Mesothelioma
General Information
Prognosis
in this disease is difficult to assess consistently
because there is great variability in the time before
diagnosis and the rate of disease progression. Various
surgical procedures may be possible in selected
patients, providing long-term survival without cure. In
large retrospective series of pleural mesothelioma
patients, important prognostic factors were found to be
stage, age, performance status, and histology.[1,2]
For patients treated with aggressive surgical
approaches, factors associated with improved long-term
survival include epithelial histology, negative lymph
nodes, and negative surgical margins.[3,4]
For those patients treated with aggressive surgical
approaches, nodal status is an important prognostic
factor.[3] Median survival
for malignant local pleural disease has been reported as
16 months and extensive disease as 5 months. In some
instances the tumor grows through the diaphragm making
the site of origin difficult to assess. Cautious
interpretation of treatment results in this disease is
imperative because of the selection differences among
series. Effusions, both pleural and peritoneal,
represent major symptomatic problems for at least two
thirds of the patients. A history of asbestos exposure
is reported in about 70% to 80% of all cases of
mesothelioma.[1,5,6]
References
- Ruffie
P, Feld R, Minkin S, et al.: Diffuse malignant
mesothelioma of the pleura in Ontario and Quebec: a
retrospective study of 332 patients. J Clin Oncol 7
(8): 1157-68, 1989. [PUBMED
Abstract]
- Tammilehto
L, Maasilta P, Kostiainen S, et al.: Diagnosis and
prognostic factors in malignant pleural mesothelioma:
a retrospective analysis of sixty-five patients.
Respiration 59 (3): 129-35, 1992. [PUBMED
Abstract]
- Sugarbaker
DJ, Strauss GM, Lynch TJ, et al.: Node status has
prognostic significance in the multimodality therapy
of diffuse, malignant mesothelioma. J Clin Oncol 11
(6): 1172-8, 1993. [PUBMED
Abstract]
- Sugarbaker
D, Harpole D, Healey E, et al.: Multimodality
treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM):
results in 94 consecutive patients. [Abstract]
Proceedings of the American Society of Clinical
Oncology 14: A-1083, 356, 1995.
- Chailleux
E, Dabouis G, Pioche D, et al.: Prognostic factors
in diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma. A study
of 167 patients. Chest 93 (1): 159-62, 1988. [PUBMED
Abstract]
- Adams
VI, Unni KK, Muhm JR, et al.: Diffuse malignant
mesothelioma of pleura. Diagnosis and survival in 92
cases. Cancer 58 (7): 1540-51, 1986. [PUBMED
Abstract]
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Sources of National Cancer Institute Information
Mesothilioma, Mesotheliema,Mesothiliema,Mesotheleoma
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