Pleural mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer mainly caused by asbestos exposure. It mainly affects the pleura, the thin membrane that surrounds the lungs. Many people do not know their mesothelioma is from asbestos exposure because it can take decades from the time of exposure to be diagnosed with mesothelioma. Unfortunately, mesothelioma has a poor prognosis. Finding it early can help improve patient outcomes. In recent years, doctors and researchers have been trying to find early precancerous mesothelioma, including mesothelioma in situ. Finding it this early improves patients’ chances. It is a way to improve diagnosis and treatment in various different ways. Diagnosing mesothelioma in the in-situ phase means finding it before it has spread, which could lead to many different curative treatment options.
Mesothelioma in situ has posed many challenges for diagnosis and management. It was identified as a new histological entity in 2021. Many aspects of the disease remain unsolved. This includes how to diagnose the disease, how likely and when it is to get worse, the need for follow up, and the role of early surgery. A narrative review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of mesothelioma in situ. It covers its definition risk factors, diagnostic criteria, and challenges associated with early detection. It also shows how important it is to find mesothelioma in situ. It also shows future uses for managing it in the context of pleural mesothelioma care. One of the key aspects of managing mesothelioma in situ is the need for a multidisciplinary approach. This involves teamwork between oncologists, pathologists, radiologists, and surgeons. They work to ensure accurate diagnosis and treatment planning. Finding mesothelioma early enough could lead to simpler treatments, like surveillance or localized therapies. These treatments could improve patient outcomes and quality of life.
Finding mesothelioma in situ is crucial. It is the key to finding and treating pleural mesothelioma. Research and improvements in diagnosis and treatment are very important. They will improve outcomes in patients with this devastating disease. Utilizing many different types of expertise is also important. It helps treat mesothelioma in place and gives patients the best care and outcomes. Research and treatment of mesothelioma are very important. Without research, patients would not be living as long as they are today. More research is needed though to improve patient care and improve survival rates of mesothelioma. If researchers continue to perform research on mesothelioma, maybe one day mesothelioma will be a curable cancer and not as deadly as it is today.
Source:
Federica Danuzzo et al., “Pleural mesothelioma in situ: a comprehensive review” European Journal of Cancer Prevention (November 2024). [Link]
