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.
Department of Medical Oncology, Istituto Clinico Humanitas, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy. paolo.zucali@humanitas.it
Paolo Andrea
PA
Zucali
Fabio
F
De Vincenzo
Matteo
M
Simonelli
Armando
A
Santoro
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