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Advances in diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma

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  • Published:
Oncology Reviews

Abstract

Malignant mesothelioma is a highly aggressive neoplasm. The incidence of malignant mesothelioma is increasing worldwide. Diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (DMPM) represents one-fourth of all mesotheliomas. Association of asbestos exposure with DMPM has been observed, especially in males. A great majority of patients present with abdominal pain and distension, caused by accumulation of tumors and ascitic fluid. In the past, DMPM was considered a pre-terminal condition; therefore attracted little attention. Patients invariably died from their disease within a year. Recently, several prospective trials have demonstrated median survival of 40 to 90 months and 5-year survival of 30% to 60% after the combined treatment using cytoreductive surgery and perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy. This improvement in survival has prompted new searches into the medical science related to DMPM, a disease previously ignored as uninteresting. This review article focuses on the key advances in the epidemiology, diagnosis, staging, treatments and prognosis of DMPM that have occurred in the past decade.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Peritoneal Surface Malignancy Program, Washington Cancer Institute, Washington Hospital Center, 106 Irving Street, NW, Suite 3900, Washington, DC, USA, 20010

    Tristan D. Yan & Paul H. Sugarbaker

  2. Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Raffit Hassan

  3. Center to Protect Worker’s Rights, Silver Spring, MD, USA

    Laura Welch

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  1. Tristan D. Yan
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  2. Raffit Hassan
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  3. Laura Welch
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  4. Paul H. Sugarbaker
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Correspondence to Paul H. Sugarbaker.

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Yan, T.D., Hassan, R., Welch, L. et al. Advances in diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. Oncol Rev 1, 53–64 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12156-007-0007-3

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