Table 1.
Demographic data, asbestos exposure of patients and diagnostic methods in recruited patients
| METS (n = 38) | BPLAE (n = 30) | MPM (n = 79) | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Age years (mean ± SD) |
65.8 ± 11.6 |
61.9 ± 11.3 |
64.3 ± 9.5 |
|
Male gender n (%) |
21 (55.3%) |
29 (96.7%) |
64 (81%) |
|
Mesothelioma subtype n (%) | |||
| Epithelioid |
- |
- |
60 (76%) |
| Mixed (biphasic) type |
10 (12.6%) |
||
| Sarcomatoid |
9 (11.4%) |
||
|
Primary tumor | |||
| Lung |
14 (36.8%) |
- |
- |
| Breast |
10 (26.3%) |
||
| Digestive tract |
3 (7.9%) |
||
| Ovarian |
2 (5.3%) |
||
| Unknown |
6 (15.8%) |
||
| Other |
3 (7.9%) |
||
|
Diagnosed by: | |||
| Blind Pleural Biopsy |
- |
- |
1 (1.3%) |
| Thoracoscopy |
27 (71.1%) |
21 (70%) |
48 (60.8%) |
| Surgery |
6 (15.8%) |
9 (30%) |
28 (35.4%) |
| Guided biopsy |
5 (13.1%) |
- |
2 (2.5%) |
|
Asbestos exposure n (%) | |||
| Yes |
11 (29%) |
24 (80%) |
61 (77.2%) |
| No |
27 (71%) |
5 (16.7%) |
13 (16.5%) |
| Likely (but not confirmed) | - | 1 (3.3%) | 5 (6.3%) |
METS pleural metastasis of adenocarcinoma, BPLAE benign pleural lesions associated with asbestos exposure, MPM malignant pleural mesothelioma.