Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma: an Update for Pulmonologists

  • Pleural Diseases and Mesothelioma (H Davies, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Pulmonology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an incurable disease, and its global incidence is predicted to rise. The epidemiology is changing especially in developed countries where the increases in incidence centers around the older age group. Pulmonologists are the frontline specialists faced with the challenges of diagnosing MPM and management of the associated respiratory issues, especially malignant pleural effusions. Although much of recent literature surrounds treatment of MPM, this review highlights latest developments in aspects of MPM care relevant to pulmonologists’ practice.

Recent Findings

Advances in imaging have allowed more MPM cases to be diagnosed with percutaneous-guided biopsy without resorting to thoracoscopy. Cytological examination, coupled with molecular testing (e.g., BAP-1 loss and fluorescent in situ hybridization for CDKN2A gene loss), now allows many cases of MPM to be diagnosed by pleural fluid cytology. Many biomarkers have been proposed for mesothelioma; however, work is needed to first validate initial studies and then tease-out the interactions between known prognostic indicators and any proposed biomarker. A series of multicenter randomized trials have established the role of indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) as the choice of management for malignant pleural effusions. Combining IPC with talc pleurodesis is a new approach. Prognostic factors, including a new algorithm, are reviewed to assist pulmonologists.

Summary

Many guidelines have been published by various agencies, again with different recommendations (especially regarding therapies). Pulmonologists must therefore stay abreast of the literature in order to provide the best care for patients.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance

  1. Odgerel CO, Takahashi K, Sorahan T, Driscoll T, Fitzmaurice C, Yoko-o M, et al. Estimation of the global burden of mesothelioma deaths from incomplete national mortality data. Occup Environ Med. 2017;74(12):851–8.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  2. Soeberg MJ, Leigh J, Driscoll T, Armstrong B, Young JM, van Zandwijk N. Incidence and survival trends for malignant pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma, Australia, 1982-2009. Occup Environ Med. 2016;73(3):187–94.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Jarvholm B, Burdorf A. Emerging evidence that the ban on asbestos use is reducing the occurrence of pleural mesothelioma in Sweden. Scand J Public Health. 2015;43(8):875–81.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Ji J, Sundquist J, Sundquist K. Incidence and familial risk of pleural mesothelioma in Sweden: a national cohort study. Eur Respir J. 2016;48(3):873–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Lin RT, et al. Upcoming epidemic of asbestos-related malignant pleural mesothelioma in Taiwan: a prediction of incidence in the next 30 years. J Formos Med Assoc. 2019;463-471. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfma.2018.07.013.

  6. Metintas S, et al. Turkey national mesothelioma surveillance and environmental asbestos exposure control program. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2017;14(11).

  7. Mensi C, de Matteis S, Dallari B, Riboldi L, Bertazzi PA, Consonni D. Incidence of mesothelioma in Lombardy, Italy: exposure to asbestos, time patterns and future projections. Occup Environ Med. 2016;73(9):607–13.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  8. Marinaccio A, et al. Epidemiology of malignant mesothelioma in Italy: surveillance systems, territorial clusters and occupations involved. J Thorac Dis. 2018;10(Suppl 2):S221–s227.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Kwak KM, Paek D, Hwang SS, Ju YS. Estimated future incidence of malignant mesothelioma in South Korea: projection from 2014 to 2033. PLoS One. 2017;12(8):e0183404.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  10. Ahmed M, Flannery A, Mujammil I, Breen D. Variation in incidence trends of malignant pleural mesothelioma in Europe. Eur Respir J. 2018;51(2):1702384.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. LE GV, Takahashi K, Park EK, et al. Asbestos use and asbestos-related diseases in Asia: past, present and future. Respirology. 2011;16(5):767–75.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Park EK, Takahashi K, Hoshuvama T, et al. Global magnitude of reported and unreported mesothelioma. Environ Health Perspect. 2011;119(4):514–8.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  13. Kwak KM, Paek D, Hwang SS, Ju YS. Estimated future incidence of malignant mesothelioma in South Korea; projection from 2014 to 2033. PLoS One. 2017;12(8):e0183404.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  14. • Boffetta P, et al. International analysis of age-specific mortality rates from mesothelioma on the basis of the international classification of diseases, 10th revision. J Glob Oncol. 2018;4:1–15. This study provides recent trends of mesothelioma-related mortality.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Kerger BD. Longevity and pleural mesothelioma; age-period-cohort analysis of incidence data from the surveillance, epidemiology and end results (SEER) program, 1973-2013. BMC Res Notes. 2018;11(1):337.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  16. Soeberg M, Leigh J, van Zandwijk N. Malignant mesothelioma in Australia 2015: current incidence and asbestos exposure trends. J Toxicol Environ Health B Crit Rev. 2016;19(5–6):173–89.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Bianco A, Valente T, de Rimini ML, Sica G, Fiorelli A. Clinical diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma. J Thorac Dis. 2018;10(Suppl 2):S253–s261.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  18. MacLeod N, Kelly C, Stobo J, McMahon L, Taggart D, Fallon M, et al. Pain in malignant pleural mesothelioma: a prospective characterization study. Pain Med. 2016;17(11):2119–26.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Bibby AC, Tsim S, Kanellakis N, Ball H, Talbot DC, Blyth KG, et al. Malignant pleural mesothelioma: an update on investigation, diagnosis and treatment. Eur Respir Rev. 2016;25(142):472–86.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Attanoos RL, Pugh MR. The diagnosis of pleural tumors other than mesothelioma. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2018;142(8):902–13.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Kato K, Gemba K, Fujimoto N, Aoe K, Takeshima Y, Inai K, et al. Fatal pleural mesothelioma in Japan (2003-2008): evaluation of computed tomography findings. Jpn J Radiol. 2016;34(6):432–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Kato K, Gemba K, Fujimoto N, Aoe K, Takeshima Y, Inai K, et al. Pleural irregularities and mediastinal pleural involvement in early stages of malignant pleural mesothelioma and benign asbestos pleural effusions. Eur J Radiol. 2016;85(9):1594–600.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Escalon JG, Harrington KA, Plodkowski AJ, Zheng J, Capanu M, Zauderer MG, et al. Malignant pleural mesothelioma: are there imaging characteristics associated with different histologic subtypes on computed tomography? J Comput Assist Tomogr. 2018;42(4):601–6.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  24. Murphy DJ, Gill RR. Volumetric assessment in malignant pleural mesothelioma. Ann Transl Med. 2017;5(11):241.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  25. Gill RR, Yeap BY, Bueno R, Richards WG. Quantitative clinical staging for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2018;110(3):258–64.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Fysh ETH, Thomas R, Tobin C, Kuok YJ, Lee YCG. Air in the pleural cavity enhances detection of pleural abnormalities by CT scan. Chest. 2018;153(6):e123–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Diego Roza C, et al. Recommendations for the diagnosis and management of asbestos-related pleural and pulmonary disease. Arch Bronconeumol. 2017;53(8):437–42.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Hooper C, Lee YCG, Maskell N. Investigation of a unilateral pleural effusion in adults: British Thoracic Society pleural disease guideline. Thorax. 2010;65:ii4–ii17.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Anevlavis S, Froudarakis ME. Advances in pleuroscopy. Clin Respir J. 2018;12(3):839–47.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Ceruti P, Lonni S, Baglivo F, Marchetti G. Endoscopic diagnosis and management of pleural effusion in malignant pleural mesothelioma. J Thorac Dis. 2018;10(Suppl 2):S269–s275.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  31. Tsim S, Stobo DB, Alexander L, Kelly C, Blyth KG. The diagnostic performance of routinely acquired and reported computed tomography imaging in patients presenting with suspected pleural malignancy. Lung Cancer. 2017;103:38–43.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  32. Welch BT, Eiken PW, Atwell TD, Peikert T, Yi ES, Nichols F, et al. A single-institution experience in percutaneous image-guided biopsy of malignant pleural mesothelioma. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol. 2017;40(6):860–3.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. de Fonseka D, Underwood W, Stadon L, Rahman N, Edey A, Rogers C, et al. Randomised controlled trial to compare the diagnostic yield of positron emission tomography CT (PET-CT) TARGETed pleural biopsy versus CT-guided pleural biopsy in suspected pleural malignancy (TARGET trial). BMJ Open Respir Res. 2018;5(1):e000270.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  34. Husain AN, Colby TV, Ordonez NG, Allen TC, Attanoos RL, Beasley MB, et al. Guidelines for pathologic diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma: 2017 update of the consensus statement from the International Mesothelioma Interest Group. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2018;142(1):89–108.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Kondola S, Manners D, Nowak AK. Malignant pleural mesothelioma: an update on diagnosis and treatment options. Ther Adv in Respir Dis. 2016;10(3):275–88.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Brims FJ, Lee YCG, Creaney J. The continual search for ideal biomarkers for mesothelioma: the hurdles. J Thorac Dis. 2013;5(3):364–6. https://doi.org/10.3978/J.Issn.2072-1439.2013.04.19.

  37. • Hjerpe A, Ascoli V, Bedrossian CWM, Boon ME, Creaney J, Davidson B, et al. Guidelines for the cytopathologic diagnosis of epithelioid and mixed-type malignant mesothelioma. Complementary statement from the International Mesothelioma Interest Groups, also endorsed by the International Academy of Cytology and the Papanicolaou Society of Cytopathology. Acta Cytologica. 2015;59(1):2–16. This study explains the growing evidence of cytology in the diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Chai SM, Van Vliet C. Cytological diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma. Pleural diseases and mesothelioma. Curr Pulmonol Rep. 2017;6:1–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Ali G, Bruno R, Fontanini G. The pathological and molecular diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma: a literature review. J Thorac Dis. 2018;10(Suppl 2):S276–84.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  40. Cigognetti M, Lonardi S, Fisogni S, Balzarini P, Pellegrini V, Tironi A, et al. BAP1 (BRCA-1 associated protein 1) is a highly specific marker for differentiating mesothelioma from reactive mesothelial proliferations. Mod Pathol. 2015;28(8):1043–57.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Righi L, Duregon E, Vatrano S, Izzo S, Giorcelli J, Rondon-Lagos M, et al. BRCA-1 associated protein 1 (BAP1) immunohistochemical expression as a diagnostic tool in malignancy pleural mesothelioma classification: a large retrospective study. J Thorac Oncol. 2016;11(11):2006–17.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. McGregor SM, Dunning R, Hyjek E, Vigneswaran W, Husain AN, Krausz T. BAP1 facilitates diagnostic objectivity, classification, and prognostication in malignant pleural mesothelioma. Hum Pathol. 2015;46(11):1670–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Hwang HC, Sheffield BS, Rodriguez S, Thompson K, Tse CH, Gown AM, et al. Utility of BAP1 immunohistochemistry and p16 (CDKN2A) FISH in the diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma in effusion cytology specimens. Am J Surg Pathol. 2016;40(1):120–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Hwang H, Pyott S, Rodriguez S, Cindric A, Carr A, Michelsen C, et al. BAP1 immunohistochemistry and p16 FISH in the diagnosis of sarcomatous and desmoplastic mesotheliomas. Am J Surg Pathol. 2016;40(5):714–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Robinson B, Creaney J, Lake R, et al. Mesothelin-family proteins and diagnosis of mesothelioma. Lancet. 2003;362(9396):1612–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Hollevoet K, Reitsma JB, Creaney J, Grigoriu BD, Robinson BW, Scherpereel A, et al. Serum mesothelin for diagnosing malignant pleural mesothelioma: an individual patient data meta-analysis. J Clin Oncol. 2012;30(13):1541–9.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  47. Creaney J, Francis RJ, Dick IM, Musk AW, Robinson BWS, Byrne MJ, et al. Serum soluble mesothelin concentrations in malignant pleural mesothelioma: relationship to tumor volume, clinical stage and changes in tumor burden. Clin Cancer Res. 2011;17(5):1181–9. https://doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-10-1929.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. De Fonseka D, Arnold DT, Stadon L, et al. A prospective study to investigate the role of serial serum mesothelin in monitoring mesothelioma. BMC Cancer. 2018;18(1):199.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  49. Hassan R, Thomas A, Alewine C, Le DT, Jaffee EM, Pastan I. Mesothelin immunotherapy for cancer: ready for prime time. J Clin Oncol. 2016;34(34):4171–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  50. Hassan R, Sharon E, Thomas A, et al. Phase 1 study of the antimesothelin immunotoxin SS1P in combination with pemetrexed and cisplatin for front-line therapy of pleural mesothelioma and correlation of tumor response with serum mesothelin, megakaryocyte potentiating factor, and cancer antigen 125. Cancer. 2014;120(21):3311–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  51. Cao L et al. Megakaryocyte potentiating factor as a predictive biomarker for therapies against malignant mesothelioma. JCO Precis Oncol. 2018;2018. https://doi.org/10.1200/PO.17.00282.

  52. Brims FJ, Maskell NA. Prognositc factors for malignant pleural mesothelioma. Curr Respir Care Rep. 2013;2:100 https://doi.org/10.1007/s13665-013-0045-1.

  53. Herndon JE, Green MR, Chahinian AP, et al. Factors predictive of survival among 337 patients with mesothelioma treated between 1984 and 1994 by the Cancer and Leukemia Group B. Chest. 1998;113(3):723–31.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Curran D, Sahmoud T, Therasse P, van Meerbeeck J, Postmus PE, Giaccone G. Prognostic factors in patients with pleural mesothelioma: the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer experience. J Clin Oncol. 1998;16(1):145–52.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Nojiri S, Gemba K, Aoe K, Kato K, Yamaguchi T, Sato T, et al. Survival and prognostic factors in malignant pleural mesothelioma: a retrospective study of 314 patients in the west part of Japan. Jpn J Clin Oncol. 2011;41(1):32–9. https://doi.org/10.1093/jjco/hyq159.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Kao SC, Klebe S, Henderson DW, et al. Low calretinin expression and high neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio are poor prognostic factors in patients with malignant mesothelioma undergoing extrapleural pneumonectomy. J Thorac Oncol. 2011;6(11):1923–9. https://doi.org/10.1097/JTO.0b013e31822a3740.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Francis RJ, Segard T, Morandeau L, et al. Characterization of hypoxia in malignant pleural mesothelioma with FMISO PET-CT. Lung Cancer. 2015;90(1):55–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lungcan.2015.07.015 [published Online First: 2015/08/12].

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Grigoriu BD, Scherpereel A, Devos P, et al. Utility of osteopontin and serum mesothelin in malignant pleural mesothelioma diagnosis and prognosis assessment. Clin Cancer Res. 2007;13(10):2928–35. https://doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-06-2144 published Online First: 2007/05/17].

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Kadota K, Suzuki K, Colovos C, et al. A nuclear grading system is a strong predictor of survival in epitheloid diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma. Mod Pathol. 2012;25(2):260–71. https://doi.org/10.1038/modpathol.2011.146modpathol2011146 [published Online First: 2011/10/11].

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. Kadota K, Suzuki K, Colovos C, Sima C, Rusch V, Travis W, et al. A nuclear grading system is a strong predictor of survival in epthelioid diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma. Mod Pathol. 2012;25(2):260–71.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  61. Habougit C, Trombert-Paviot B, Karpathiou G, Casteillo F, Bayle-Bleuez S, Fournel P, et al. Histopathologic features predict survival in diffuse pleural malignant mesothelioma on pleural biopsies. Virchows Arch. 2017;470:639–46.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. Rosen L, Karrison T, Ananthanarayanan V, Gallan A, Adusumilli P, Alchami F, et al. Nuclear grade and necrosis predict prognosis in malignant epithelioid pleural mesothelioma: a multi-institutional study. Mod Pathol. 2018;31:598–606.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  63. Brims FJ, Meniawy TM, Duffus I, et al. A novel clinical prediction model for prognosis in malignant pleural mesothelioma using decision tree analysis. J Thorac Oncol. 2016;11(4):573–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtho.2015.12.108.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  64. Harris E, Kao SC, McCaughan B, et al. Prediction modelling using routine clinical parameters to stratify survival in malignant pleural mesothelioma patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery. J Thorac Oncol. 2018;14:288–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtho.2018.10.005.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  65. Bibby AC, De Fonseka D, Morley AJ, et al. Exploring the characteristics of patients with mesothelioma who chose active symptom control over chemotherapy as first-line treatment; as prospective, observational, single centre study. BMC Palliat Care. 2017;16(1):71.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  66. Saddoughi SA, Abdelsattar ZM, Blackmon SH. National trends in the epidemiology of malignant pleural mesothelioma: a National Cancer Data Base Study. Ann Thorac Surg. 2018;105(2):432–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  67. Dresler CM, Olak J, Herndon JE, et al. Phase III intergroup study of talc poudrage vs talc slurry sclerosis for malignant pleural effusion. Chest. 2005;127:909–15.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  68. Yim AP, Chan AT, Lee TW, et al. Thorascopic talc insufflation versus talc slurry for symptomatic malignant pleural effusion. Ann Thorac Surg. 1996;62:1655–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  69. Terra RM, Junqueira JJM, Teixeira LR, Vargas FS, Pêgo-Fernandes PM, Jatene FB. Is full postpleurodesis lung expansion a determinant of successful outcome after talc pleurodesis? Chest. 2009;136:361–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  70. Davies HE, Mishra EK, Kahan BC, et al. Effect of an indwelling pleural catheter vs chest tube and talc pleurodesis for relieving dyspnea in patients with malignant pleural effusion. JAMA. 2012;307(22):2388–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  71. Thomas R, Fysh ETH, Smith NA, Lee P, Kwan BCH, Yap E, et al. Effect of an indwelling pleural catheter vs talc pleurodesis on hospitalization days in patients with malignant pleural effusion: the AMPLE randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2017;318(19):1903–12.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  72. Rahman N, Pepperell J, Rehal S, et al. Effect of opioids vs NSAIDs and larger vs smaller chest tube size on pain control and pleurodesis efficacy among patients with malignant pleural effusion: the TIME1 randomized clinical trial, JAMA. 2015;314(24):2641–53.

  73. Muruganandan S, Azzopardi M, Fitzgerald DB, Shrestha R, Kwan BCH, Lam DCL, et al. Aggressive versus symptom-guided drainage of malignant pleural effusion via indwelling pleural catheters (AMPLE-2): an open-label randomised trial. Lancet Respir Med. 2018;6(9):671–80.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  74. Wahidi MM, Reddy C, Yarmus L, Feller-Kopman D, Musani A, Shepherd RW, et al. Randomized trial of pleural fluid drainage frequency in patients with malignant pleural effusions. The ASAP trial. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2017;195(8):1050–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  75. Bhatnagar R, Kahan BC, Morley AJ, et al. The efficacy of indwelling pleural catheter placement versus placement plus talc sclerosant in patients with malignant pleural effusions managed exclusively as outpatients (IPC-PLUS): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials. 2015;12:16–48.

    Google Scholar 

  76. Bhatnagar R, Zahan-Evans N, Kearney C, et al. A novel drug-eluting indwelling pleural catheter for the management of malignant effusions. AJRCCM. 2018;197.

  77. Davies HE, Musk AW, Lee YCG. Prophylactic radiotherapy for the pleural puncture sites in mesothelioma: the controversy continues. Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2008;14(4):326–30.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  78. Clive AO, Taylor H, Dobson L, Wilson P, de Winton E, Panakis N, et al. Prophylactic radiotherapy for the prevention of procedure tract metastases after surgical and large-bore pleural procedures in malignant pleural mesothelioma (SMART): a multicentre, open-label, phase 3, randomised controlled trial. Lancet Oncol. 2016;17(8):1094–104.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  79. Thomas R, Budgeon CA, Kuok YJ, et al. Catheter tract metastasis associated with indwelling pleural catheters. Chest. 146(3):557–62.

  80. Bibby AC, Williams K, Smith S, Bhatt N, Maskell NA. What is the role of a specialist regional mesothelioma multidisciplinary team meeting? A service evaluation of one tertiary referral Centre in the UK. BMJ Open. 2016;6(9):e012092.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  81. Woolhouse I, Bishop L, Darlison L, de Fonseka D, Edey A, Edwards J, et al. British Thoracic Society guideline for the investigation and management of malignant pleural mesothelioma. Thorax. 2018;73(Suppl 1):i1–30.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  82. Szolkowska M, Blasinka-Przerwa K, Knetki-Wroblewska M, et al. Malignant pleural mesothelioma: main topics of American Society of Clinical Oncology clinical practice guidelines for diagnosis and management. J Thorac Dis. 2018;10(Suppl 17):S196–7.

    Google Scholar 

  83. Ettinger DS, Wood DE, Akerley W, et al. NCCN Guidelines Insights: Malignant pleural mesothelioma version 3. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2016;14(7):825–36.

Download references

Funding

Prof Lee is a Medical Research Future Fund Practitioner Fellow and receives project grant support from the Dust Diseases Authority, Cancer Council Western Australia, Cancer Australia, and Sir Charles Gairdner Research Advisory Committee. Prof Brims has received funding from the Dust Diseases Board New South Wales (iCARE), Cancer Council Western Australia, British Lung Foundation and Sir Charles Gairdner Research Advisory Committee. Prof Creaney has received funding from National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Insurance Commission of Western Australia, Western Australia Dept of Health, iCARE Foundation, Sir Charles Gairdner Research Advisory Committee, and the Cancer Council of Western Australia.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia

    Calvinjit Sidhu, Fraser Brims, Jenette Creaney & Y. C. Gary Lee

  2. Department of Anatomical Pathology, PathWest Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Australia, QEII Medical Centre, Perth, Western Australia, Australia

    Amber Louw

  3. Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia

    Fraser Brims & Y. C. Gary Lee

  4. School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, 533 Harry Perkins Building, QEII Medical Centre, Perth, Western Australia, Australia

    Jenette Creaney & Y. C. Gary Lee

  5. Pleural Medicine Unit, Institute for Respiratory Health, Perth, Western Australia, Australia

    Jenette Creaney

  6. Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China

    Y. C. Gary Lee

Authors
  1. Calvinjit Sidhu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Amber Louw
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Fraser Brims
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jenette Creaney
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Y. C. Gary Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Y. C. Gary Lee.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

Rocket Med Plc and CareFusion/BD provided drainage kits without charge for participants of the AMPLE-2 trial and OPTIMUM trial respectively. Prof Lee led the former and is a co-investigator for the latter. The AMPLE-2 trial has also received a unrestricted educational grant from Rocket Med Plc. Prof Lee has served on the advisory board of CareFusion/BD. Prof Lee and Creaney are investigators of a clinical trial which AstraZeneca provided the investigation drug without charge.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Pleural Diseases and Mesothelioma

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sidhu, C., Louw, A., Brims, F. et al. Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma: an Update for Pulmonologists. Curr Pulmonol Rep 8, 40–49 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13665-019-0224-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13665-019-0224-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation