Debulking Surgery and Hyperthermic Chemotherapy for Pleural Mesothelioma: A Pilot Study

We urgently need more answers for the patients affected by mesothelioma, a devastating diasese whose prognosis is 6-9 months from the diagnosis. We are now living the era of plateau of the epidemiology due to industrial use of amiantus of the last century. Furthermore, there are other etiology than asbestos in endemic areas, like for example the natural exposure to fluoro-edenite of certain regions of Japan and Sicily. We do need more informatinos to direct the difficult management of all these individuals and there are many ongoing studies where surgery is considered a valid option. This trial will compare the outcome of 2 groups: the first group will have a debulking surgery and hyperthermic intraoperative intrathoracic chemotherapy (HITHOC) with cisplatinum while the second group will receive talc pleurodesis alone. The primary outcomes measured will be length of hospital stay, quality of life, and long-term survival.