A review of the treatment of diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma
Ruffie, P.; Hirsch, A.
Iarc Scientific Publications 30: 553-557
1980
ISSN/ISBN: 0300-5038 PMID: 7228311 Document Number: 157925
When the disease is diagnosed early, pleurectomy or intrapleural inoculation of colloidal radioactive compounds may be effective. However, most mesotheliomas are already diffuse by the time they are diagnosed; and no treatment has been shown to be effective. Metastatic involvement of the chest wall results from any surgical procedure; however, pain may be controlled by pleurectomy and/or external-beam radiotherapy. Of the chemotherapeutic agents tested, doxorubicin appears to be the most promising. Large, cooperative, controlled trials are needed to evaluate the usefulness of one or a combination of the treatment methods described.