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1: J Cardiothorac Surg. 2006 Nov 1;1:39.Click here to read Click here to read Links

Mesothelioma with non-pleural malignancy: a red herring or just an uncommon pairing?

Drain AJ, Saeb-Parsy K, Shah AK, Rassl D, Ritchie AJ.

Papworth Hospital, Papworth Everard, Cambridge CB3 8RE, UK. andrewdrain@doctors.org.uk

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a highly aggressive cancer of the pleura with a well-established male predominance and causative link with asbestos exposure. We report four cases of female patients with MPM referred for palliation of symptoms thought to be due to previous non-pleural malignancy.With emerging novel treatments for MPM, this article discusses four unusual cases of MPM occurring in the setting of other malignancy, highlights the importance of considering a primary diagnosis of MPM even in patients with other malignancy, and reinforces the benefits of video-assisted surgical biopsy which allows simultaneous diagnosis and treatment.

PMID: 17078889 [PubMed]

PMCID: PMC1636046