An unusually large pleural mesothelioma with an outstanding clinical response and long lasting survival: a case report and literature review

Abstract

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a neoplasm characterized by an increasing incidence and poor prognosis. When surgical treatment cannot be performed, systemic chemotherapy remains the main therapeutic option. Here we report the case of a 41-year-old female patient with epithelioid malignant pleural mesothelioma who was treated with carboplatin and pemetrexed despite her critical condition. She showed an impressive response to this first-line chemotherapy and, after disease progression, to further chemotherapy with gemcitabine and vinorelbine. She is still alive, with unexpectedly long-lasting survival.