National Comprehensive Cancer Network Releases Guidelines for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has released the NCCN Guidelines for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma. Led by Lee M. Krug, MD of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the guidelines were presented at the 15th annual NCCN conference.

Mesothelioma is a rare, aggressive form of cancer primarily caused by exposure to airborne asbestos fibers. Mesothelioma has an extended latency period with symptoms sometimes taking between 20-40 years to appear. By the time the symptoms appear the disease has progressed to an advanced stage, with life-threatening complications.

While there is no cure for mesothelioma, it can be treated with varying degrees of success through the use of surgical procedures, chemotherapy and radiation. Each case of mesothelioma can be different, and determining the appropriate treatment often depends on the expertise of the treating physician.

With the new treatment guidelines, doctors can rely on the evidence-based recommendations finding information regarding surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and staging information.

Among the recommendations, the guidelines suggest the use of pemetrexed and cisplatin or carboplatin “as the optimal first-line combination chemotherapy regimen for patients.” Krug noted that while mesothelioma was previously thought to be chemoresistant, new evidence suggests that certain chemotherapy regimens can benefit patients.

The most recent version of this and all the NCCN Guidelines are available free of charge at NCCN.org.

Release of Guidelines Announced