Review
Biology
Stephen M. Hughes, Jacob Jonas Carmichael
Summary: Malignant pleural effusions are a significant clinical problem, leading to over 125,000 hospitalizations per year and over 5 billion dollars in healthcare utilization costs. Patient discomfort and distress are also significant, particularly towards the end of life. Recent advances in management have allowed for greater patient autonomy and fewer interventions, providing patients with the ability to self-aid at home and spend less time in clinics or hospitals.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dilek Yonar, Mete Severcan, Rafig Gurbanov, Abdulsamet Sandal, Ulku Yilmaz, Salih Emri, Feride Severcan
Summary: This study successfully developed a new approach for the characterization and diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) among lung diseases using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) coupled with multivariate analysis. The results showed that the MPM group could be successfully differentiated from healthy, benign exudative effusion, and lung cancer groups based on the changes in lipid biosynthesis and nucleic acids levels in the malignant serum samples.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR BASIS OF DISEASE
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Gabriele Moretti, Paolo Aretini, Francesca Lessi, Chiara Maria Mazzanti, Guntulu Ak, Muzaffer Metintas, Cecilia Lando, Rosa Angela Filiberti, Marco Lucchi, Alessandra Bonotti, Rudy Foddis, Alfonso Cristaudo, Andrea Bottari, Alessandro Apollo, Marzia Del Re, Romano Danesi, Luciano Mutti, Federica Gemignani, Stefano Landi
Summary: Liquid biopsies, specifically analyzing pleural fluids and plasma, show promising potential as alternative methods for obtaining mutational information for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) compared to traditional solid biopsies. Detecting cancer-specific DNA sequences in these fluids can provide valuable diagnostic and prognostic tools for MPM patients.
Review
Oncology
Dean A. Fennell, Sean Dulloo, James Harber
Summary: ICIs have greatly improved the treatment of mesothelioma, but the predictive biological features of response to ICIs are still poorly understood. Rational combinations involving ICIs are being studied and there is emerging evidence of synergistic antitumour activity. Non-ICI-based immunotherapies also show promising efficacy. Results from trials of dendritic cell vaccines and viral cytokine delivery, among others, are eagerly awaited.
NATURE REVIEWS CLINICAL ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Valeria Panzetta, Ida Musella, Sabato Fusco, Paolo A. Netti
Summary: Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a rare but devastating tumor that is difficult to diagnose and treat effectively. Effusion cytology, although used for diagnosis, is time-consuming and has limited sensitivity. Therefore, alternative research methods are needed to support early diagnosis. Mechanobiology offers new perspectives and diagnostic tools for the mechanical and biophysical characterization of malignant pleural mesothelioma cells.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Antonia Marazioti, Anthi C. Krontira, Sabine J. Behrend, Georgia A. Giotopoulou, Giannoula Ntaliarda, Christophe Blanquart, Hasan Bayram, Marianthi Iliopoulou, Malamati Vreka, Lilith Trassl, Mario A. A. Pepe, Caroline M. Hackl, Laura Klotz, Stefanie A. Weiss, Ina Koch, Michael Lindner, Rudolph A. Hatz, Juergen Behr, Darcy E. Wagner, Helen Papadaki, Sophia G. Antimisiaris, Didier Jean, Sophie Deshayes, Marc Gregoire, Ozgecan Kayalar, Deniz Mortazavi, Sukru Dilege, Serhan Tanju, Suat Erus, Omer Yavuz, Pinar Bulutay, Pinar Firat, Ioannis Psallidas, Magda Spella, Ioanna Giopanou, Ioannis Lilis, Anne-Sophie Lamort, Georgios T. Stathopoulos
Summary: A portion of human MPM cases have mutations in KRAS, and mouse models suggest that KRAS mutations can lead to MPM, especially when combined with TP53 deletion. These findings indicate that KRAS alterations may play an important and underestimated role in certain MPM patients.
EMBO MOLECULAR MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Oncology
I. M. Dick, Y. C. G. Lee, H. M. Cheah, A. Miranda, B. W. S. Robinson, J. Creaney
Summary: This study demonstrates that pleural effusions rich in a range of soluble factors are associated with poor prognosis in mesothelioma patients. These findings will enhance our ability to prognosticate outcomes in mesothelioma patients.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Sami Bashour, Babith J. Mankidy, Donald R. Lazarus
Summary: The article reviews the pathophysiology, epidemiology, and prognosis of malignant pleural effusion (MPE), and discusses the approach to diagnosis and management strategies.
RESPIRATORY MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Oncology
Maria Alba Sorolla, Anabel Sorolla, Eva Parisi, Antonieta Salud, Jose M. Porcel
Summary: Malignant pleural effusion is a common complication in the natural progression of tumors, but current diagnostic methods are imperfect, necessitating more precise methods. Liquid biopsy, as a non-invasive strategy, is considered a promising tool for the diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Sam M. Janes, Doraid Alrifai, Dean A. Fennell
Summary: Mesothelioma, mostly caused by asbestos exposure, has a decreasing incidence but high mortality due to late diagnosis and treatment resistance. Pemetrexed-cisplatin and immune checkpoint inhibitors have shown modest survival extension.
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lorenzo Zallocco, Roberto Silvestri, Federica Ciregia, Alessandra Bonotti, Riccardo Marino, Rudy Foddis, Antonio Lucacchini, Laura Giusti, Maria Rosa Mazzoni
Summary: This study found that the levels of prosaposin and SULF-1 in pleural effusion may be promising biomarkers for differentiating between mesothelioma and non-malignant pleural disease. However, more patients need to be enrolled to confirm the usefulness of these soluble proteins in differentiating mesothelioma pleural effusions from those linked to lung cancer.
Review
Oncology
Rita Terenziani, Silvia Zoppi, Claudia Fumarola, Roberta Alfieri, Mara Bonelli
Summary: ICIs have emerged as a promising therapeutic option for difficult-to-treat cancers, especially showing superior efficacy in first-line treatment. Immunotherapeutic approaches for malignant pleural mesothelioma have also shown encouraging results. These novel treatments are crucial for the management of this disease.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
DeVon Hunter-Schlichting, Karl T. Kelsey, Ryan Demmer, Manish Patel, Raphael Bueno, Brock Christensen, Naomi Fujioka, Deepa Kolarseri, Heather H. Nelson
Summary: A study found that nearly half of malignant pleural mesothelioma patients have high level current HCMV infection, with a higher detection rate of HCMV DNA in tumor tissue compared to normal pleural tissue, suggesting the pleura may serve as a reservoir for latent HCMV infection.
Review
Respiratory System
Marie Shamseddin, Joanna Obacz, Mathew J. Garnett, Robert Campbell Rintoul, Hayley Elizabeth Francies, Stefan John Marciniak
Summary: Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer with a median survival of 12-18 months and existing models have limitations, so new technologies are being developed to study effective treatments.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Wanyuan Cui, Sanjay Popat
Summary: Immune checkpoint inhibitors have shown important but variable efficacy in mesothelioma treatment, with combination ICI therapy appearing more promising. A randomized Phase 3 trial has established ipilimumab-nivolumab as a new standard of care, but there are still unresolved issues such as predictive biomarkers and patient selection.