RT Book, Section
A1 Godleski, John J.
A1 Corson, Joseph M.
A2 Sugarbaker, David J.
A2 Bueno, Raphael
A2 Colson, Yolonda L.
A2 Jaklitsch, Michael T.
A2 Krasna, Mark J.
A2 Mentzer, Steven J.
A2 Williams, Marcia
A2 Adams, Ann
SR Print(0)
ID 1105844979
T1 Pathology of Pleural Malignant Mesothelioma
T2 Adult Chest Surgery, 2e
YR 2015
FD 2015
PB McGraw-Hill Education
PP New York, NY
SN 978-0-07-178189-3
LK accesssurgery.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1105844979
RD 2024/04/20
AB Malignant  mesothelioma  (MM)  is  an  uncommon  disease  with  approximately  3000  new  cases  diagnosed  each  year  in  the  United  States.  Most  occur  in  the  pleura.  However,  each  year  about  300  new  cases  occur  in  the  peritoneum  and  many  fewer  in  the  pericardium  and  paratesticular  serous  membranes.  Although  most  persons  with  pleural  malignant  mesothelioma  (PMM)  are  middle-aged  males  (median  62  years),  the  disease  also  occurs  in  lesser  numbers  of  women  and  over  a  wide  age  range.  The  presentation  is  usually  with  dyspnea  secondary  to  a  pleural  effusion  and/or  chest  wall  pain.  Most  give  a  history  of  occupational  exposure  to  asbestos  20  to  40  years  or  more  earlier.  Pathologic  diagnosis  guides  treatment  and  is  generally  based  on  a  pleural  biopsy  obtained  by  VATS.  Prognosis  is  poor  in  most  cases  with  few  surviving  2  years  following  diagnosis.  However,  some  recent  reports  indicate  palliation  with  therapy  and  present  studies  aim  at  cure.  This  article  will  focus  on  the  critical  role  pathology  plays1  as  it  interfaces  with  surgery,  radiology,  and  oncology  in  the  management  of  PMM.  We  will  consider  surgical  pathology  procedures  and  tissue  collection,  classification,  differential  diagnosis,  prognostic  factors,  grading,  and  causation  and  pathogenesis  of  PMM.