Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (malignant + pleural_mesothelioma)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Distribution within Medical Sciences


Selected Abstracts


18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography and positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging of malignant pleural mesothelioma§

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL IMAGING AND RADIATION ONCOLOGY, Issue 2 2009
RM Subramaniam
Summary Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is the most common primary pleural tumor and its incidence is rising. Its diagnosis, staging and response assessment are challenging for imaging. Integrated positron emission tomography (PET)/CT increases the accuracy of overall staging in patients with mesothelioma and improves the selection of patients for curative surgical resection. It is particularly useful in identifying occult distant metastases. It may be used to predict prognosis and to assess the metabolic response to therapy. [source]


Radiological manifestations of malignant pleural mesothelioma

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL IMAGING AND RADIATION ONCOLOGY, Issue 2 2003
Virginia WK Au
Summary Malignant pleural mesothelioma has had a rising incidence in Australia over the past 40 years. This pictorial essay gives a brief account of the condition, summarizes the various radiological manifestations and aims at increasing the awareness of a disease that is expected to reach its peak incidence in the early decades of the twenty-first century. [source]


Efficacy and safety of first- or second-line irinotecan, cisplatin, and mitomycin in mesothelioma

CANCER, Issue 1 2007
Dean A. Fennell MD
Abstract BACKGROUND. Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rapidly progressive lethal tumor. Treatment options remain limited and the outcome in recurrent disease is poor. METHODS. A Phase II open-label noncomparative study was conducted to assess the safety and efficacy of the triplet combination irinotecan, cisplatin, and mitomycin-C (IPM) chemotherapy in untreated patients and in those with previous exposure to chemotherapy. RESULTS. In 62 patients an objective response rate of 25% was observed. In the first-line setting progression-free survival measured 6.4 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.5,7.3) and overall survival was 10.8 months (95% CI: 7.9,13.7). In the second-line setting progression-free survival was 7.3 months (95% CI: 3.4,11.2) and overall survival was also 7.3 months (95% CI: 4.8,9.8). Psychosocial well-being improved during chemotherapy and the main toxicity observed was neutropenia (40%). CONCLUSIONS. IPM appeared to have a reasonable response rate with an acceptable toxicity profile in the first- and second-line treatment of MPM. Cancer 2007. © 2006 American Cancer Society. [source]


Mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis: A rare malignancy mimicking more common inguino-scrotal masses

JOURNAL OF SURGICAL ONCOLOGY, Issue 2 2006
P.J.C.M. Schure
Abstract Malignant pleural mesotheliomas are rare malignancies associated with asbestos exposure and these tumors are infamous for their poor prognosis. Mesotheliomas in other body areas are much rarer. They may occur in the abdominal cavity and also in the inguinal region. In the latter area they are commonly confused with much commoner benign conditions. We present three cases of mesotheliomas in the tunica vaginalis testis. J. Surg. Oncol. 2006;94:162,164. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


The high post-test probability of a cytological examination renders further investigations to establish a diagnosis of epithelial malignant pleural mesothelioma redundant

DIAGNOSTIC CYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 8 2006
J.G.J.V. Aerts M.D., Ph.D.
Abstract The aim of the study was to establish in a prospective and blinded manner the diagnostic yield of morphology, immunocytochemistry (ICH) and electron microscopy (EM) in the cytological analysis of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Pleural fluid from consecutive patients, 14 with a histologically proven MPM, 12 with a malignant pleuritis due to adenocarcinoma (AC), and 13 with a reactive pleural effusion (RM), was separately analyzed. Smears were incubated with monoclonal antibodies (Tag72, Ber-Ep4, anti-CEA, EMA). These were considered suggestive for MPM when only EMA stained positive, for AC when three out of four markers stained positive, and for RM when no marker stained positive. The post-test probability of the morphological, ICH, and EM analysis were 92, 100, 92% or MPM, 91, 100, 86% for AC, and 88, 88, 90% for RM, respectively. We concluded that the high post-test probability of a combined morphological and ICH diagnosis of MPM warrants to cease further diagnostic procedures in these patients. Electron microscopy did not add to accuracy of diagnosis. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2006;34:523,527. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Sensitivity and specificity of immunohistochemical antibodies used to distinguish between benign and malignant pleural disease: a systematic review of published reports

HISTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 6 2006
J King
Aims:, A systematic review of published reports that have evaluated the ability of immunohistochemistry and argyrophil nucleolar organizing region (AgNOR) staining to distinguish between benign and malignant pleural disease. Methods:, Nineteen relevant papers published during the period 1979,2005 were identified. Individual results of immunohistochemistry for five diagnostic antibodies were extracted to calculate diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. Results from five of these studies that had evaluated proliferation markers or AgNOR staining techniques were also summarized. Results:, Most antibodies demonstrated poor to moderate diagnostic ability. Desmin and epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) were the most useful, with sensitivity and specificity both above 74%. The combination of EMA and AgNOR was reported as having 95% diagnostic sensitivity. A high MCM2 labelling index also differentiated between benign and malignant pleural disease. Conclusions:, Immunohistochemistry is of limited value, but newer diagnostic methods may be useful additions in this area of pathology. The diagnostic importance of histological features seen on plain tissue sections is emphasized as vital for correctly differentiating between benign pleural disease and malignant pleural mesothelioma. [source]


Pleural fluid findings as prognostic factors for malignant pleural mesothelioma

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL LABORATORY ANALYSIS, Issue 5 2008
Tanseli Efeoglu Gonlugur
Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of pleural fluid glucose, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), albumin, total protein, and total leukocyte levels in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. We retrospectively analyzed 71 consecutive patients (33 men and 38 women) who were referred to the department of chest diseases in a university hospital. Pleural fluid glucose levels, the ratio of pleural fluid to serum LDH>1.0, and total leukocyte count were significant predictors for the survival in univariate analysis. However, none of these variables emerged as statistically significant from the multivariate Cox model. In conclusion, our results showed that there is an inverse correlation between the intensity of inflammation and survival. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 22:334,336, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Radiological manifestations of malignant pleural mesothelioma

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL IMAGING AND RADIATION ONCOLOGY, Issue 2 2003
Virginia WK Au
Summary Malignant pleural mesothelioma has had a rising incidence in Australia over the past 40 years. This pictorial essay gives a brief account of the condition, summarizes the various radiological manifestations and aims at increasing the awareness of a disease that is expected to reach its peak incidence in the early decades of the twenty-first century. [source]


Case,control study of pleural mesothelioma in workers with social security in Mexico

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 3 2010
Guadalupe Aguilar-Madrid MD
Abstract Background Environmental and occupational exposure to asbestos in Mexico in the past has been a cause of deaths and health damages. Its magnitude is unknown to date. Our objective was to identify the proportion of cases of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) that can be attributed to and occupational exposure to asbestos. Methods We carried out a case,control study of MPM in 472 workers insured by the Mexican Institute of Social Security, all Valley of Mexico residents, with 119 incident cases and 353 controls. Cases were histologically confirmed. Participants were questioned concerning their occupational history and sociodemographic data. Assignment to one of the four exposures was performed qualitatively by an expert hygienist. Odds ratios (ORs) and attributable risks (ARs) were calculated using a non-conditional logistic regression model. Results A total of 80.6% of cases and 31.5% of controls had occupational exposure to asbestos. ORs were adjusted for age and gender and by exposure category, and exhibited an increase with probability of exposure as follows: 3.7(95% CI 1.3,10.4) for the likely category and 14.3(95% CI 8,26) for the certain category; AR in the group occupationally exposed to asbestos was 83.2%, and the population AR was 44%. Conclusions Our results show that the relationship between industrial uses of all forms of asbestos is generating an increase in mesothelioma-related diseases and deaths among Mexican workers. As a public health policy, Mexico should prohibit the use of asbestos in all production processes with the aim of controlling the epidemic and preventing the occurrence of new cases of MPM. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:241,251, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Epidemiology of pleural mesothelioma in a population with non-occupational asbestos exposure

RESPIROLOGY, Issue 1 2008
Muzaffer METINTAS
Background and objective: This study describes the epidemiology of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) in a rural population with environmental asbestos exposure. Methods: Patients with diagnosed MPM were recruited and their relevant demographic and exposure data were analysed. Results: A total of 131 patients with MPM (59 men, 72 women) were studied. The patients' mean age was 57.8 years and the mean exposure duration was 28.9 years. The cumulative fibre count of the villagers ranged from 0.19 to 14.61 fibre/mL-years. Of the 131 patients, 85 had epithelial cell type, 20 had mixed, and eight had sarcomatous pleural mesothelioma. No significant relationship was found between asbestos fibre type and age, exposure period, or cellular type of MPM; similarly, no significant relationship could be found between the cellular type and age or exposure period. Patients with sarcomatous mesotheliomas were considerably older. Only five of 131 (3.8%) patients had a family history of mesothelioma. Conclusions: Environmental exposure to asbestos begins at birth and this may be important in the age of disease onset, if a threshold model for cancer initiation is operative. Both men and women had an excess risk of mesothelioma. Given that a family history of MPM was not common in this relatively homogenous patient group, a genetic predisposition to mesothelioma appears unlikely. [source]


Floor of mouth and tongue metastasis from malignant pleural mesothelioma

ANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 7-8 2010
Diana Kirke MBBS BSc
No abstract is available for this article. [source]


DIAGNOSTIC VALUE OF THORACOSCOPIC PLEURAL BIOPSY FOR PLEURISY UNDER LOCAL ANAESTHESIA

ANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 8 2006
Motoki Sakuraba
Background: We find pleural effusion in clinical practice frequently. However, it is difficult to make a diagnosis definitively by thoracocentesis or closed pleural biopsy. We directly examine the thoracic cavity by thoracoscopy under local anaesthesia, carry out pleural biopsy and make a definitive pathological diagnosis in pleurisy. Method: A retrospective study of 138 patients who had been diagnosed by thoracoscopy in our hospital was carried out between January 1995 and January 2005. Results: The patients were 114 men and 24 women, ranging in age from 21 to 85 years, with a mean of 59 years. The right side was involved in 83 patients and the left side in 55. The operations took 11,145 min, with a mean of 46 min. Thoracoscopy directly without thoracocenteses was carried out in 28 of 138 patients. Lung cancer with pleural dissemination was diagnosed in 27, malignant pleural mesothelioma in 10, tuberculous pleurisy in 32, non-specific pleurisy in 58, other tumour in 2 and pyothorax in 9 patients. The overall diagnostic efficacy was 97.1% (134/138). The diagnostic efficacy in the cases of carcinoma was 92.6% (25/27), in malignant pleural mesothelioma it was 100% (10/10) and in tuberculosis it was 93.8% (30/32). No major complications occurred during the examination. Conclusion: Pleural biopsy by thoracoscopy under local anaesthesia should be actively carried out in patients with pleurisy, because the technique has a high diagnostic rate and can be easily and safely carried out. [source]


Prevention of malignant seeding at drain sites by hypofractionated radiotherapy in patients with pleural mesothelioma

ASIA-PACIFIC JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY, Issue 3 2010
Pinar KARA
Abstract Aim: Unlike most other malignancies, malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) has a tendency to recur along tracks of chest wall instrumentation. We investigated the efficiency of hypofractionated radiotherapy for prevention of malignant seeding. Methods: Twenty-one (six female, 15 male) patients diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma who had chest wall instrumentation and were treated with prophylactic radiotherapy were investigated retrospectively. All patients underwent surgery or thoracoscopy and/or talc pleurodesis, for diagnosis, staging procedures or as a treatment. All were treated with electron (12 MeV) external beam radiation therapy (21 Gy in three fractions over 3 days), directed to the instrumentation pathway after the invasive procedure. After completion of radiotherapy, four of 21 patients had also undergone chemotherapy. Results: Nineteen of 21 patients were followed-up for a median period of 13 months (1,24 months) and two patients were lost just after the first month of the follow-up period. None of the followed patients had tumor progression in the treated area. Radiotherapy was well tolerated. The most common side-effect was grade 1 erythema (Radiation Therapy Oncology Group [RTOG] scale), noted in 13 treated patients. Conclusion: Our experience showed that prophylactic radiotherapy to prevent malignant seeding in malignant mesothelioma at invasive procedure sites was effective and well tolerated in preventing malignant seeding, painful metastases after surgery or instrumentation in patients with pleural mesothelioma. Larger multicenter prospective trials are still needed to validate this treatment approach utility for it to be recommended routinely. [source]


Erlotinib plus bevacizumab in previously treated patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma

CANCER, Issue 4 2008
David M. Jackman MD
Abstract BACKGROUND. We conducted a phase 2, multicenter, open-label study of erlotinib plus bevacizumab in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma who had previously received 1 prior chemotherapy regimen. These agents have activity in non,small cell lung cancer, but their role in mesothelioma is unclear. The primary endpoint is response rate. Secondary endpoints include time to progression, survival, and toxicity. METHODS. Eligible patients with mesothelioma who had previously received 1 chemotherapy regimen were treated with erlotinib 150 mg per os daily and bevacizumab 15 mg/kg administered intravenously on Day 1 of a 21-day cycle. Treatment continued until disease progression or development of significant toxicity. Tumor response was assessed after every 2 cycles using previously established mesothelioma response criteria from Byrne and Nowak. RESULTS. Twenty-four eligible patients initiated therapy with erlotinib and bevacizumab between February 2004 and October 2006. There were no complete or partial responses, although 12 patients achieved stable disease for at least 2 cycles of treatment. The median time to progression was 2.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4 months-5.9 months). The median survival was 5.8 months (95% CI, 2.8 months-10.1 months). The most common toxicities were rash and diarrhea. There were no treatment-related deaths, intracranial bleeding, or hemoptysis. CONCLUSIONS. The combination of erlotinib and bevacizumab was tolerated reasonably well, but there was no evidence of radiographic response. This study demonstrates the feasibility of conducting trials in mesothelioma patients who have failed first-line therapy. More therapeutic studies with effective agents are needed for these patients. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society. [source]


Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis after pemetrexed, and recurrence after re-introduction

CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2009
A. Bracke
Summary Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) is a rare cutaneous reaction, which in most cases, is related to medication. Pemetrexed is an antifolate drug, approved for treatment of metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). We present a case of AGEP caused by pemetrexed, and a recurrence of this eruption after re-introduction of pemetrexed despite use of corticosteroids. [source]