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Oncologist 2020 Jul 1. Epub 2020 Jul 1.

Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.

Lessons Learned: Treatment with the Aurora kinase A inhibitor yields often durable disease control, but limited tumor regression, in heavily pretreated patients with unresectable malignant pleural or peritoneal mesothelioma. In a limited sample size, MYC copy-number gain or gene amplification, a candidate predictive biomarker for alisertib, did not correlate with improved response numbers or patient outcomes.

Background: Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive disease for which few effective therapies are available. Read More

Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2020 Jun 28;13(7). Epub 2020 Jun 28.

Department of Cell Stress Biology, Photodynamic Therapy Center, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA.

Intra-operative photodynamic therapy (IO-PDT) in combination with surgery for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer and malignant pleural mesothelioma has shown promise in improving overall survival in patients. Here, we developed a PDT platform consisting of a ruthenium-based photosensitizer (TLD1433) activated by an optical surface applicator (OSA) for the management of residual disease. Human lung adenocarcinoma (A549) cell viability was assessed after treatment with TLD1433-mediated PDT illuminated with either 532- or 630-nm light with a micro-lens laser fiber. Read More

Clin Nucl Med 2020 Jun 25. Epub 2020 Jun 25.

From the Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University.

Localized malignant mesothelioma is rare. The prognosis is generally more favorable for this condition than for diffuse malignant mesothelioma. An elderly woman recently complained of abdominal pain, fever, and weight loss. Read More

Health Policy 2020 Jun 10. Epub 2020 Jun 10.

Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene Department, Italian Workers' Compensation Authority (INAIL), Via Stefano Gradi, 55, 00143 Rome, Italy.

Although the predominant occupation origin of mesothelioma is well known, determinant factors involved in filing compensation are scarcely investigated. A linkage between incident mesothelioma cases collected by Italian mesothelioma register (ReNaM) and compensation claims and assignment by Italian national insurance Institute (INAIL) has been conducted for cases diagnosed in the period 2010-2015 and occupational exposure to asbestos. Logistic regression models and decision tree models have been used to identify demographic, diagnostic and anamnestic factors significant for filing and receiving compensation. Read More

Ther Adv Respir Dis 2020 Jan-Dec;14:1753466620935770

Department of Oncology, Fourth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, No. 51 Fucheng Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100037, China.

rearranged malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is rare and its responses to anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitors, including alectinib and lorlatinib, remain unexplored. In this case report, we describe a patient with -rearranged stage IIIB MPM who was administered with alectinib and lorlatinib as first-line and fourth-line therapy, respectively. He had remarkable response evaluated as partial response on both regimens lasting approximately 3. Read More

Acta Cytol 2020 Jun 29:1-5. Epub 2020 Jun 29.

Department of Pathology, Institute of Pathology and Medical Genetics, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland,

Introduction: In effusion cytology, mesothelial cells can occasionally present with striking intracytoplasmic accumulation of rod- and crystal-like cytoplasmic lamellar inclusions (LIs). Their nature and function are poorly understood, and their diagnostic relevance is unknown.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the nature of LIs in mesothelial cells and determine their prevalence and diagnostic utility in routine practice. Read More

Psychooncology 2020 Jun 28. Epub 2020 Jun 28.

Division of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.

Objective: Despite recent advances in research, malignant mesothelioma remains an incurable and devastating disease, typically bringing shock and emotional distress to patients and carers. Little research has addressed the psychological impact on either group. This scoping review examines the current state of evidence on the psychological effects of mesothelioma on patients and carers, and identifies areas for further research. Read More

Front Oncol 2020 12;10:939. Epub 2020 Jun 12.

Department of Thoracic Oncology, Netherland Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

J Thorac Oncol 2020 Jul;15(7):e113-e116

CRCINA, INSERM, CNRS, Université d'Angers, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France; Labex IGO, Immunology Graft Oncology, Nantes, France.

J Thorac Oncol 2020 Jul;15(7):e111-e113

Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Department of BioMedical Research, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.

Pathol Int 2020 Jun 24. Epub 2020 Jun 24.

Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.

We report a case with a rare combination of synchronous lung adenocarcinoma and bilateral malignant pleural mesotheliomas in a 70-year-old male without asbestos exposure. He metachronously developed peritoneal malignant mesothelioma, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, urothelial carcinoma of the bladder and prostatic adenocarcinoma. Immunohistochemistry revealed complete loss of BAP1 expression in all seven lesions. Read More

Front Oncol 2020 3;10:777. Epub 2020 Jun 3.

Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a treatment recalcitrant tumor with a poor overall survival (OS). Current approved treatment consists of first line chemotherapy that only modestly increases OS, illustrating the desperate need for other treatment options in MPM. Unfortunately, clinical studies that investigate the effectivity of checkpoint inhibitor (CI) treatment failed to improve clinical outcome over current applied therapies. Read More

Intern Med 2020 Jun 23. Epub 2020 Jun 23.

Department of Clinical Laboratory, Hiroshima-Nishi Medical Center, Japan.

A 30-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of pain in his proximal extremities. The pain mimicked polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and it temporarily improved by a low dose of glucocorticoids, but his symptoms relapsed many times. After six years of glucocorticoid treatment, he developed abdominal pain and ascites, for which he was diagnosed with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM). Read More

J Immunother Cancer 2020 Jun;8(1)

Université de Nantes, CNRS, INSERM, CRCINA, F-44000 Nantes, France

Background: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare and aggressive cancer related to asbestos exposure. The tumor microenvironment content, particularly the presence of macrophages, was described as crucial for the development of the disease. This work aimed at studying the involvement of the M-CSF (CSF-1)/IL-34/CSF-1R pathway in the formation of macrophages in MPM, using samples from patients. Read More

Nanotoxicology 2020 Jun 23:1-21. Epub 2020 Jun 23.

Department of Hygienic Toxicology and Center for Evaluation of Drug Safety, The Navy Military Medical University, Shanghai, PR China.

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are one of the most widely used types of novel nano-fiber materials. The aim of this study was to establish an experimental system based on actual exposure dosage and environments and explore the roles and mechanisms of inflammation in the malignant transformation of pleural mesothelial cells induced by MWCNTs after low doses and long-term exposure. Here, we established an system by co-culturing macrophages and mesothelial cells and exposing these cells to high aspect ratio MWCNTs (0. Read More

Technol Health Care 2020 Jun 19. Epub 2020 Jun 19.

Background: Pleural Mesothelioma (PM) is an unusual, belligerent tumor that rapidly develops into cancer in the pleura of the lungs. Pleural Mesothelioma is a common type of Mesothelioma that accounts for about 75% of all Mesothelioma diagnosed yearly in the U.S. Read More

Pract Radiat Oncol 2020 Jun 17. Epub 2020 Jun 17.

Department of Radiation Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY.

Background And Purpose: Treatment planning for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a challenging task due to the relatively large size of the target and the need to spare critical organs that overlap with or are within the target volume. We aimed to develop a knowledge-based-model (KBM) using RapidPlan for patients with two intact lungs.

Materials And Methods: Data from 57 patients treated with volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) were chosen for training the dose estimation model at a single dose level. Read More

Surg Oncol 2020 Jun 25;33:96-99. Epub 2020 Jan 25.

Program in Peritoneal Surface Malignancies, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC, USA.

Background: Diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (DMPM) is a disease in transition. Two decades ago this cancer had a median survival of 1 year. Recent reports in selected patients show a 5-year survival of 70% and median survival not reached at 10 years. Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2020 Jun 17;21(12). Epub 2020 Jun 17.

Clinical Institute, Aalborg University Hospital, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark.

Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is mainly caused by air-born asbestos but genetic susceptibility is also suspected to be a risk factor. Recent studies suggest an increasing number of candidate genes that may predispose to MM besides the well-characterized BRCA1-associated protein-1 gene. The aim of this review is to summarize the most important studies on germline mutations for MM. Read More

Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020 Jun 17;17(12). Epub 2020 Jun 17.

Department of Psychology, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, Italy.

Background: Patients of malignant mesothelioma (MM) and their caregivers face significant physical and psychological challenges. The purpose of the present study is to examine the emotional impact after the diagnosis of MM in a group of patients and familial caregivers in a National Priority Contaminated Site (NPCS).

Methods: A sample of 108 patients and 94 caregivers received a sociodemographic/clinical questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory II, the Davidson Trauma Scale, the Coping Orientation to the Problems Experienced-New Italian Version, and the Defense style questionnaire. Read More

Clin Nucl Med 2020 Jun 17. Epub 2020 Jun 17.

From the Department of Radiology.

A 62-year-old woman was referred for cough and lower abdominal pain. F-FDG PET/CT showed strong uptake not only in the left lung mass and hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes, but also a huge lower abdominal mass. All lesions were initially thought to be multiple metastases because bronchial biopsy of the lung mass showed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Read More

Int J Tuberc Lung Dis 2020 Jun;24(6):562-567

School of Medicine, Curtin University of Technology, Bentley, WA, Australia.

Knowledge of asbestos-related diseases has been accumulating for over one hundred years as the industrial value of asbestos was recognised for the strength of its fibres and their resistance to destruction, resulting in increasing production and use until the multiple health effects have become apparent. Deposition in the lung parenchyma results in an inflammatory/progressively fibrotic response, with impaired gas exchange and reduced lung compliance ('asbestosis'), causing progressive dyspnoea and respiratory failure for which only palliation is indicated, although anti-fibrotic agents used for idiopathic usual interstitial pneumonitis remain to be evaluated. Benign pleural effusion, diffuse pleural fibrosis (occasionally with associated rolled atelectasis) and pleural plaques are the non-malignant pleural diseases that result from fibres reaching the pleura. Read More

J Occup Med Toxicol 2020 15;15:16. Epub 2020 Jun 15.

Dornsife School of Public Health of Drexel University, 3215 Market Street, 7th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA.

Background: Exposure to asbestos causes non-malignant and malignant diseases including asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. The modern history of such diseases goes back more than a century.

Main Text: While much is known about the ability of asbestos to cause disease, the carcinogenic mechanism is not yet understood. Read More

J Med Biochem 2020 Jan;39(1):91-99

University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry, Pharmacogenetics Laboratory, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the association between NLRP3 rs35829419 and CARD8 rs2043211 polymorphisms and the risk of developing pleural plaques, asbestosis, and malignant mesothelioma (MM), and to study the influence of the interactions between polymorphisms and asbestos exposure on the risk of developing these diseases.

Methods: The case-control study included 416 subjects with pleural plaques, 160 patients with asbestosis, 154 subjects with MM and 149 subjects with no asbestos disease. The NLRP3 rs35829419 and CARD8 rs2043211 polymorphisms were determined using real-time PCR-based methods. Read More

Cancers (Basel) 2020 Jun 13;12(6). Epub 2020 Jun 13.

Department of Pathology, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9, Canada.

Well-differentiated papillary mesothelioma (WDPM) is an uncommon mesothelial proliferation that is most commonly encountered as an incidental finding in the peritoneal cavity. There is controversy in the literature about whether WDPM is a neoplasm or a reactive process and, if neoplastic, whether it is a variant or precursor of epithelial malignant mesothelioma or is a different entity. Using whole exome sequencing of five WDPMs of the peritoneum, we have identified distinct mutations in , , , , , , and shared by WDPM cases but not reported in malignant mesotheliomas. Read More

Pathol Int 2020 Jun 15. Epub 2020 Jun 15.

Department of Pathology, Fukuoka University Hospital and School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.

BRCA1-associated protein 1 (BAP1) or methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) immunohistochemistry (IHC) or 9p21 fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) are useful for the diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). However, the effect of these assays on the diagnostic yield of effusion cytology in MPM cases with suspicious cytomorphology or the diagnostic challenges in BAP1 or MTAP IHC have not been fully elucidated. Two cohorts of cytologic preparations obtained from pleural effusions were examined: MPM cases in cohort 1 were used to evaluate whether BAP1 or MTAP IHC or 9p21 FISH increase the diagnostic yield of effusion cytology; cohort 2 included cases suspicious for MPM, to which BAP1 or MTAP IHC was applied to clarify the challenges in the clinical assessment of these assays. Read More

Lung Cancer 2020 May 24;146:154-159. Epub 2020 May 24.

Department of Medical Oncology, Austin Health, Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia; Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address:

Objectives: Gene rearrangements involving NTRK1, NTRK2, NTRK3, ROS1 and ALK have been identified in many types of cancer, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Data in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), lung neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) and small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) are lacking. Given the activity of NTRK, ROS-1 and ALK inhibitors in tumors harboring gene fusions, we sought to explore such rearrangements in these less common tumors in addition to NSCLC. Read More

Zhonghua Lao Dong Wei Sheng Zhi Ye Bing Za Zhi 2020 May;38(5):321-326

Digestive Department, Cangzhou Central Hospital, Cangzhou 061001, China.

To explore the relationship between the new Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) staging system and the serum CA125 level with the prognosis of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPeM) . The clinical data of 74 patients with MPeM diagnosed by pathology and immunohistochemistry were collected from January 2005 to June 2016 in Cangzhou Central Hospital. According to the results of CT-peritoneal carcinoma index (PCI) , the tumor load was divided into T1 (PCI 1-10) , T2 (PCI 11-20) , T3 (PCI 21-30) and T4 (PCI 31-39) , combined with lymph node metastasis and extraperitoneal metastasis, a new TNM staging system was established. Read More

CEN Case Rep 2020 Jun 13. Epub 2020 Jun 13.

Division of Nephrology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka University, Nanakuma 7-45-1, Jonan-ku, Fukuoka, 814-0180, Japan.

Here, we present a 67-year-old Japanese man who developed insidious-onset nephrotic syndrome. He had a history of occupational asbestos exposure for about 8 years during his 30s, and was found to have pleural effusion 3 years before his present illness. At that time, repeated cytology testing of his pleural effusion found no malignant cells, and pleural biopsy found fibrous pleuritis without evidence of malignant mesothelioma. Read More

J Nucl Med 2020 Jun 12. Epub 2020 Jun 12.

University Hospital Essen, Germany.

Fixed-dose pembrolizumab (200 mg abs., d1, q3w) for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma did not result in survival benefit in the phase 3 PROMISE-meso trial compared to 2nd-line chemotherapy. Due to lack of validated imaging response criteria, responder-subgroups with potential survival benefit have not yet been identified. Read More

Lung Cancer 2020 May 30;146:120-126. Epub 2020 May 30.

Department of Radiation Oncology, Beaumont Health, 3601 W 13 Mile Rd, Royal Oak, MI 48073, United States. Electronic address:

Introduction: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a devastating disease with poor survival outcomes for most patients. Optimizing therapeutic approaches is thus vital, but has been hampered by a dearth of randomized trials to guide decision making. We used a population-level database to evaluate the impact of radiotherapy as a component of trimodality therapy on overall survival (OS) in MPM. Read More

Cancer Sci 2020 Jun 12. Epub 2020 Jun 12.

Department of Respiratory Medicine and Hematology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an asbestos-related aggressive malignant neoplasm. Due to the difficulty of achieving curative surgical resection in most patients with MPM, a combination chemotherapy of cisplatin and pemetrexed has been the only approved regimen proven to improve the prognosis of MPM. However, the median overall survival time is at most 12 months even with this regimen. Read More

J Immigr Minor Health 2020 Jun 11. Epub 2020 Jun 11.

Institute for Translational Epidemiology and Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L Levy Place, Box 1133, New York, NY, 10029, USA.

Surgery may improve survival in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) patients. We examined treatment and survival in black and white surgical MPM patients using the National Cancer Database (NCDB). Among patients with pleurectomy/decortication (PD) or extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP), multivariable logistic regressions were used to evaluate racial differences in surgical extent, additional treatment, and 30-/90-day mortality. Read More

Respirol Case Rep 2020 Aug 8;8(6):e00592. Epub 2020 Jun 8.

Department of Thoracic Surgery Monaldi Hospital Naples Italy.

A mediastinal mass in patients with a history of asbestos exposure should raise the suspicion of malignant mesothelioma. Read More

Diagnostics (Basel) 2020 Jun 9;10(6). Epub 2020 Jun 9.

Occupational Health Division, Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy.

Diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (DMPM) is a rare malignant neoplasm with a poor survival. Although some advances in knowledge have been obtained for the pleural form, much less is known about DMPM. Advantages in terms of prognosis are still limited and strong efforts need to be made. Read More

Lung Cancer 2020 May 21;146:86-96. Epub 2020 May 21.

Department of Respiratory Medicine and Rheumatology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan. Electronic address:

Background: The combination of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibody with chemotherapy has been approved for the first-line therapy of lung cancer. However, the effects against malignant mesothelioma (MPM) and the immunological mechanisms by which chemotherapy enhances the effect of targeting PD-1/PD-L1 in MPM are poorly understood.

Materials And Methods: We utilized syngeneic mouse models of MPM and lung cancer and assessed the therapeutic effects of anti-PD-1 antibody and its combination with cisplatin (CDDP) and pemetrexed (PEM). Read More

Environ Res 2020 May 21;188:109691. Epub 2020 May 21.

Occupational Health Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.

Introduction: Measuring and mapping the occurrence of malignant mesothelioma (MM) is a useful means to monitor the impact of past asbestos exposure and possibly identify previously unknown sources of asbestos exposure.

Objective: Our goal is to decompose the observed spatial pattern of incidence of MM in the Lombardy region (Italy) in gender-specific components linked to occupational exposure and a shared component linked to environmental exposure.

Materials And Methods: We selected from the Lombardy Region Mesothelioma Registry (RML) all incident cases of MM (pleura, peritoneum, pericardium, and tunica vaginalis testis) with first diagnosis in the period 2000-2016. Read More

Clin Exp Metastasis 2020 Jun 10. Epub 2020 Jun 10.

Centre for Evidence-Based Health Care, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, 291, Zhongzheng Road, Zhonghe District, New Taipei City, 23561, Taiwan.

Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) results from primary mesothelioma or the spreading of metastatic cancer. Both talc pleurodesis (TP) and indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) improve MPE symptoms. We performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to compare the efficacy of TP with that of IPC in patients with MPE. Read More

Cancers (Basel) 2020 Jun 6;12(6). Epub 2020 Jun 6.

Molecular and Cellular Epigenetics (GIGA) and Molecular Biology (GxABT), University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium.

: There is no standard chemotherapy for refractory or relapsing malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Our previous reports nevertheless indicated that a combination of an anthracycline (doxorubicin) and a lysine deacetylase inhibitor (valproic acid, VPA) synergize to induce the apoptosis of MPM cells and reduce tumor growth in mouse models. A Phase I/II clinical trial indicated that this regimen is a promising therapeutic option for a proportion of MPM patients. Read More

Nucl Med Commun 2020 Jun 8. Epub 2020 Jun 8.

Department of Radiology, Hyogo College of Medicine.

Objective: To compare modified RECIST (mRECIST), EORTC criteria, and PERCIST for response evaluation and prognosis prediction in advanced malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) patients treated with chemotherapy.

Methods: Patients with MPM and not curative surgery candidates (n = 75) underwent standard chemotherapy with cisplatin and pemetrexed. CT and [F]fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT scans were performed at baseline and after three chemotherapy cycles. Read More

Am J Ind Med 2020 Jun 9. Epub 2020 Jun 9.

Department of Basic Clinical Practice, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.

Objectives: The first asbestos fiber cement plant in Spain operated in Cerdanyola, in the Barcelona metropolitan area, between 1907 and 1997. We describe clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients diagnosed with the malignant asbestos-related disease (ARD) in the area of the plant between 2007 and 2016.

Methods: A prospective, descriptive study was undertaken in the 12 municipalities of the county of Barcelona most proximate to the plant. Read More

J Clin Pathol 2020 Jun 8. Epub 2020 Jun 8.

Thoracic Surgery, Hospital de Denia, Denia, Alicante, Spain.

Intern Med J 2020 Jun 8. Epub 2020 Jun 8.

Department of Gastroenterology, Cangzhou Central Hospital, Cangzhou, Hebei, 061001, China.

Background: Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is the most common primary peritoneal neoplasm. The only universally recognised pathological prognostic factor is histopathological subtype. Prognostic markers based on patient features and clinical stages have been disappointing METHODS: The aim of our work is to assess the prognostic role of several clinicopathological features in a retrospective cohort of 60 patients diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma. Read More

GE Port J Gastroenterol 2020 Apr 8;27(3):197-202. Epub 2019 Oct 8.

Internal Medicine Department, Centro Hospitalar Póvoa de Varzim/Vila do Conde, Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal.

Introduction: Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare malignancy of the mesothelial cells in the peritoneum. The best-defined risk factor is asbestos exposure, but germline mutations in BAP1 also increase susceptibility to this tumor. The diagnosis of MPM is challenging since clinical manifestations are often nonspecific. Read More

Mod Pathol 2020 Jun 5. Epub 2020 Jun 5.

Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare aggressive tumor that arises from the peritoneal lining. While recurrent BAP1 mutations have been identified in a subset of mesotheliomas, molecular characteristics of peritoneal mesotheliomas, including those lacking BAP1 alterations, remain poorly understood. Using targeted next-generation sequencing, we examined the molecular features of 26 diffuse malignant peritoneal mesotheliomas. Read More

Br J Cancer 2020 Jun 4. Epub 2020 Jun 4.

Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Background: Expression of proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT) is associated with survival of mesothelioma patients treated with pemetrexed, and is reduced by hypoxia, prompting studies to elucidate their correlation.

Methods: Modulation of glycolytic gene expression was evaluated by PCR arrays in tumour cells and primary cultures growing under hypoxia, in spheroids and after PCFT silencing. Inhibitors of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH-A) were tested in vitro and in vivo. Read More

Curr Opin Immunol 2020 May 30;64:88-109. Epub 2020 May 30.

School of Health Sciences, University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle WA 6559, Australia.

The mesothelium when first described was thought to function purely as a non-adhesive surface to facilitate intracoelomic movement of organs. However, the mesothelium is now recognized as a dynamic cellular membrane with many important functions that maintain serosal integrity and homeostasis. For example, mesothelial cells interact with and help regulate the body's inflammatory and immune system following infection, injury, or malignancy. Read More

Arch Biochem Biophys 2020 May 30;689:108440. Epub 2020 May 30.

Department of Pathology and Biological Responses, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan; Center for Low-temperature Plasma Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8603, Japan; Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, NSW, Australia. Electronic address:

Iron is essential for all the lives on earth but may trigger a switch toward ferroptosis, a novel form of regulated necrosis. Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) are ubiquitous enzymes from microbes to humans. The primary function of CAs is to regulate cellular pH by hydrating carbon dioxide (CO) to protons (H) and bicarbonate ions (HCO). Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2020 May;99(22):e19956

Division of Respirology.

Rationale: Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare tumor with a poor prognosis and has no recommended therapy after first-line pemetrexed and platinum-based chemotherapy. Moreover, effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors on peritoneal mesothelioma remains to be elucidated. We herein report the case of a 75-year-old man with peritoneal mesothelioma treated with cisplatin plus pemetrexed and subsequent nivolumab. Read More