Early-stage Clinical Characterization of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma.

BACKGROUND/AIM: A strategy for improving survival of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) patients is earlier diagnosis paired with earlier stage implementation of therapeutic interventions. This study aimed to determine the clinical signs of early-stage MPM to aid an earlier diagnosis and earlier-stage intervention.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Out of the 72 cases in our institution, 40 cases with 18 F-FDG-PET/CT-negative MPM were retrospectively identified between 2007 and 2015. Overall survival rates were determined and compared with pathological features, histology, and treatment.

RESULTS: The biphasic histological type of early-stage MPM was characterized by poor prognosis (p=0.0006). Additionally, the cytology-negative group (Class III and below) showed significantly shorter survival times (p=0.0290). There was no significant difference in survival between patients who received pleurectomy and those who received chemotherapy only (p=0.6991). Bimodal therapy resulted in a longer survival rate than trimodal therapy.

CONCLUSION: In early-stage PET-negative MPM cases, biphasic histology and pleural effusion of Class III and below correlated with a poor prognosis. Surgical treatment using pleurectomy/decortication resulted in higher patient survival outcomes than therapy with extrapleural pneumonectomy.