Epidemiology and clinical diagnosis and treatment of malignant mesothelioma in China

Malignant mesothelioma(MM) is a rare but highly invasive carcinoma associated with asbestos exposure. Its incidence is in rising trend and most cases occur in pleura and peritoneum. The majority of patients diagnosed at late stage with poor prognosis that the median overall survival is only 12 months. Accurate diagnosis depends on the histopathology combined with immunohistochemistry. At present, the treatment of MM is mainly based on the tumor reduction or resection surgery combined with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The potential molecular target needs to be further investigated. In this paper, we summary the incidence, diagnosis and treatment of MM, which will benefit the diagnosis and treatment of MM in China.