title: Meta-analysis of survival after pleurectomy decortication versus extrapleural pneumonectomy in mesothelioma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This comprehensive meta-analysis was conducted to answer the question as to which procedure, pleurectomy decortication (P/D) or extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) is more beneficial to malignant pleural mesothelioma patients' outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Original research studies that evaluated long-term outcomes of P/D versus EPP were identified, from January 1990 to January 2014. The combined percent perioperative and 2-year mortality, and median survival were calculated according to both a fixed and a random effect model. The Q statistics and I(2) statistic were used to test for heterogeneity between the studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 24 distinct data sets, for a total of 1,512 patients treated with P/D, and 1,391 treated with EPP. There was a significantly higher proportion of short-term deaths in the EPP group versus the P/D group (percent mortality meta estimate; 4.5% vs 1.7%; p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in 2-year mortality between the 2 groups, but there was significant heterogeneity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The reanalysis of the large number of studies comparing P/D to EPP suggests that P/D is associated with a 2 ½-fold lower short-term mortality (perioperatively and within 30 days) than EPP. Pleurectomy decortication should therefore be preferred when technically feasible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Health, Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, Hempstead, New York.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Taioli
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai Health System, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Andrea S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Health, Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, Hempstead, New York. Electronic address: raja.flores@mountsinai.org.
authors.forename: Raja M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Flores
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D010994:Pleura / Q000601:surgery*; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000379:methods*; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors