Malignant mesothelioma is a highly aggressive neoplasm.The incidence of malignant mesothelioma is increasing worldwide.Diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma(DMPM) represents one-fourth of all mesotheliomas.Associa...Malignant mesothelioma is a highly aggressive neoplasm.The incidence of malignant mesothelioma is increasing worldwide.Diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma(DMPM) represents one-fourth of all mesotheliomas.Association of asbestos exposure with DMPM has been observed,especially in males.The great majority of patients present with abdominal pain and distension,caused by accumulation of tumors and ascitic ? uid.In the past,DMPM was considered a pre-terminal condition;therefore attracted little attention.Patients invariably died from their disease within a year.Recently,several prospective trials have demonstrated a median survival of 40 to 90 mo and 5-year survival of 30% to 60% after combined treatment using cytoreductive surgery and perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy.This remarkable improvement in survival has prompted new search into the medical science related to DMPM,a disease previously ignored as uninteresting.This review article focuses on the key advances in the epidemiology,diagnosis,staging,treatments and prognosis of DMPM that have occurred in the past decade.展开更多
Silicosis patients (SILs) and patients who have been exposed to asbestos develop not only respiratory diseases but also certain immunological disorders. In particular, SIL sometimes complicates autoimmune diseases s...Silicosis patients (SILs) and patients who have been exposed to asbestos develop not only respiratory diseases but also certain immunological disorders. In particular, SIL sometimes complicates autoimmune diseases such as systemic scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis (known as Caplan syndrome), and systemic lupus erythematoses. In addition, malignant complications such as lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma often occurr in patients exposed to asbestos, and may be involved in the reduction of tumor immunity. Although silica-induced disorders of autoimmunity have been explained as adjuvant-type effects of silica, more precise analyses are needed and should reflect the recent progress in immunomolecular findings. A brief summary of our investigations related to the immunological effects of silica/asbestos is presented. Recent advances in immunomolecular studies led to detailed analyses of the immunological effects of asbestos and silica. Both affect immuno-competent cells and these effects may be associated with the pathophysiological development of complications in silicosis and asbestos-exposed patients such as the occurrence of autoimmune disorders and malignant tumors, respectively. In addition, immunological analyses may lead to the development of new clinical tools for the modification of the pathophysiological aspects of diseases such as the regulation of autoimmunity or tumor immunity using cellmediated therapies, various cytokines, and molecule-targeting therapies. In particular, as the incidence of asbestosrelated malignancies is increasing and such malignancies have been a medical and social problem since the summer of 2005 in Japan, efforts should be focused on developing a cure for these diseases to eliminate nationwide anxiety.展开更多
文摘Malignant mesothelioma is a highly aggressive neoplasm.The incidence of malignant mesothelioma is increasing worldwide.Diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma(DMPM) represents one-fourth of all mesotheliomas.Association of asbestos exposure with DMPM has been observed,especially in males.The great majority of patients present with abdominal pain and distension,caused by accumulation of tumors and ascitic ? uid.In the past,DMPM was considered a pre-terminal condition;therefore attracted little attention.Patients invariably died from their disease within a year.Recently,several prospective trials have demonstrated a median survival of 40 to 90 mo and 5-year survival of 30% to 60% after combined treatment using cytoreductive surgery and perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy.This remarkable improvement in survival has prompted new search into the medical science related to DMPM,a disease previously ignored as uninteresting.This review article focuses on the key advances in the epidemiology,diagnosis,staging,treatments and prognosis of DMPM that have occurred in the past decade.
文摘Silicosis patients (SILs) and patients who have been exposed to asbestos develop not only respiratory diseases but also certain immunological disorders. In particular, SIL sometimes complicates autoimmune diseases such as systemic scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis (known as Caplan syndrome), and systemic lupus erythematoses. In addition, malignant complications such as lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma often occurr in patients exposed to asbestos, and may be involved in the reduction of tumor immunity. Although silica-induced disorders of autoimmunity have been explained as adjuvant-type effects of silica, more precise analyses are needed and should reflect the recent progress in immunomolecular findings. A brief summary of our investigations related to the immunological effects of silica/asbestos is presented. Recent advances in immunomolecular studies led to detailed analyses of the immunological effects of asbestos and silica. Both affect immuno-competent cells and these effects may be associated with the pathophysiological development of complications in silicosis and asbestos-exposed patients such as the occurrence of autoimmune disorders and malignant tumors, respectively. In addition, immunological analyses may lead to the development of new clinical tools for the modification of the pathophysiological aspects of diseases such as the regulation of autoimmunity or tumor immunity using cellmediated therapies, various cytokines, and molecule-targeting therapies. In particular, as the incidence of asbestosrelated malignancies is increasing and such malignancies have been a medical and social problem since the summer of 2005 in Japan, efforts should be focused on developing a cure for these diseases to eliminate nationwide anxiety.