There are few options available to those diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma. Though patients eligible for surgery may choose a less aggressive approach that promises shorter recovery time, surgeons often find mid-procedure that a more invasive procedure is required. A recent study revealed how patients fare when their surgery shifts mid-stream.
Pleurectomy with Decortication Surgery Is A More Conservative Approach to Mesothelioma
When mesothelioma patients are first diagnosed, their illness is staged to determine how far it has advanced in their bodies. Those whose tumors are considered operable are presented with a choice of either a conservative surgery called pleurectomy with decortication (P/D) that removes the pleural membrane around their lung, or a far more aggressive surgery called extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) that actually removes the affected lung, as well as other tissue.
Over the years, pleurectomy with decortication has come to be the preferred option for treating mesothelioma. But in some cases, surgeons determine in the midst of surgery that the cancer has spread too far, and that removing the lung is necessary. A team from the Hyogo College of Medicine has published a study reviewing outcomes of the roughly ten percent of patients whose surgeon were forced to convert from P/D to EPP.
More Serious Mesothelioma Condition Leads to Surgical Shift
Of the 181 mesothelioma patients who went into surgery with the intention of undergoing pleurectomy with decortication, ten percent were found to have thicker pleural membranes and a more advanced stage of their cancer than initially thought. Their surgeons shifted to extrapleural pneumonectomy mid-stream, removing the lung and other affected tissue.
When the researchers compared the outcomes between the two, they found that those who ended up having the EPP surgery had an overall survival of 29.2 months compared to the overall survival of 57 months enjoyed by the P/D patients. The EPP patients also had their cancer return more quickly. Though it is easy to point to the surgery itself as the cause of the shorter survival, some suggest that the patients’ more advanced disease stage likely played a significant role in their earlier death, and that the EPP surgery may actually have extended their lives.
If you or someone you love has malignant mesothelioma, it is important that you understand the options available to you. The Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net are here to help. Contact us today at 1-800-692-8608.
