pulmonary disorders
Mesothelioma
Treatment of Mesothelioma
Supportive care, including thoracentesis, pleurodesis, and pain control Chemotherapy and immunotherapy Malignant pleural mesothelioma is typically unresectable at the time of diagnosis. The major focus of treatment is supportive care and relief of pain and dyspnea. Surgical resection can be considered in patients with early-stage disease. In more advanced disease, surgical approaches have been used for debulking or attempting to resect all macroscopic disease; the survival benefit of these approaches is unclear. Radiation therapy can be used to reduce tumor bulk and as a palliative measure to relieve symptoms. Chemotherapy (eg, platinum agents plus folate antimetabolites) has shown limited benefit, with little impact on long-term survival. Supportive care includes thoracentesis, pleurodesis, and pain control. Treatment of malignant pleural effusions, which are common, can improve symptoms and quality of life. Palliative care to control pain and optimize quality of life is a key priority. 1.Banna GL, Signori A, Curioni-Fontecedro A, et al. Systemic therapy for pre-treated malignant mesothelioma: A systematic review, meta-analysis and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.Eur J Cancer2022; 166, 287-299. doi:10.1016/j.ejca.2022.02.030 2.Fennell DA, Dulloo S, Harber J. Immunotherapy approaches for malignant pleural mesothelioma.Nat Rev Clin Oncol2022; 19(9), 573-584. doi:10.1038/s41571-022-00649-7 