Radical surgery for mesothelioma

Good results obtained by the team from Boston increased the interest in pleuropneumonectomy for mesothelioma. Adjuvant high-dose hemithoracic radiation after surgical resection decreased the local recurrence rate from 35 to 13%. The high rate of peritoneal (26-31%), controlateral pleural and pericardial recurrences justify the routine practice of preoperative laparoscopy and controlateral thoracoscopy and a pleuropneumonectomy without pericardotomy and diaphragmatic resection. The diaphragm is lowered to facilitate radiotherapy. Chemotherapy may be performed postoperatively.