title: Pathologic complete remission of malignant pleural mesothelioma after combined modality treatment: a case report.
abstract: A 50-year-old patient with malignant pleural mesothelioma (epithelial subtype, clinically staged cT1bN0M0) underwent a combined modality treatment, including induction chemotherapy, followed by extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) and radical radiotherapy. After pathologic examination of the surgical specimen, a complete remission (pT0N0) was observed. The complete disappearance of solid tumour tissue after induction chemotherapy is a rarely observed and documented finding in the combined modality treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma. The real prognostic value of the pathologic complete remission of a malignant pleural mesothelioma definitely needs to be further evaluated in a larger series of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, KU Leuven, Leuven.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Moubax
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, Hospital Sint-Andries, Tielt.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Van Damme
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, KU Leuven, Leuven.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nafteux
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, AZ Turnhout, Turnhout. Department of Pathology, University Hospital Sint-Rafaël, KU Leuven, Leuven.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van den Heuvel
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, KU Leuven, Leuven.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Verbeken
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, KU Leuven, Leuven.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lievens
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, KU Leuven, Leuven.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nackaerts
mesh_terms: D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D000086002:Mesothelioma, Malignant; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012074:Remission Induction