Extrapleural pneumonectomy for malignant pleural mesothelioma: is this an operation that should now be consigned to history?

In this paper, presented at the Second Mediterranean Conference in Thoracic Oncology, I argue that we can now set aside extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) as a treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma and consign it to the history of surgery. There is sufficient evidence to conclude that EPP offers neither survival benefit nor net gain in quality of life. Individual surgeons may believe that for individual patients they have something to offer with EPP, but the onus is on them to fully inform the patient of their reasons for advising them contrary to the evidence that applies in general for this operation in this disease.