SEER Study: Surgery Still Extends Mesothelioma Survival

Aggressive surgery at a specialty center could more than double the survival period of a patient diagnosed today with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Surgery may buy precious time. Although oncologists and patients often advise and opt against it, surgery remains an effective tool that significantly extends lives, according to an analysis of 14,228 mesothelioma patients across the U.S. The sample of patients is among the largest in similar studies. "There are limitations to the data, but people just do better with surgery," thoracic surgeon Andrea Wolf, of Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, told Asbestos.com. "No matter how you slice it, surgery seems to improve survival." The analysis revealed a median survival of 14.5 months for patients who had surgery but 6.5 mont...

from MedWorm: Mesothelioma http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=162911709&cid=c_409_55_f&fid=36962&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.asbestos.com%2Fnews%2F2016%2F01%2F20%2Fseer-study-surgery-extends-mesothelioma-survival%2F