Intrapleural chemotherapy with and without surgery in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM)

Conclusion and Future Directions: Intrapleural delivery is an effective way of delivering chemotherapy in patients with MPM. Intrapleural chemotherapy can be particularly effective early, when the disease is limited to the pleural surface. However, the current data with the adjuvant intrapleural chemotherapy is inconclusive and should not be routinely used except in the setting of clinical trials. Our results with intrapleural L-NDDP are very encouraging and warrant further studies either as a neoadjuvant or an adjuvant to debulking surgery or in combination with intravenous chemotherapy.