Malignant pleural mesothelioma: key determinants in tailoring the right treatment for the right patient

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive solid malignancy with a dismal prognosis. Data from the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) mesothelioma staging project, which is based on the records of both operable and non-operable MPM patients, indicates a median overall survival of 21, 19, 14 and 10 months for MPM patients with stage I, II, III and IV disease, respectively (1). Unfortunately, at diagnosis, the majority of MPM patients present with extensive disease and impaired functional status.