title: [Diagnosis and treatment of pleural mesothelioma].
abstract: The objective of our paper was to show the data of our treated patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. In the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Oncology Institute at Vilnius University from 1980 till 01.06.2002, 33 patients (pts), to whom diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma was confirmed by pathologist, were treated in the Clinic. A malignant pleural mesothelioma was diagnosed in 31 pts, two pts had a non-malignant form of mesothelioma. Among patients were 19 men and 14 women. The distribution of pts according to the stage of the disease was: I stage - 3, II - 1, III - 17, IV - 10. Videothoracoscopy is the best method for diagnosing pleural mesothelioma. Radical operations were performed only in 17 cases: 6 - pulmonectomy with pleuroectomy, 1 - lobectomy, 3 - atypical segmentectomy, 4 - pleuroectomy, 4 - tumorectomy. Thoracotomy was performed in 9 cases. Insufflation of talc was performed in 6 pts. Adjuvant therapy (chemotherapy or radiotherapy) was given to 10 pts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nineteen pts died of the progression of disease. Median survival of pts was 15.7 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  1. Diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma is difficult and confirmation of the disease is possible only after histological examination of tumor. 2. The best results of treatment were achieved after combined treatment: surgery, after chemotherapy and radiotherapy. 3. In cases of pleural effusion of diffuse pleural mesothelioma insufflation of talc or other chemical substances into pleural cavity is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery of Oncology Institute, Vilnius University, Santariskiu 1, 2600 Vilnius, Lithuania. algirdasj@is.lt
authors.forename: Algirdas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jackevicius
authors.forename: Saulius
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cicenas
authors.forename: Pranas
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Naujokaitis
authors.forename: Dainius
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Piscikas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010994:Pleura / Q000473:pathology; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome