[Pleural mesothelioma: experience with 62 cases in 9 years].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the diagnostic approach, clinical and radiological characteristics, and survival of patients with pleural mesothelioma treated in our hospital over a 9-year period.


METHODS
All patients with a diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma diagnosed in our hospital from January 1992 through December 2000 were studied.


RESULTS
Sixty-two patients (49 men) with a mean age of 65 years (range, 45-85) were diagnosed. Probable or known contact with asbestos was established for 41 patients (66%). Ninety-four percent of the patients had chest pain or dyspnea at the onset of clinical assessment. The tumor was situated in the right hemithorax in 33 patients; 59 patients had pleural effusion, and 3 only had pleural thickening. The pleural fluid was bloody in 19% of patients, glucose levels were less than 60 mg/dL in 44%, and the pH of pleural fluid was less than 7.20 in 19%. The diagnosis was established by pleural biopsy for 52%, and by thoracoscopy or thoracotomy for 44%. The median survival was 11 months (95% confidence interval, 8-15); the probability of survival was 0.22 after 2 years, and 0.09 after 5. For the subgroup of patients with epithelial tumors the probability of survival was 0.31 after 2 years and 0.16 after 5 years. In the univariate analysis the predictors of survival were general clinical status (Karnofsky scale), platelet count, serum albumin level, pleural pH, glucose and lactate dehydrogenase levels, and histological type.


CONCLUSIONS
The clinical, radiological, and biochemical characteristics of the pleural fluid from patients with pleural mesothelioma and their survival rate were described.
Villena Garrido
V
V
Servicio de Neumología, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Universidad Complutense. Madrid, Spain. mvg01m@saludalia.com
López Encuentra
A
A
Echave-Sustaeta
J
J
Alvarez Martínez
C
C
Rey Terrón
L
L
Sotelo
M T
MT
Ballestín
C
C
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors