[Current surgical therapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma]

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare tumor and associated with very poor prognosis. The median survival time( MST) was 8.9 months for those treated by palliative care only. For a radical treatment, total removal of the tumor is the main therapy as well as other solid tumors, but these diffuse and infiltrate growth pattern of tumor make it difficult. The MST was 13 months for patients treated by surgery only. On the other hand, MST using pemetrexed/cisplatin was 12.1 months. There are negative opinions for invasive surgical treatment such as extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP). Currently surgical treatment of mesothelioma is conducted as part of the multidisciplinary treatment combined with chemotherapy and radiation therapy.