[Pleural mesothelioma in data from the Surgical Clinic in Hradec Králové 1971-1987]

The authors describe a group of 12 patients operated at the Surgical Clinic in Hradec Králové in 1971-1987 with the diagnosis of a pleural mesothelioma. This tumour was found most frequently in the 6th decade. A slight predominance of women was found. Risk factors which might be associated with the development of a mesothelioma were found only in one patient. This disease is often recorded in a too advanced stage as it is manifested by a late, poor and non-specific symptomatology. In the authors' group of patients operated on account of mesothelioma the tumour was removed in six patients. Only those survive where the mesothelioma had a benign localization 2 patients). The fate of one patient could not be traced. All patients with the histological classification of malignancy in the diffuse or localized form died (9 patients), even when the tumour was surgically removed (3 patients). This fact indicates the great aggressivity of malignant mesotheliomas.