol Lett 2018 Jun 18;15(6):9317-9326. Epub 2018 Apr 18.

Department of Pathology, Basic Medical College, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, P.R. China.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a distinctive neoplasm composed of myofibroblastic and fibroblastic spindle cells, accompanied by the inflammatory infiltration of plasma cells, lymphocytes and/or eosinophils. Epithelioid inflammatory myofibroblastic sarcoma (EIMS), which primarily consists of cells with a round or epithelioid morphology, is associated with a poor prognosis and rapid development of local recurrence, and has been recognized to be a variant of IMT. Diagnosis of EIMS is difficult owing to its close resemblance to malignant mesothelioma, anaplastic large cell lymphoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumor and other malignant diseases. Read More

Hum Pathol 2018 Sep 12;79:168-176. Epub 2018 May 12.

Division of Anatomic Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. Electronic address:

Literature on BRCA1-associated protein 1 (BAP1) expression status in well-differentiated papillary mesothelioma (WDPM) is limited. In the present study, we examined the prevalence of BAP1 loss in WDPM by immunohistochemistry with clinical correlation, along with CDKN2A deletion status by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Eight patients diagnosed as having WDPM were identified from the surgical pathology file. Read More

J Control Release 2018 Jun 3;280:31-38. Epub 2018 May 3.

Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences; University of Torino, via Nizza 52, Torino 10126, Italy. Electronic address:

The aim of this study is to develop an innovative imaging guided approach based on Boron Neutron Capture Therapy, for the treatment of mesothelioma, assisted by the quantification of the in vivo boron distribution by MRI. The herein reported results demonstrate that overexpressed Low Density Lipoproteins receptors can be successfully exploited to deliver to mesothelioma cells a therapeutic dose of boron (26 μg/g), significantly higher than in the surrounding tissue (3.5 μg/g). Read More

Clin Cancer Res 2018 Aug 3;24(15):3729-3740. Epub 2018 May 3.

Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Comprehensive Cancer Centre Vienna, Medical University Vienna, Austria.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive thoracic tumor type with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. The angiokinase inhibitor nintedanib has shown promising activity in the LUME-Meso phase II MPM trial and thus is currently being evaluated in the confirmatory LUME-Meso phase III trial. However, the anti-MPM potential of nintedanib has not been studied in the preclinical setting. Read More

Tumori 2018 Apr 1:300891618765538. Epub 2018 Apr 1.

4 Laboratory of Pathological Anatomy of Monfalcone, Italy.

Background: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) diagnosis is known to be difficult. We report on the diagnostic elements available in life in an MPM necropsy case series and describe the frequency of non-neoplastic asbestos-related diseases as biological exposure indices.

Methods: We reviewed pathologic and clinical records of an unselected series of autopsies (1977-2016) in patients with MPM employed in the Monfalcone shipyards or living with shipyard workers. Read More

Intern Med 2018 Sep 27;57(17):2559-2562. Epub 2018 Apr 27.

Department of Pathology, Funabashi Municipal Medical Center, Japan.

A 64-year-old woman complaining of progressive dyspnea was admitted with recurrence of massive pericardial effusion. The patient had been diagnosed with radiation pericarditis based on a previous case of pericardiocentesis. To make a diagnosis and improve her symptoms, imaging examinations and pericardial fenestration were performed. Read More

Cardiovasc Ultrasound 2018 Apr 26;16(1). Epub 2018 Apr 26.

Echocardiography Department of Heart Center, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, 8 Gongren Tiyuchang Nanlu, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100020, China.

Background: Little is known about the echocardiographic characteristics of primary malignant pericardial mesothelioma (PPM) due to its rarity. The aim of this study was to explore the sex-specific echocardiographic patterns of PPM and risk factors for in-hospital mortality.

Methods: A retrospective information retrieval was conducted for cases of PPM reported from China during 1981 and 2015. Read More

BMC Cancer 2018 04 18;18(1):442. Epub 2018 Apr 18.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Marien Hospital Herne, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Herne, Germany.

Background: Patients with recurrent malignant epithelioid mesothelioma (MM) after surgery and standard chemotherapy with cisplatin and pemetrexed have limited treatment options.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients with recurrent MM undergoing Pressurized IntraPeritoneal/Thoracal Aerosol Chemotherapy (PIPAC/PITAC) with doxorubicin 1.5 mg/m and cisplatin 7. Read More

Carcinogenesis 2018 04;39(4):534-545

Translational Thoracic Oncology Laboratory, Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Comprehensive Cancer Center Vienna.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), an aggressive malignancy affecting pleural surfaces, occurs in three main histological subtypes. The epithelioid and sarcomatoid subtypes are characterized by cuboid and fibroblastoid cells, respectively. The biphasic subtype contains a mixture of both. Read More

S Afr Med J 2018 Mar 28;108(4):275-277. Epub 2018 Mar 28.

Division of Pulmonology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Academic Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.

Background: Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) represents a very common cause of pleural exudates, and is one of the most challenging pleural disorders to manage. This could be attributed to the paucity of high-quality experimental evidence, and inconsistent practice worldwide. South Africa (SA) currently has no data regarding the aetiology of MPE. Read More

BMJ Open Respir Res 2018 19;5(1):e000270. Epub 2018 Feb 19.

Academic Respiratory Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.

Introduction: Pleural malignancy, particularly malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is increasing in incidence due to the long latency period from exposure to asbestos to development of the disease. MPM can be challenging to diagnose. For patients presenting without a pleural effusion, CT-guided biopsy remains the primary choice of biopsy, but the diagnostic sensitivity of this investigation is 70%-75%. Read More

J Comput Assist Tomogr 2018 Jul/Aug;42(4):601-606

From the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.

Objectives: Determine imaging characteristics specific to epithelioid (eMPM), sarcomatoid (sMPM), and biphasic (bMPM) subtypes of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) on computed tomography.

Methods: Preoperative computed tomography scans of patients with MPM were retrospectively assessed for numerous features including primary affected side, volume loss, pleural thickness, pleural calcifications, pleural effusion, and lymphadenopathy.

Results: One hundred twenty-five patients with MPM were included. Read More

Top Magn Reson Imaging 2018 Apr;27(2):73-82

Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD.

The pleura may be affected by primary tumors or metastatic spread of intrathoracic or extrathoracic neoplasms. Primary pleural neoplasms represent ∼10% of all pleural tumors, and malignant lesions are more common than benign lesions. The most common primary tumors include malignant pleural mesothelioma and solitary fibrous tumor. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Jun 26;114:211-216. Epub 2018 Mar 26.

Department of Neurosurgery, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China. Electronic address:

Background: Malignant mesotheliomas are aggressive and rapidly fatal neoplasms arising from the mesothelial cells. The most common sites of origin are the pleural and peritoneal cavities; the pericardium and the tunica vaginalis are infrequently involved, and malignant mesothelioma in the spinal canal is extremely rare. Here we report a case of primary spinal malignant mesothelioma. Read More

Eur J Radiol 2018 Apr 16;101:124-128. Epub 2018 Feb 16.

Department of Internal Medicine, Okayama Rosai Hospital, 1-10-25 Chikkomidorimachi, Okayama, 7028055, Japan.

Objectives: The primary aim was to reveal the prevalence of lung cancer (LC) and malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) in subjects with past asbestos exposure (AE). We also examined pulmonary or pleural changes correlated with the development of LC.

Materials And Methods: This was a prospective, multicenter, cross-sectional study. Read More