What is malignant pleural mesothelioma?
Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an uncommon neoplasm that arises from the parietal pleura or, rarely, from the pericardium or peritoneum. Histologic subtypes include epithelioid, sarcomatoid (fibrous), and mixed (biphasic), with epithelioid being the most common. About 2000 to 3000 new cases are diagnosed in the United States each year. This is the most common primary pleural malignancy, and its incidence has been increasing over the past 30 years.