Carter D
Yale J Biol Med. 1981 May-Jun;54(3):173-80.
Controversy surrounds the diagnosis, classification, and therefore the epidemiology of those tumors which have been designated as mesotheliomas. The group includes lesions which are as broadly different as benign fibrous lesions which some authors refer to as fibromas and anaplastic tumors which are extremely difficult to differentiate from peripheral lung cancers. The former are benign tumors which are usually readily resected and therefore cured. The latter are unresectable tumors which are invariably fatal and which may terminate with extensive metastatic disease. The reasons for including all of these lesions under the category of mesothelioma and the differential diagnosis of the various types is discussed.
对于那些被归类为间皮瘤的肿瘤，其诊断、分类乃至流行病学都存在争议。这一组病变差异极大，包括一些作者称为纤维瘤的良性纤维性病变，以及极难与周围型肺癌区分的间变性肿瘤。前者是良性肿瘤，通常易于切除从而治愈。后者是无法切除的肿瘤，必然致命，可能以广泛的转移性疾病告终。本文讨论了将所有这些病变归入间皮瘤范畴的原因以及各种类型的鉴别诊断。
