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Simultaneous occurrence of bilateral malignant pleural mesothelioma

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Abstract

A 59-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of left pleural effusion detected at a regular medical checkup. A chest X-ray showed left pleural effusion. A thoracoscopic pleural biopsy specimen from the left side gave a pathological diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), epithelioid type. Then thoracoscopic exploration of the right pleura was performed because of fluorodeoxyglucose accumulation along the right dorsal pleura. Thoracoscopic exploration of the right indicated no visible tumor formation, but a pleural biopsy specimen revealed epithelioid MPM. In this case, MPM in each thorax was confined to the parietal pleura and was classified as stage I. We therefore suggest that MPM may develop simultaneously in both thoraxes.

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Acknowledgments

This research is a part of the research and development and dissemination projects related to the 13 fields of occupational injuries and illnesses of the Japan Labour Health and Welfare Organization.

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None declared.

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Correspondence to Nobukazu Fujimoto.

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Fuchimoto, Y., Fujimoto, N., Asano, M. et al. Simultaneous occurrence of bilateral malignant pleural mesothelioma. Int Canc Conf J 3, 150–152 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13691-013-0135-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13691-013-0135-5

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