Thoracic Key

Pleural Tumors Overview Print Section Listen Cancer of the pleura is a virulent and lethal malignancy. Primary tumors of the pleura are rare, whereas metastatic tumors, often in the form…

Introduction Print Section Listen Recipients of lung transplantation are surviving longer. As a consequence, complications secondary to the procedure (surgical) or resulting from mandatory lifelong immunosuppression (medical) are becoming increasingly…

Introduction Print Section Listen Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is an uncommon disease with approximately 3000 new cases diagnosed each year in the United States. Most occur in the pleura. However, each…

Introduction Print Section Listen Malignant pleural effusions (MPEs) cause considerable morbidity for patients afflicted with cancer. Metastatic breast, lung, and ovarian cancers account for the majority of cases. An estimated…

Introduction Print Section Listen The rising incidence of malignant mesothelioma worldwide has intensified the search for treatment strategies to extend disease-free survival.1 To date, the best survival has been observed…

Introduction Print Section Listen Malignant disease of the pleura encompasses a wide scope of clinical presentations ranging from asymptomatic simple pleural effusions to complex tumor masses involving multiple intrathoracic organs….

Introduction Print Section Listen Malignant pleural effusion is a common clinical problem in neoplastic diseases. Approximately half of all patients with metastatic cancer develop a malignant pleural effusion as a…

Cancer Staging Print Section Listen Cancer staging systems are intended to assist clinicians to categorize patients diagnosed with a particular malignancy in terms of their life expectancy and potential response…

Introduction Print Section Listen Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has continued to evolve since the pioneers of cardiac surgery, Gibbon and Lillehei, developed cardiopulmonary bypass in the 1950s. The term ECMO…