[A diffuse, pleural, malignant mesothelioma kept in long remission by chemotherapy combining pirarubicin and...

Reported is the case of a 66-year-old male with a diffuse, pleural, malignant mesothelioma that has been successfully treated by combining cisplatin and doxorubicin. The patient received 100 mg of cisplatin and 50 mg of doxorubicin every 5 weeks, after which a regression of the tumor and a pleural effusion decrease was observed. After partial remission was achieved, the dosage was changed to 50 mg of cisplatin and 50 mg of pirarubicin on a five-week cycle. This led to a partial remission of two-years duration and the abatement of a doxorubicin-induced alopecia. The authors thus have concluded that a combined therapy of doxorubicin and cisplatin is effective for treating a malignant mesothelioma, and that pirarubicin is superior to doxorubicin with reference to side effects.