Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

J Mol Med (Berl) 2018 Dec 11. 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

Rom J Morphol Embryol 2018 ;59(3):971-976

Department of Human Anatomy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Romania;

Benign multicystic peritoneal mesothelioma (BMPM) is a rare disease that primarily affects fertile women with previous abdominal surgery. BMPM associated with adenomatous tumor is a single case report, according to our opinion. The patient had a history of abdominal surgery nine years ago for ovarian cysts. Read More

Respir Med Case Rep 2019 19;26:45-49. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Department of Pathology, Kobe City Medical Center West Hospital, Japan.

The co-presence of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) and lung cancer is rare. We report a 70-year-old male with exposure to asbestos. Chest computed tomography revealed a right mediastinal mass combined with an enlarged ipsilateral lymph node and left pleural effusion. Read More

BMJ Open 2018 Dec 9;8(12):e021063. Epub 2018 Dec 9.

Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.

Objective: Exposure to asbestos is the major cause for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), but the causal link of individual cases is difficult to establish for lack of exposure information and long disease latency.

Methods: We established a retrospective cohort of workers employed in asbestos industries during the period of 1950-1989 and the occurrence of MPM during the period of 1980-2009 was examined with the Taiwan Cancer Registry. Estimated rate ratios (eRRs) were computed for each factory where any case of MPM was diagnosed by assuming Poisson distribution with a minimal latency of 20 years. Read More

J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2018 Nov 2. Epub 2018 Nov 2.

Division of General Thoracic Surgery, The Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tex.

Lung Cancer 2018 Dec 16;126:15-24. Epub 2018 Oct 16.

Inserm, UMR-1162, Génomique fonctionnelle des tumeurs solides, F-75010, Paris, France; Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Labex Immuno-oncology, F-75000, Paris, France; Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Institut Universitaire d'Hématologie, Paris, F-75010, France; Université Paris 13, Sorbonne Paris Cité, F-93206, Saint-Denis, France. Electronic address:

Objectives: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive tumor with limited therapeutic options, requiring the development of efficient targeted therapies based on molecular phenotype of the tumor and to identify predictive biomarkers of the response.

Materials And Methods: The effect of inhibitors was investigated by cell viability assessment on primary MPM cell lines established in our laboratory from patient tumors, well characterized at the molecular level. Effects on apoptosis, cell proliferation and viability on MPM growing in multicellular spheroid were also assessed for verteporfin. Read More

Lung Cancer 2018 Dec 27;126:106-111. Epub 2018 Oct 27.

Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Pathology Division, University of Bari, Italy. Electronic address:

Introduction: Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive malignancy of the thoracic cavity caused by prior asbestos exposure. In the peritoneum the mesothelioma is an extremely rare condition. In the present preliminary study, high-resolution array-comparative genomic hybridization (a-CGH) was performed to identify genetic imbalances in a series of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma cases. Read More

Diagn Cytopathol 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York.

Background: Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is a diagnostically challenging entity in cytology specimens due to the lack of architectural context and a cytomorphologic overlap between malignant and reactive mesothelial cells (RMCs). A diagnostic marker with excellent specificity is not currently available in clinical practice. The newly appreciated BRCA1-associated protein 1 (BAP1) antibody may help distinguish MM from RMC based on its immunohistochemical (IHC) staining pattern but its role in cytopathology is controversial. Read More

BMC Res Notes 2018 Dec 5;11(1):864. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.

Objective: Pleural effusion (PE) is a common feature of malignant pleural mesothelioma. These effusions typically contain lymphocytes and malignant cells. We postulated that the PE would be a source of lymphocytes for analysis of tumor immune milieu. Read More

AME Case Rep 2018 4;2:43. Epub 2018 Oct 4.

Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, Japan.

Here, we report a patient with deciduoid type malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), which rapidly progressed. A 55-year-old man who might have been exposed to asbestos a few decades ago had severe back pain. The chest X-ray scanning and computed tomography (CT) revealed pleural thickness on his right thoracic space, without the presence of a lung mass. 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

J Natl Cancer Inst 2018 Dec 4. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.

Background: The BRCA1-associated protein-1 (BAP1) tumor predisposition syndrome (BAP1-TPDS) is a hereditary tumor syndrome caused by germline pathogenic variants in BAP1 encoding a tumor suppressor associated with uveal melanoma, mesothelioma, cutaneous melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, and cutaneous BAP1-inactivated melanocytic tumors. However, the full spectrum of tumors associated with the syndrome is yet to be determined. Improved understanding of the BAP1-TPDS is crucial for appropriate clinical management of BAP1 germline variant carriers and their families, including genetic counseling and surveillance for new tumors. Read More

Clin Nucl Med 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, Padua, Italy.

A 73-year-old man with a prostate cancer treated by radical prostatectomy in 2006. For a biochemical recurrence of disease (prostate-specific antigen level, 0.1 ng/mL) during hormonal therapy, patient underwent F-choline PET/CT that showed a significant uptake in a diffuse right pleural thickening. Read More

Intern Med J 2018 Dec 4. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

Western and Central Melbourne Integrated Cancer Service, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Introduction: Clinical audit may improve practice in cancer service provision. The UK National Lung Cancer Audit (NLCA) collects data for all new cases of thoracic cancers. We aimed to collect similar data for our Victorian patients from six hospitals within the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) and associated Western and Central Melbourne Integrated Cancer Service (WCMICS). Read More

Int J Radiat Biol 2018 Dec 4:1-15. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

h Cascade Scientific, Inc ., Bend , OR 97703.

Background: During the Cold War the United States (U.S.) conducted 230 above-ground atmospheric nuclear weapons tests between 1945 and 1962 at the Nevada Test Site and the Pacific Proving Grounds. Read More

AJR Am J Roentgenol 2018 Dec 4:1-9. 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

Int Urol Nephrol 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, NO. 88 Jiefang Road, 310009, Hangzhou, China.

J Immunol Res 2018 29;2018:5804230. Epub 2018 Oct 29.

Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumours, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.

Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MpM), arising in the setting of local inflammation, is a rare aggressive tumour with a poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options. The three major MpM histological variants, epithelioid (E-MpMs), biphasic, and sarcomatoid MpMs (S-MpMs), are characterised by an increased aggressiveness and enhanced levels of EZH2 expression. To investigate the MpM immune contexture along the spectrum of MpM histotypes, an extended in situ analysis was performed on a series of 14 cases. Read More

J Thorac Dis 2018 Oct;10(Suppl 29):S3486-S3489

Thoracic Surgery Department, Guy's Hospital, London, UK.

Background: Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a rare tumour but very aggressive with a median survival of 6 to 9 months from diagnosis without any treatment, The European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS) created a dedicated prospective mesothelioma registry to collect data on patients with malignant mesothelioma treated surgically to monitor the quality of surgery performed.

Methods: A dedicated separate registry for mesothelioma has been created as satellite database of the main ESTS database. The database was designed with K data service and was put on line on 2015. Read More

Cancer Discov 2018 Dec;8(12):1508-1510

Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive lethal malignancy for which very few therapeutic options exist. In this issue of , Hmeljak and colleagues report on a comprehensive integrative analysis of histology-independent genomic characteristics of MPM. They confirm previous observations that inactivation of tumor suppressor genes is the predominant oncogenic mechanism. Read More

Arch Pathol Lab Med 2018 Nov 30. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

From the Pathology Department, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Casablanca, Morocco.

Primary malignant deciduoid mesothelioma is a rare subtype of epithelioid mesothelioma that was first described in the peritoneum in young women without a history of asbestos exposure. It was thought to be a distinct clinicopathologic entity with ominous prognosis; recent studies have better characterized this entity. On morphology, primary malignant deciduoid mesothelioma is characterized by cytomorphologic features resembling decidualized tissue. Read More

Cancer Sci 2018 Nov 30. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Second Department of Surgery, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan.

Detection of rare tumor cells circulating in the blood (CTCs) presents technical challenges. The CellSearch, only approved system for clinical use, fails to capture EpCAM-negative CTCs such as malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). We have developed a novel microfluidic device (CTC-chip) in which any antibody to capture CTCs is conjugated. Read More

Photochem Photobiol 2018 Nov 29. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

Departments of Radiation Oncology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania.

We have demonstrated that lung sparing surgery with intraoperative photodynamic therapy (PDT) achieves remarkably extended survival for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Nevertheless, most patients treated using this approach experience local recurrence, so it is essential to identify ways to enhance tumor response. We previously reported that PDT transiently activates EGFR/STAT3 in lung and ovarian cancer cells and inhibiting EGFR via erlotinib can increase PDT sensitivity. Read More

J Neurol 2018 Nov 29. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

French Reference Center of Paraneoplastic Neurological Syndrome, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hôpital Neurologique, Lyon, France.

Objective: To present clinical, radiological, and pathological features of a cohort of patients with motor neuron involvement in association with anti-Ma2 antibodies (Ma2-Ab).

Methods: Retrospective case-series of patients with definite paraneoplastic neurological syndrome (PNS) and Ma2-Ab, and cases identified from a review of the literature.

Results: Among 33 Ma2-Ab patients referred between 2002 and 2016, we retrospectively identified three patients (9. Read More

BMC Cancer 2018 Nov 29;18(1):1188. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

Institute for Translational Epidemiology and Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.

Background: Few studies have focused on quality of life (QoL) after treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). There are still questions as to which surgical procedure, extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) or pleurectomy decortication (P/D) is most effective and results in better survival outcomes, involves fewer complications, and results in better QoL. Here we performed a literature review on MPM patients to assess and compare QoL changes after P/D and EPP. Read More

Cesk Patol 2018 ;63(4):175-189

oelom cavities (pleura, pericardium, peritoneum, tunica vaginalis testis) lined with mesothelial lining derived from the mesoderm, represent a frequent place of propagation of pathological processes both from the neighbourhood and primary. These are most often manifested by effusion, whose cytological examination contributes significantly to the diagnosis. Each larger amount of fluid in the coelom spaces is pathological. Read More

Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2018 Nov 29. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

Bezmialem Vakif Universitesi Tip Fakultesi, 221266, Chest Diseases, Istanbul, Turkey.

J Thorac Imaging 2018 Nov 27. Epub 2018 Nov 27.

Cardio-thoracic Research Center of Bordeaux, U1045, CIC 1401.

Rationale: As pleural plaque has been reported as a risk factor in the occurrence of lung cancer and mesothelioma, a reproducible and precise method of measurement of pleural plaque volume (PPV) is needed to further describe these relationships. The aim of the study was to assess the reproducibility of a 3-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) volumetric analysis of PPV in patients with occupational exposure to asbestos.

Material And Methods: A total of 28 patients were retrospectively randomly selected from the multicenter APEXS (Asbestos Post Exposure Survey) study, which was held between 2003 and 2005. Read More

Photochem Photobiol 2018 Nov 28. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma remains difficult to treat, with high failure rates despite optimal therapy. We present a novel prospective trial combining proton therapy (PT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) and the largest-ever mesothelioma PT experience (n=10). PDT photosensitizers included porfimer sodium (2mg/kg; 24hr drug-light interval) or 2-[1-hexyloxyethyl]-2-devinyl pyropheophorbide-a (HPPH) (4mg/m ;48hr) with wavelengths of 630nm to 60J/cm and 665nm to 15-45J/cm , respectively. Read More

Photochem Photobiol 2018 Nov 28. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

Department of Pharmacology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, 48201, USA.

In this issue, Cramer et al. introduce 3D culture models of metastatic mesothelioma to investigate basic cancer biology and new combination therapies for combating this complex and lethal disease. The results suggest that erlotinib-enhanced photodynamic therapy (PDT) could further improve the efficacy of intraoperative light-activation to mop up residual tumor deposits in the clinic following surgical removal of macroscopic mesothelioma metastases. Read More

Ann Occup Environ Med 2018 16;30:65. Epub 2018 Nov 16.

2Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, KOSHA, 400, Jongga-ro, Jung-gu, Ulsan, 44429 Republic of Korea.

Background: The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) defined that asbestos is a group 1 substance that causes lung cancer, mesothelioma (pleura and peritoneum), laryngeal cancer, and ovarian cancer in humans. Many studies on lung cancer, and mesothelioma caused by asbestos exposure have been conducted, but there was no case report of ovarian cancer due to asbestos exposure in Korea. We describe a case of ovarian cancer caused by asbestos exposure in a worker who worked at an asbestos textile factory for 3 years and 7 months in the late 1970s. Read More

Respirol Case Rep 2019 Jan 20;7(1):e00386. Epub 2018 Nov 20.

National Institute for Occupational Health National Health Laboratory Services Johannesburg South Africa.

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive pleural or peritoneal tumour almost always caused by exposure to asbestos fibres. Exposure to asbestos can cause malignant mesothelioma 30-40 years after exposure. A description of sources of exposure is important for prevention and possible financial compensation. 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

BMC Cancer 2018 Nov 26;18(1):1172. Epub 2018 Nov 26.

Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 415 Curie Blvd, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104-6145, United States.

Background: Germline mutations in BAP1 have been associated with BAP1-Tumor Predisposition Syndrome (BAP1-TPDS), a predisposition to multiple tumors within a family that includes uveal melanoma (UM), cutaneous melanoma, malignant mesothelioma and renal cell carcinoma. Alternatively, somatic mutations in BAP1 in UM have been associated with high risk for metastasis. In this study, we compare the risk of metastasis in UM that carry germline versus somatic BAP1 mutations and mutation-negative tumors. Read More

BMC Cancer 2018 Nov 26;18(1):1173. Epub 2018 Nov 26.

Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Centre of Research on Psychological and Somatic Disorders (CoRPS), Tilburg University, P.O. Box 90151, 5000, LE, Tilburg, The Netherlands.

Background: To determine the psychometric properties and minimal clinically important differences (MCIDs) of the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) in advanced stage lung cancer patients.

Methods: Patients (n = 153) completed the WHOQOL-BREF and the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed and reliability and construct validity determined. Read More

Ann Oncol 2018 Nov 26. Epub 2018 Nov 26.

Epidemiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.

Eur J Surg Oncol 2018 Oct 19. Epub 2018 Oct 19.

Gustave Roussy Institute, Villejuif, France.

Background: Well differentiated papillary peritoneal mesothelioma (WDPPM) is a rare variant of mesothelioma which affects mainly women in the reproductive age. The disease may present multifocally and recur after primary resection. Our aim was to describe the outcomes of cytoreduction (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in this disease. Read More

J Am Coll Surg 2018 Nov 21. Epub 2018 Nov 21.

Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA.

Background: Near-infrared (NIR) imaging using the second time window of indocyanine green (ICG) allows localization of pulmonary, pleural, and mediastinal malignancies during surgery. Based on empirical evidence, we hypothesized that different histological tumor types fluoresce optimally at different ICG doses.

Study Design: Patients with thoracic tumors biopsy-proven or suspicious for malignancy were enrolled in an NIR imaging clinical trial. Read More

Front Genet 2018 6;9:526. Epub 2018 Nov 6.

School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.

Most cancers emerge in the elderly, including lung cancer and mesothelioma, yet the elderly remain an underrepresented population in pre-clinical cancer studies and clinical trials. The immune system plays a critical role in the effectiveness of many anti-cancer therapies in young hosts via tumor-specific T cells. However, immunosuppressive macrophages can constitute up to 50% of the tumor burden and impair anti-tumor T cell activity. Read More

Front Pharmacol 2018 6;9:1269. Epub 2018 Nov 6.

Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.

Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is a primary tumor arising from mesothelial cells. The survival of MM patients following traditional chemotherapy is poor, thus innovative treatments for MM are needed. (-)-gossypol (AT-101) is a BH3 mimetic compound which possesses anti-tumoral activity by targeting multiple signaling transduction pathways. Read More

J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2018 Oct 22. Epub 2018 Oct 22.

Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Md. Electronic address:

Objectives: There are 2 main treatment paradigms recognized by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network for resectable malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM): induction chemotherapy followed by resection (IC/R), and up-front resection with postoperative chemotherapy (R/PC). These paradigms are being compared in an accruing randomized phase II trial. In the absence of such completed trials, in this study we evaluated overall survival (OS) and postoperative outcomes of IC/R and R/PC. Read More

Geospat Health 2018 11 9;13(2). Epub 2018 Nov 9.

Department of Geoinformatics, Cartography and Remote Sensing, Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies, University of Warsaw.

Malignant mesothelioma (MM), a rare and very deadly tumour, can be due to asbestos exposure. To better understand the cause of incidence of MM, spatial autocorrelation analysis with reference to the quantity of asbestos-cement products in use and the localisation of former asbestos manufacturing plants was applied. Geostatistical analysis shows that strong spatial clustering of MM incidence (referring to the general population as well as females and males separately) during the period 1999-2013 in the administrative units of Poland (provinces and counties). Read More

J Clin Ultrasound 2018 Nov 18. Epub 2018 Nov 18.

Department of Ultrasound, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.

Primary malignant pericardial mesothelioma (PMPM) is an extremely rare tumor, which may appear as a localized or a diffuse mass encasing the heart. Diffuse PMPMs have a poor prognosis due to the difficulty of surgical excision, whereas localized PMPMs have clear margins, thus facilitating surgical excision. Timely diagnosis and proper treatment are crucial for a favorable prognosis. Read More

Transl Lung Cancer Res 2018 Oct;7(5):599-608

Center for Gastrointestinal Malignancies, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC, USA.

Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare disease whose natural history is confined to the peritoneal space. Systemic chemotherapy has little impact on survival of patients with MPM. A surgical procedure with a goal of resection of all visible evidence of disease, called cytoreductive surgery (CRS) has been utilized in MPM patients. Read More

Transl Lung Cancer Res 2018 Oct;7(5):593-598

Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium.

Radical multimodality treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is controversial, with intense debate (but lack of data) about which surgical procedure to perform [extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) or pleurectomy/decortication (PD)], if any. In order to perform a randomized comparison, the most optimal sequence of surgery and chemotherapy should be determined. EORTC 1205 is a clinical trial randomizing between upfront surgery, followed by chemotherapy (cisplatin plus pemetrexed) and deferred surgery, following neoadjuvant chemotherapy in early stage (T1-3 N0-2 M0) MPM (irrespective of histological subtype). Read More

Transl Lung Cancer Res 2018 Oct;7(5):584-592

North Bristol NHS Trust, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma has a high morbidity and poor prognosis. Most patients undergo invasive pleural interventions to either facilitate diagnosis and/or alleviate symptoms from malignant pleural effusion. Procedure tract metastasis (PTM) are a well-known complication of pleural procedures in mesothelioma and there has been longstanding debate regarding the role of prophylactic irradiation of tracts in preventing them. Read More

Transl Lung Cancer Res 2018 Oct;7(5):574-583

Department of Thorax Oncology, Netherland Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive malignancy with a 5-year survival rate of ~10%. Since most patients present with irresectable disease, the vast majority is treated with chemotherapy. The only registered therapy for MPM is platinum-pemetrexed doublet therapy, although only up to half of patients have clinical benefit from this palliative treatment. Read More