Treatment of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Published online ahead of print January 18, 2018, doi: 10.1200/JCO/2017.76.6394

Hedy L. Kindler, Nofisat Ismaila, Samuel G. Armato III, Raphael Bueno, Mary Hesdorffer, Thierry Jahan, Clyde Michael Jones, Markku Miettinen, Harvey Pass, Andreas Rimner, Valerie Rusch, Daniel Sterman, Anish Thomas, and Raffit Hassan

Purpose

To provide evidence-based recommendations to practicing physicians and others on the management of malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Methods 

ASCO convened an Expert Panel of medical oncology, thoracic surgery, radiation oncology, pulmonary, pathology, imaging, and advocacy experts to conduct a literature search, which included systematic reviews, meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, and prospective and
retrospective comparative observational studies published from 1990 through 2017. Outcomes of interest included survival, disease-free or recurrence-free survival, and quality of life. Expert Panel members used available evidence and informal consensus to develop evidence-based
guideline recommendations.

Results

The literature search identified 222 relevant studies to inform the evidence base for this guideline.

Recommendations

Evidence-based recommendations were developed for diagnosis, staging, chemotherapy, surgical cytoreduction, radiation therapy, and multimodality therapy in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.

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