Synonyms
Desmoplastic malignant mesothelioma; Lymphohistiocytoid malignant mesothelioma
Definition
Malignant mesothelioma is a malignancy that arises from the mesothelial cells lining the pleura, pericardium, peritoneum, and tunica vaginalis. The pleura represents the most common site for MM, and there are three major categories of MM based on histologic growth patterns – epithelioid, sarcomatous, and tumors with combined morphology designated as biphasic. These are aggressive neoplasms associated with high mortality and treatment resistance.
Pleural malignant mesothelioma is in many cases associated with exposure to asbestos, and sarcomatous MM is strongly associated with a history of exposure, most often occupational. Amphibole asbestos exposure is the fiber type most frequently implicated. In one series, 77% of patients had reported a history of asbestos exposure, corroborated in a subset of cases with measurements of pulmonary fiber load. While fiber loads vary from case to case,...
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References and Further Reading
Chirieac, L. R., Pinkus, G. S., Pinkus, J. L., Godleski, J., Sugarbaker, D. J., & Corson, J. M. (2011). The immunohistochemical characterization of sarcomatoid malignant mesothelioma of the pleura. American Journal of Cancer Research, 1, 14–24.
Husain, A. N., Colby, T., Ordonez, N., et al. (2013). Guidelines for pathologic diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma: 2012 update of the consensus statement from the International Mesothelioma Interest Group. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, 137, 647–667.
Klebe, S., Brownlee, N. A., Mahar, A., et al. (2010). Sarcomatoid mesothelioma: A clinical-pathologic correlation of 326 cases. Modern Pathology: An Official Journal of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology, Inc, 23, 470–479.
Krismann, M., Muller, K. M., Jaworska, M., & Johnen, G. (2002). Molecular cytogenetic differences between histological subtypes of malignant mesotheliomas: DNA cytometry and comparative genomic hybridization of 90 cases. The Journal of Pathology, 197, 363–371.
Mangano, W. E., Cagle, P. T., Churg, A., Vollmer, R. T., & Roggli, V. L. (1998). The diagnosis of desmoplastic malignant mesothelioma and its distinction from fibrous pleurisy: A histologic and immunohistochemical analysis of 31 cases including p53 immunostaining. American Journal of Clinical Pathology, 110, 191–199.
Neumann, V., Gunthe, S., Mulle, K. M., & Fischer, M. (2001). Malignant mesothelioma–German mesothelioma register 1987–1999. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 74, 383–395.
Sugarbaker, D. J., Wolf, A. S., Chirieac, L. R., et al. (2011). Clinical and pathological features of three-year survivors of malignant pleural mesothelioma following extrapleural pneumonectomy. European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery: Official Journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery, 40, 298–303.
Takeshima, Y., Amatya, V. J., Kushitani, K., Kaneko, M., & Inai, K. (2009). Value of immunohistochemistry in the differential diagnosis of pleural sarcomatoid mesothelioma from lung sarcomatoid carcinoma. Histopathology, 54, 667–676.
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Borczuk, A.C. (2018). Sarcomatous Diffuse Malignant Mesothelioma, Pleural. In: Allen, T.C., Suster, S. (eds) Pathology of the Pleura and Mediastinum. Encyclopedia of Pathology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66796-6_387
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66796-6_387
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