Liječenje malignog mezotelioma poplućnice

Aim: To evaluate the effect of chemotherapy in treatment of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Methods: The effectiveness of chemotherapy was evaluated in 29 patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). The patients were treated in Clinical Hospital Split, University Hospital for Lung Diseases, between the years 2002-2005. 24/29 patients (82.7 %) were occupationally exposed to asbestos. Chemotherapy was applied after determination of MPM subtype by pathohystological immunohystochemistry. Results: Epitheloid mesothelioma was determined in 23/29 (79.3 %) patients. Results of treatment were analyzed separately in 6 patients treated with gemcitabine/cisplatine (PG protocol) in first line therapy, in 9 patients treated with epirubicine/mitomycine (EM protocol) in first line therapy, and in 14 patients who refused chemotherapy and were on supportive therapy. In accordance with WHO recommendations the evaluation of chemotherapy effectiveness by response rate (RR) and mean survival curve (MS) was done. RR was 33% in both groups: those on PG and EM protocol, but MS was significantly better in patients treated with EM protocol in the first line chemotherapy comparing to PG protocol and supportive care. Conclusions: The EM protocol has better MS results then PG protocol treatment. However, this study have confirmed the chemo resistance of the tumor, low response rate to the chemotherapy (only 10-30 %), without significant influence to MS.