Prognostic factors in malignant pleural mesothelioma: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE

The incidence of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) in Japan is predicted to increase over the next few decades. Prognostic factors remain unclear although several studies have reported this disease. In this study, we examined the prognostic factors of MPM from single institution practice data and tested the scoring systems of past reports.

METHODS

We retrospectively obtained clinical data from the medical records of patients who were diagnosed with MPM from 1991 to 2010. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer prognostic score (EPS) was calculated.

RESULTS

We surveyed the records of 68 patients. Univariate analysis showed that significant prognostic factors were histological type, stage, performance status (PS), chemotherapy, and lactate dehydrogenase (LD). Multivariate analysis identified stage, PS and LD as independent prognostic factors. Low-risk group (EPS ≤1.27) survival was significantly better than that of the high-risk group (EPS >1.27) (17.0 months vs. 8.0 months; p=0.002).

CONCLUSION

Stage, PS and LD were demonstrated to be independent prognostic factors. An EPS >1.27 was still considered a poor prognosis indicator in the practice data of MPM.