Staging of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive cancer with poor prognosis. Unlike many solid cancers in which tumour stage is the most important prognostic factor, the assessment of the extent of tumour in MPM presents unique difficulties in accurate staging due to the anatomical nature of the tumour. The extension of the tumour, described as T factor, correlates with prognosis. Accurate lymph node staging in MPM is crucial as the presence of lymph node metastases adversely affects outcome. The eighth TNM staging system is the most recent and updated staging system internationally used.