Effective chemotherapy based on a chemosensitivity test for malignant pleural mesothelioma

Annals of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. 2008 Oct;14(5):319-21. [Link]

Maniwa Y, Yoshimura M, Takata M, Nishimura Y, Ohno Y.

Divisions of Thoracic Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.

Abstract

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive and fatal tumor of the pleura and its incidence has been increasing as a result of the widespread use of asbestos worldwide. Numerous chemotherapeutic agents have been tested in many clinical trials, but the response rate does not exceed 20% for most of the investigated regimens. Here we report a case of MPM in which the chemotherapy based on the chemosensitivity test was very effective on palliation with stable disease for a long time.

Keywords: chemosensitivity test, chemotherapy, malignant pleural mesothelioma