Pleural resection and pleural infusion chemotherapy for therapy of malignant pleural mesothelioma.

The aim of this study was to evaluate effective treatment methods of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Twenty-three patients with MPM were cured by pleural infusion chemotherapy after surgery. Median survival time and the 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates were analyzed on the basis of follow-up. Median survival time of all patients was 15 months (range: 3 to 89 months); the 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates were 69.6, 43.5, and 13.0%, respectively. The 1-year survival rates of patients in stages I, II, and III were 83.3, 62.5, and 33.3%, respectively, the 2-year survival rates were 50, 37.5, and 33.3%, respectively, and the 3-year survival rates were 34, 23, and 0%, respectively. Surgery-oriented comprehensive treatment was adopted for MPM, which could improve the prognosis and life quality of patients to some extent.