Future developments in the management of malignant pleural mesothelioma.
Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive tumor with a poor prognosis and an increasing incidence as a result of widespread exposure to asbestos. In the past few years, there have been several developments in the management of patients with MPM, including more accurate staging and patient selection, improvements in surgical techniques and postoperative care, novel chemotherapy regimens and new radiotherapy techniques. However, chemotherapy remains the mainstay of treatment, considering that surgery and radiotherapy have a limited role in highly selected patients, and its results are still modest, with a median survival of approximately 1 year. The principal goals of this review are to summarize the improvements in the management of MPM that have been achieved recently and to outline the therapeutic approaches in development.
Zucali
Paolo Andrea
PA
Department of Medical Oncology, Istituto Clinico Humanitas, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy. paolo.zucali@humanitas.it
De Vincenzo
Fabio
F
Simonelli
Matteo
M
Santoro
Armando
A
D000818:Animals; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D019468:Disease Management; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005544:Forecasting; D005971:Glutamates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006147:Guanine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006801:Humans; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D051379:Mice; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D000068437:Pemetrexed; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D050397:Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D000077235:Vinorelbine
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D005971:Glutamates; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011799:Quinazolines; D013876:Thiophenes; D000068437:Pemetrexed; D014747:Vinblastine; D006147:Guanine; C068874:raltitrexed; D002945:Cisplatin; D000077235:Vinorelbine