Treatment of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Abstract

The management of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is controversial and is often viewed nihilistically because of the relative inefficacy of standard therapeutic modalities in this disease. However, a new international staging system, the development of novel treatment strategies, and ongoing prospective clinical trials provide hope of improving the currently poor survival rates of MPM. Surgical resection with adjuvant radiation and/or chemotherapy has modestly improved local control and survival. New treatments including photodynamic therapy, immunotherapy, and gene therapy are being evaluated. Future treatment regimens will need to be multimodal in approach and take into consideration tumor stage and histology.

Key Words:

mesothelioma - staging - treatment