title: Pleurectomy/decortication plus chemotherapy: outcomes of 40 cases of malignant pleural mesothelioma.
abstract: Malignant pleural mesothelioma still has a dismal prognosis. Despite good patient selection and a multimodality approach, local disease control remains a problem. Whether submitted to pleurectomy/decortication or to extrapleural pneumonectomy, disease progression occurred in all 40 patients in this study. The role of radio-chemotherapy remains uncertain. Between 1985 and 2002, 40 patients underwent pleurectomy/decortication in combination with intracavitary chemotherapy. Pleurectomy was performed to remove all gross tumour, or to achieve significant debulking. Partial or total pleurectomy of the visceral pleura depended on the extent of the tumour. Systemic chemotherapy was administered when disease progression occurred. All 40 patients had disease progression, due in all cases to local recurrence. The Kaplan-Meyer method was used for statistical evaluation. Treatment was relatively well tolerated and quality of life satisfactory. Until disease progression, no important chest pain, pleural effusion, or dyspnoea occurred. Overall survival was 28% at 2 years and 17% at 3 years. Histological sub-type is the only significant prognostic factor for survival. Low morbidity and mortality and good quality of life after treatment make pleurectomy/decortication with intracavitary and systemic chemotherapy not only a radical approach in early stages, but also a good palliative treatment in advanced malignant pleural mesothelioma, especially in patients who are unsuitable for extrapleural pneumonectomy.
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Surgery, City Hospital, Castelfranco Veneto, Treviso.
authors.forename: Flavio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Colaut
authors.forename: Lamberto
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Toniolo
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vicario
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scapinello
authors.forename: Cristiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Visentin
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Manente
authors.forename: Carlo A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Sartori
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D010994:Pleura / Q000601:surgery*; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000379:methods*; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D003561:Cytarabine; D002945:Cisplatin