title: [Malignant mesothelioma of the pleura].
abstract: Forty cases of malignant mesothelioma diagnosed from 1989 to 1994 at the Department of Pulmonology, Semmelweis Medical School were reviewed retrospectively. In 6 patients (15%) had a history of exposure to asbestos. The possibility of the malignant mesothelioma was raised by the clinical signs and the results of chest X-ray, chest computed tomography and sonography of the chest at their patients. Diagnosis was made by hystological examination of thoracoscopic or needle pleural biopsy in 15 and 8 cases, respectively, by cytological examination of fine needle pleural biopsy or pleural fluid in 7 and 6 cases, respectively, and by thoracotomy in 5 patients. Diagnosis was confirmed by multiple procedures in 11 patients. In six patients, diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma was made only by autopsy. The patients were staged according to Butchart et al. Longer survival was noted in the patients with earlier stages. Single or combined therapeutic modalities such as surgery (in 5 patients), chemotherapy (in 10 patients) and radiotherapy (in 3 patients) were used with additional symptomatic treatment in the majority of the cases. Pleurodesis also was done in 7 cases. There was no difference in survival among patients had received different treatment.
authors.affiliation: Pulmonológiai Klinika, Semmelweis Orvostudományi Egyetem, Budapest.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Erika
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zoltán
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Miklós
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Judit
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Akos
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kálmán
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001194:Asbestos / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001344:Autopsy; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic
chemical_list: D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental; D001194:Asbestos