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Vol.45 No.7 contents

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- Case Report -

A Case of Desmoplastic Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Treated With Induction Chemotherapy and Subsequent Extrapleural Pneumonectomy

Katsuhiko Shimizu¹, Shintaro Hirata², Mitsuru Miyazaki², Nobuoki Kohno², Yukio Takeshima³, Kouki Inai³
Department of ¹Surgical Oncology, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, ²Molecular and Internal Medicine, ³Pathology Postgraduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Japan

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Background. Desmoplastic malignant pleural mesothelioma (DMM) is a subtype of malignant pleural mesothelioma, and very rare, especially in Japan. Case. A 69-year-old man was referred to our hospital to investigate an abnormal shadow on chest X-ray. On admission, his chest radiograph showed pleural effusion on the left side and chest computed tomography showed irregular pleural thickening. A thoracoscopic examination was performed, and histological findings led to a diagnosis of DMM. The patient was treated with induction chemotherapy combining cisplatin and gemcitabine, followed by extrapleural pneumonectomy. The effect of chemotherapy was evaluated a stable disease. Conclusion. There is no standard therapy for DMM. In this case, the extrapleural pneumonectomy was safely performed after induction chemotherapy.
key words: Malignant pleural mesothelioma, Desmoplastic malignant pleural mesothelioma, Extrapleural pneumonectomy, Induction chemotherapy

Received: June 16, 2005
Accepted: September 22, 2005

JJLC 45 (7): 851-856, 2005