Follow-up study of 100 malignant pleural mesotheliomas.
One hundred malignant pleural mesotheliomas have been treated in our hospital since 1955. Clinical and autopsy findings are analyzed and compared to X-ray changes. The most common symptoms were dyspnea (49%), pain (40%) and cough (36%). The main initial X-ray signs were pleural effusion (62%), pleural thickening (29%) and solitary nodules (6%). Prior to death a combination of effusion and pleural thickening was the usual finding. Histologically there were 49 biphasic, 32 mesenchymal and 18 epithelial malignant pleural mesotheliomas. At autopsy 82% of the cases had distant metastases, most of which had not been expected clinically. The median survival time was 7.3 months following the first clinical symptoms, and only 4 months after the first radiological signs.
Krumhaar
D
D
Lange
S
S
Hartmann
C
C
Anhuth
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic