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Updated: Apr 29, 2026
Implantation and Monitoring by PET/CT of an Orthotopic Model of Human Pleural Mesothelioma in Athymic Mice
Published on: December 21, 2019
Pleural mesothelioma: an institutional experience of 66 cases
Soomin Ahn1, In Ho Choi1, Joungho Han1
1Department of Pathology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Background:
Malignant mesothelioma of the pleura is an aggressive tumor known to be associated with asbestos. Histological diagnosis of mesothelioma is challenging and is usually aided by immunohistochemical markers.
Methods:
During an 18-year period (1995-2012), 66 patients with pleural mesothelioma were diagnosed at the Samsung Medical Center in Seoul. We reviewed hematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemical slides of pleural mesothelioma and evaluated their pathological and clinical features.
Results:
The male-to-female ratio was 1.75:1, and age of patients ranged from 28 to 80 years with an average age of 56.84 years. Twenty-two out of 66 patients underwent curative pneumonectomy. Follow-up data was available in 60 patients (90.9%), and 50 of them (83.3%) died from the disease. The average overall survival was 15.39 months. Histologically, the epithelioid type was the most common, followed by the sarcomatoid and the biphasic types. Epidemiologic information was not available in most cases, and only one patient was confirmed to have a history of asbestos exposure.
Conclusions:
Malignant mesothelioma of the pleura is a fatal tumor, and the therapeutic benefit of pneumonectomy remains unproven. The combination of calretinin, Wilms tumor 1, HMBE-1, and thyroid transcription factor-1 may provide high diagnostic accuracy in diagnosing mesothelioma.
Insights
Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a fatal cancer. Diagnostic accuracy for mesothelioma can be improved using a combination of specific immunohistochemical markers, aiding in challenging histological diagnoses.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pathology
Background:
- Malignant mesothelioma of the pleura is an aggressive tumor.
- Diagnosis is challenging and often requires immunohistochemical markers.
- Asbestos exposure is a known risk factor.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review pathological and clinical features of pleural mesothelioma.
- To evaluate diagnostic accuracy of immunohistochemical markers.
Main Methods:
- Reviewed 66 cases of pleural mesothelioma diagnosed between 1995-2012.
- Evaluated hematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemical slides.
- Assessed pathological and clinical features.
Main Results:
- The male-to-female ratio was 1.75:1, with an average age of 56.84 years.
- Epithelioid type was most common; survival averaged 15.39 months.
- Pneumonectomy benefit unproven; only one patient with asbestos history.
Conclusions:
- Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a fatal tumor.
- Therapeutic benefit of pneumonectomy is unproven.
- Calretinin, WT1, HMBE-1, and TTF-1 combination aids diagnosis.
