Radical Treatment for Mesothelioma- Still Controversial

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that develops from cells of the mesothelium, the protective lining that covers many of the internal organs of the body. Mesothelioma is most commonly caused by exposure to asbestos. The most common anatomical site for mesothelioma is the pleura but it can also arise in the peritoneum, the pericardium or the tunica vaginalis.

The role of radical surgery in the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma has been the subject of much heated debate in the last few years, as thoracic surgeons argue over the details of a small but landmark clinical trial that failed to show any benefit from a highly complex operation, extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP).

That operation has now largely fallen out of favor, and has been replaced to some extent by a slightly less radical operation, but the role of surgery in the management of mesothelioma is still very controversial. This approach"remains experimental," experts said recently at the 2014 European Lung Cancer Conference (ELCC), while others believe that it belongs only in clinical trials.

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http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/823982