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Content on WikiMesothelioma is reviewed prior to publication by three named attorneys at Danziger & De Llano LLP. Dr. Luciano Mutti, MD, PhD, co-author of the European mesothelioma treatment guidelines, serves as the site's Medical Reviewer. See our editorial standards.

History of Mesothelioma Research

From WikiMesothelioma — Mesothelioma Knowledge Base
Mesothelioma Research Timeline
250+ Years of Scientific Progress
Earliest Possible Report 1767 (Lieutaud)
Disease Named 1909 (Adami)
Asbestos Link 1960 (Wagner)
First Chemo 2004 (Pemetrexed)
Immunotherapy 2020 (CheckMate 743)
Current Focus CAR-T, Targeted Therapy
Free Case Review

Overview

The history of mesothelioma research runs from a 1767 autopsy report of possible pleural tumors[1] to the immunotherapy approvals of 2020 and beyond. This scientific journey transformed mesothelioma from an unknown pathological curiosity into a treatable — though still challenging — disease. Key milestones include J. Christopher Wagner's 1960 proof that asbestos causes mesothelioma, Dr. Irving Selikoff's definitive American epidemiological studies in the 1960s, the FDA's approval of pemetrexed chemotherapy in 2004, and Dr. Paul Baas's CheckMate 743 trial that established immunotherapy as the new standard of care in 2020.[2] Today, researchers are testing CAR-T cell therapy, targeted treatments, and perioperative immunotherapy in clinical trials.[3]

For most of the 20th century, mesothelioma remained poorly understood and nearly always fatal within months of diagnosis. The disease's long latency period — typically 20 to 40 years between asbestos exposure and symptom onset — meant that cases continued rising for decades after industrial asbestos use peaked. By the time Wagner established the asbestos connection in 1960, millions of workers had already been exposed in shipyards, construction sites, power plants, and manufacturing facilities across the industrialized world.[4]

The past two decades have brought measurable progress in clinical trials. In the phase III trial behind pemetrexed's approval, median survival was 12.1 months with pemetrexed plus cisplatin versus 9.3 months with cisplatin alone.[5] In CheckMate 743, median overall survival was 18.1 months with nivolumab plus ipilimumab versus 14.1 months with chemotherapy (HR 0.74).[6] The FDA approved that combination on October 2, 2020, about 16 years after pemetrexed's approval in February 2004.[2][7] At five years, 12% of patients with non-epithelioid disease were alive on the combination versus 1% on chemotherapy.[8]

At a Glance

  • 250+ years since the earliest possible report — Joseph Lieutaud described two cases of "pleural tumors" in a 1767 study of 3,000 autopsies, the earliest mention of a possible tumor of the pleura[1]
  • Nearly 200 years without a cause — Scientists documented mesothelioma tumors for almost two centuries before J. Christopher Wagner proved the asbestos connection in 1960
  • One study changed everything — Wagner's 33-case South African study is considered one of the most consequential occupational health publications of the 20th century[9]
  • Selikoff brought it to America — Dr. Irving Selikoff's 1964 study of 632 insulation workers found deaths from cancer of the lung or pleura running 6.8 times the expected rate[10]
  • 16 years between approvals — Pemetrexed plus cisplatin was approved in February 2004; the next systemic therapy approved for pleural mesothelioma, nivolumab plus ipilimumab, followed in October 2020.[7][2] In the phase III trial behind pemetrexed's approval, median survival was 12.1 months versus 9.3 months with cisplatin alone.[5]
  • Immunotherapy transformed the hardest-to-treat subtypes — In CheckMate 743, non-epithelioid patients reached a five-year overall survival of 12% on nivolumab plus ipilimumab versus 1% on chemotherapy (HR 0.48; 95% CI 0.33–0.68)[8][11]
  • Surgery evolved from radical to conservative — The 2011 MARS trial showed extrapleural pneumonectomy offered no survival benefit, validating Dr. Robert Cameron's lung-sparing approach
  • BAP1 alterations are common — Sequencing found somatic BAP1 mutations in 23% of pleural mesotheliomas in a 2011 study.[12] A 2015 study combining several detection methods found BAP1 alterations in 14 of 22 tumors.[13]
  • CAR-T therapy enters the clinic — SynKIR-110, a KIR-CAR T-cell therapy for mesothelin-expressing tumors, received FDA Fast Track designation on April 5, 2023[14]

Key Facts

Metric Finding
Earliest possible report 1767 by French pathologist Joseph Lieutaud (two possible pleural tumors in 3,000 autopsies)[1]
Disease formally named 1909 by British pathologist J.G. Adami
Asbestos causation proven 1960 by J. Christopher Wagner in South Africa (33-case study)
U.S. epidemiological evidence 1964 by Dr. Irving Selikoff at Mount Sinai (632 insulation workers)[10]
First staging system 1976 Butchart System by Dr. Eric Butchart
First FDA-approved chemotherapy February 4, 2004 — pemetrexed + cisplatin (12.1 vs. 9.3 months survival)
First FDA-approved immunotherapy October 2, 2020 — nivolumab + ipilimumab (18.1 vs. 14.1 months survival)[2]
Typical latency period 20-40 years from asbestos exposure to diagnosis (up to 71 years documented)
Survival improvement 9.3 months (cisplatin alone) and 12.1 months (pemetrexed + cisplatin) in the 2003 trial; 18.1 months (nivolumab + ipilimumab) in CheckMate 743[5][6]
Current research frontiers CAR-T cell therapy, targeted treatments (TEAD/CHK1/PARP inhibitors), perioperative immunotherapy

How Did Our Understanding of Mesothelioma Evolve?

This page divides the history of mesothelioma research into five periods, each defined by a change in how physicians understood, diagnosed, or treated the disease.

Early Recognition (1767-1960)

The earliest mention of a possible pleural tumor dates to 1767, when French pathologist Joseph Lieutaud described two cases of "pleural tumors" in a study of 3,000 autopsies[1] — more than a century before researchers understood what they were observing. Throughout the 19th century, European pathologists gradually recognized tumors originating from the mesothelium as distinct entities:

  • 1843: Karl Freiherr von Rokitansky at Vienna University identified primary peritoneal tumors
  • 1870: German pathologist E. Wagner described pleural tumors he termed "endothelioma"
  • 1890: First documented mesothelioma case in the United States
  • 1909: British pathologist J.G. Adami coined the term "mesothelioma"
  • 1931: American pathologists Paul Klemperer and Coleman B. Rabin published their seminal paper distinguishing mesothelioma from other pleural tumors
  • 1947: First case formally recognized as mesothelioma appeared in medical literature

Despite widespread industrial asbestos use during this period, the connection between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma remained unknown to the medical establishment.[15]

Establishing Asbestos Causation (1960-1980)

The pivotal moment in mesothelioma research occurred in 1960 when J. Christopher Wagner published his landmark study examining 33 cases of diffuse pleural mesothelioma in South Africa's Northwest Cape Province.[16] Wagner's investigation established beyond reasonable doubt that asbestos exposure caused mesothelioma, documenting that all but one patient had probable exposure to crocidolite (blue) asbestos.

Key Discovery: Wagner's research identified the typical latency period from asbestos exposure to mesothelioma diagnosis, ranging from 20 to 40 years but extending as long as 71 years in some cases. This long latency explains why mesothelioma cases continued rising for decades after asbestos regulations began.

While Wagner established the connection internationally, Dr. Irving Selikoff at Mount Sinai Medical Center provided the definitive American evidence. His 1964 study of 632 insulation workers found deaths from cancer of the lung or pleura at 6.8 times the expected rate.[10]

Development of Surgical Approaches (1980-2000)

Surgeons developed staging systems and operative approaches for the disease. In 1976, Eric Butchart reported pleuropneumonectomy in 29 patients and proposed a tumor staging system.[17] In 1995, the International Mesothelioma Interest Group published a TNM-based staging system.[18]

Key Staging Systems:

Year System Developer Significance
1976 Butchart System Dr. Eric Butchart First mesothelioma staging system
1990s Brigham System Dr. David Sugarbaker Identified surgical candidates
1995 IMIG TNM System International Mesothelioma Interest Group Current international standard

Dr. David Sugarbaker at Brigham and Women's Hospital was the first to develop a multimodality therapy for mesothelioma.[19] In his series of 183 patients treated between 1980 and 1997 with extrapleural pneumonectomy followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy, median survival was 19 months overall and 26 months for patients with epithelial tumors.[20] A later non-randomized comparison in low-risk patients found median overall survival of 35.3 months with hyperthermic intraoperative cisplatin versus 22.8 months without it.[21]

Meanwhile, Dr. Paul H. Sugarbaker and colleagues treated peritoneal mesothelioma with cytoreductive surgery combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). In a multi-institutional registry of 405 patients treated with that approach, on which he was senior author, median overall survival was 53 months and five-year survival 47%.[22]

The Chemotherapy Era (2004-2020)

For more than 15 years, pemetrexed combined with cisplatin represented the standard first-line chemotherapy for unresectable mesothelioma.[7] The FDA approved this combination on February 4, 2004, based on a randomized trial demonstrating superior survival (12.1 months vs. 9.3 months) compared to cisplatin alone. This marked the first time the FDA had approved any drug specifically for mesothelioma treatment.[23]

"For over 15 years, pemetrexed chemotherapy was the only FDA-approved option for mesothelioma patients. While it extended survival, the field urgently needed more effective treatments. That's why the CheckMate 743 immunotherapy trial represented such a watershed moment for our clients and their families."
— Paul Danziger, Founding Partner, Danziger & De Llano

The Immunotherapy Revolution (2020-Present)

The FDA approval of nivolumab plus ipilimumab on October 2, 2020, represented the most significant advance in mesothelioma treatment since pemetrexed.[2] This dual immune checkpoint inhibitor combination, validated by Dr. Paul Baas's CheckMate 743 trial, became the first new systemic therapy for unresectable mesothelioma in over 15 years.

Immunotherapy Breakthrough: The CheckMate 743 trial demonstrated 18.1 months median survival with immunotherapy versus 14.1 months with chemotherapy — a 26% reduction in death risk. For patients with non-epithelioid mesothelioma, five-year overall survival was 12% with immunotherapy versus 1% with chemotherapy (HR 0.48; 95% CI 0.33–0.68).[8]

The 2024 Regulatory Milestone: EPA Bans Ongoing Chrysotile Uses

The scientific case that Wagner and Selikoff built also reshaped regulation. On March 18, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized a rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) prohibiting ongoing uses of chrysotile asbestos — the only form of asbestos still imported into or used in the United States. The rule phases out the remaining commercial uses in chlor-alkali diaphragms, aftermarket automotive brakes and other vehicle friction products, and certain gaskets, and took effect May 28, 2024.[24]

Who Are the Pioneers of Mesothelioma Research?

The researchers below shaped how mesothelioma is diagnosed and treated.

Dr. Paul Baas

Dutch thoracic oncologist Dr. Paul Baas led the CheckMate 743 trial that established dual immunotherapy as the new global standard of care. Dr. Baas, of the Netherlands Cancer Institute, was first author of the trial's 2021 primary report.[6]

Dr. Irving Selikoff

Dr. Irving Selikoff at Mount Sinai Medical Center provided the definitive American evidence linking asbestos exposure to mesothelioma. His 1964 study with Jacob Churg and E. Cuyler Hammond followed 632 insulation workers and found deaths from cancer of the lung or pleura at 6.8 times the expected rate.[10]

Dr. David Sugarbaker (1953-2018)

Dr. David Sugarbaker was the first to develop a multimodality therapy for mesothelioma. At Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School he founded the International Mesothelioma Program, which under his leadership became the largest program of its kind in the nation. He died on August 29, 2018.[19]

Dr. Paul H. Sugarbaker

Dr. Paul H. Sugarbaker's work on peritoneal mesothelioma centers on cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC; he was senior author of the 2009 multi-institutional registry of 405 patients treated with that approach.[22] HIPEC is heated chemotherapy delivered directly into the abdomen.[25]

Dr. Robert Cameron

Dr. Robert Cameron at UCLA has championed lung-sparing surgical approaches for pleural mesothelioma. As director of the UCLA Comprehensive Mesothelioma Program, Cameron refined pleurectomy with decortication (P/D) as an alternative to the more radical EPP. His advocacy for lung-sparing surgery proved prescient when the 2011 MARS trial showed EPP offered no survival benefit.[26]

Dr. Raphael Bueno

Dr. Raphael Bueno of the Division of Thoracic Surgery and the International Mesothelioma Program at Brigham and Women's Hospital led a 2016 comprehensive genomic analysis of pleural mesothelioma. Exome analysis identified BAP1, NF2, TP53, SETD2, DDX3X, ULK2, RYR2, CFAP45, SETDB1, and DDX51 as significantly mutated, and found gene fusions and splice alterations to be frequent mechanisms for inactivating NF2, BAP1, and SETD2.[27]

J. Christopher Wagner

J. Christopher Wagner's 1960 study in South Africa established beyond reasonable doubt that asbestos exposure causes mesothelioma. His investigation of 33 cases in the Northwest Cape Province documented the connection between crocidolite asbestos mining and this aggressive cancer, fundamentally altering understanding of occupational and environmental health risks.[28]

What Were the Landmark Clinical Trials?

Several clinical trials have shaped the treatment landscape for mesothelioma.

Trial Year Finding Impact
CheckMate 743 2020 Immunotherapy superior to chemotherapy New standard of care
Pemetrexed Phase III 2004 Pemetrexed + cisplatin extends survival First FDA-approved mesothelioma drug
STELLAR 2019 TTFields + chemotherapy improves survival FDA approval of Optune Lua
MARS 2011 EPP offers no survival benefit Shift toward lung-sparing surgery
INITIATE 2019 Proof-of-concept for dual immunotherapy Led to CheckMate 743
"Clinical trials like CheckMate 743 represent hope for mesothelioma patients. Each trial builds on decades of previous research, and when they succeed, they change the lives of thousands of families facing this devastating diagnosis. We encourage eligible patients to discuss clinical trial options with their oncologists."
— Rod De Llano, Founding Partner, Danziger & De Llano

Where Is Mesothelioma Research Headed?

The frontiers of mesothelioma research in 2024-2026 encompass multiple innovative strategies that leverage advanced understanding of tumor biology and immune system interactions.[29]

CAR-T Cell Therapy

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy modifies patients' own T-cells to recognize and attack cells expressing mesothelin, a protein highly overexpressed in mesothelioma. Several constructs are in clinical development:[30]

  • SynKIR-110: A KIR-CAR T-cell therapy for mesothelin-expressing tumors; received FDA Fast Track designation on April 5, 2023[14]
  • A2B694: Being tested in the EVEREST-2 study (results expected 2029)
  • MSK CAR-T: Memorial Sloan Kettering launched a phase I trial in 2025 combining mesothelin-targeted CAR-T with an anti-PD-1 component

BAP1

The BAP1 tumor suppressor gene is frequently altered in mesothelioma. Sequencing found somatic BAP1 mutations in 23% of pleural mesotheliomas in a 2011 study.[12] A 2015 study using several detection methods found BAP1 alterations in 14 of 22 tumors (63.6%) and loss of nuclear BAP1 staining in 47 of 70 (67.1%).[13]

Targeted Therapies

Researchers are exploring inhibition of specific molecular pathways critical to mesothelioma progression:[31]

  • TEAD inhibitors: Targeting the Hippo signaling pathway
  • CHK1 inhibitors: Disrupting DNA damage repair in BAP1-deficient tumors
  • PARP inhibitors: Being evaluated in the NERO randomized phase II trial

Perioperative Immunotherapy

A 2025 phase 2 trial, with investigators including Johns Hopkins' Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, tested perioperative nivolumab alone or with ipilimumab in resectable pleural mesothelioma. Treatment was safe, with one dose-limiting toxicity in each arm, and median overall survival in the nivolumab-plus-ipilimumab arm was 28.6 months.[32]

How Can Patients Access Cutting-Edge Treatments?

Treatment options for mesothelioma now include the following, many offered at specialized treatment centers:[33]

  • Immunotherapy: Nivolumab plus ipilimumab (approved October 2020)
  • Tumor Treating Fields: Optune Lua with chemotherapy (approved May 2019)
  • Multimodal Therapy: Surgery combined with chemotherapy and/or radiation
  • Clinical Trials: Access to emerging treatments before FDA approval
Treatment Timing Matters: Early diagnosis and prompt treatment initiation remain critical factors in mesothelioma outcomes. Patients should seek evaluation at specialized mesothelioma treatment centers where multidisciplinary teams have experience with this rare disease.
"When we first meet with newly diagnosed patients, one of the first things we discuss is treatment options. The research breakthroughs of the past two decades — from pemetrexed to immunotherapy — have given us real hope to share. We've seen firsthand how these advances have extended the lives of our clients and given them precious additional time with their families."
— David Foster, Executive Director of Client Services, Danziger & De Llano

Mesothelioma patients and their families may be eligible for compensation for asbestos exposure through:

  • Asbestos Trust Funds: $16.1-$21.8 billion (documented floor, September 2026)[34] set aside by bankrupt asbestos companies[35]
  • Legal Settlements: Negotiated compensation without going to trial
  • Jury Verdicts: Court-awarded damages for proven asbestos exposure[11]
  • VA Benefits: Disability compensation for veterans exposed during military service[36]

Frequently Asked Questions

When was mesothelioma first discovered?

The earliest mention of a possible tumor of the pleura dates to 1767, when French pathologist Joseph Lieutaud described two cases of "pleural tumors" in a study of 3,000 autopsies.[1] However, the disease was not formally named until 1909 when British pathologist J.G. Adami coined the term "mesothelioma," and the connection to asbestos exposure was not proven until J. Christopher Wagner's landmark 1960 study in South Africa.[9]

Who proved that asbestos causes mesothelioma?

J. Christopher Wagner published the definitive proof in 1960 after studying 33 cases of pleural mesothelioma among residents near crocidolite asbestos mines in South Africa's Northwest Cape Province. Dr. Irving Selikoff subsequently provided the critical American epidemiological evidence in 1964, demonstrating that asbestos insulation workers died of cancer of the lung or pleura at 6.8 times the expected rate. Cancer at all sites in the same cohort ran 2.6 times expected, and all-cause mortality 1.25 times.[10]

What was the first FDA-approved treatment for mesothelioma?

Pemetrexed (brand name Alimta) combined with cisplatin became the first FDA-approved chemotherapy for mesothelioma on February 4, 2004. The approval was based on a Phase III trial showing the combination extended median survival to 12.1 months compared to 9.3 months with cisplatin alone. This remained the only approved systemic therapy for 16 years until immunotherapy was approved in 2020.[7]

How did immunotherapy change mesothelioma treatment?

The FDA approved nivolumab plus ipilimumab for unresectable pleural mesothelioma on October 2, 2020, based on the CheckMate 743 trial led by Dr. Paul Baas. This dual immune checkpoint inhibitor combination demonstrated 18.1 months median overall survival versus 14.1 months with chemotherapy.[6] For patients with non-epithelioid disease, five-year overall survival was 12% with the combination versus 1% with chemotherapy.[8]

What is the current standard of care for mesothelioma?

The current standard of care depends on disease stage and histological subtype. For unresectable pleural mesothelioma, first-line treatment is nivolumab plus ipilimumab (immunotherapy). For resectable cases, multimodal therapy combining surgery with chemotherapy and possibly radiation remains the approach, with perioperative immunotherapy under active investigation. Peritoneal mesothelioma is treated with cytoreductive surgery plus HIPEC when feasible.[9]

What are the most promising new mesothelioma treatments?

CAR-T cell therapies for mesothelin-expressing tumors are in early clinical trials; SynKIR-110 received FDA Fast Track designation on April 5, 2023.[14] Perioperative immunotherapy is also under study: in a 2025 phase 2 trial in resectable pleural mesothelioma, median overall survival was 28.6 months with nivolumab plus ipilimumab.[32]

The long latency period of mesothelioma — typically 20 to 40 years between asbestos exposure and diagnosis — made the causal connection extremely difficult to identify. Workers exposed in the 1920s-1940s did not develop symptoms until decades later. Additionally, asbestos companies actively suppressed internal research showing health hazards, delaying public awareness and scientific consensus.[11]

How has mesothelioma survival improved over time?

In the phase III trial behind pemetrexed's 2004 approval, median survival was 9.3 months with cisplatin alone and 12.1 months with pemetrexed plus cisplatin.[5] In CheckMate 743, median overall survival was 18.1 months with nivolumab plus ipilimumab versus 14.1 months with chemotherapy.[6] For peritoneal mesothelioma treated with cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC, a 405-patient registry reported five-year survival of 47%.[22] These figures come from different trials and patient groups and are not directly comparable.

Quick Statistics

  • ~3,200 new mesothelioma cases are diagnosed annually in the United States[37]
  • 20-40 years is the typical latency period from asbestos exposure to mesothelioma diagnosis, with the longest documented case spanning 71 years[4]
  • ~80% of mesothelioma cases are the pleural (lung lining) type; peritoneal (abdominal) accounts for 15-20%[38]
  • 12.1 months was the median survival with pemetrexed + cisplatin (2004), compared to 9.3 months with cisplatin alone[7]
  • 18.1 months median survival achieved with nivolumab + ipilimumab in CheckMate 743 (2020)[2]
  • 26% reduction in death risk with immunotherapy compared to chemotherapy across all mesothelioma subtypes[39]
  • 35.3 months median overall survival with hyperthermic intraoperative cisplatin in low-risk patients, versus 22.8 months without, in a 2013 non-randomized comparison from Dr. David Sugarbaker's group[21]
  • 23% of pleural mesotheliomas carried somatic BAP1 mutations in a 2011 sequencing study[12]
  • $16.1-$21.8 billion (moving target)[34] remains in asbestos trust funds for mesothelioma compensation claims[35]
  • 632 asbestos insulation workers studied by Dr. Selikoff in 1964, revealing lung-and-pleural cancer mortality at 6.8x the expected rate[10]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Ahmed I, Ahmed Tipu S, Ishtiaq S. Malignant mesothelioma. Pak J Med Sci 2013;29:1433-8. PMID 24550969.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 FDA approves nivolumab and ipilimumab for unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, October 2, 2020 (archived; original URL no longer resolves)
  3. ↑ Mesothelioma Clinical Trials - Recruiting, ClinicalTrials.gov
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Asbestos, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Vogelzang NJ, et al. Phase III study of pemetrexed in combination with cisplatin versus cisplatin alone in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. J Clin Oncol 2003;21:2636-44. PMID 12860938.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Baas P, et al. First-line nivolumab plus ipilimumab in unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma (CheckMate 743): a multicentre, randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial. Lancet 2021;397:375-386. PMID 33485464.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Alimta (Pemetrexed) Prescribing Information, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Scherpereel A, Baas P, Nowak AK, et al. Five-Year Clinical Outcomes With Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab Versus Chemotherapy as First-Line Treatment for Unresectable Pleural Mesothelioma in CheckMate 743. Journal of Clinical Oncology 2026. PMID 41734361. Free full text: PMC13001902.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Mesothelioma Compensation, Danziger & De Llano
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Selikoff IJ, Churg J, Hammond EC. Asbestos exposure and neoplasia. JAMA 1964;188:22-6. PMID 14107207. Table 3, 632 workers exposed 20 years or longer, traced 1943-1962: cancer of the lung or pleura 45 observed against 6.6 expected (6.8x); all cancer sites 95 against 36.5 (2.6x); all causes 255 against 203.5 (1.25x).
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Mesothelioma Legal Overview, MesotheliomaAttorney.com
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Bott M, et al. The nuclear deubiquitinase BAP1 is commonly inactivated by somatic mutations and 3p21.1 losses in malignant pleural mesothelioma. Nat Genet 2011;43:668-72. PMID 21642991.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Nasu M, et al. High Incidence of Somatic BAP1 alterations in sporadic malignant mesothelioma. J Thorac Oncol 2015;10:565-76. PMID 25658628.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Verismo Therapeutics Secures Fast Track Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for SynKIR-110, Verismo Therapeutics via PR Newswire, April 5, 2023
  15. ↑ Asbestos Toxicity, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
  16. ↑ Wagner JC et al. Diffuse pleural mesothelioma and asbestos exposure in the North Western Cape Province. (1960), PubMed
  17. ↑ Butchart EG, et al. Pleuropneumonectomy in the management of diffuse malignant mesothelioma of the pleura. Experience with 29 patients. Thorax 1976;31:15-24. PMID 1257933.
  18. ↑ Rusch VW. A proposed new international TNM staging system for malignant pleural mesothelioma. From the International Mesothelioma Interest Group. Chest 1995;108:1122-8. PMID 7555126.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 David J. Sugarbaker, MD, Dies at 65, The ASCO Post, September 25, 2018
  20. ↑ Sugarbaker DJ, et al. Resection margins, extrapleural nodal status, and cell type determine postoperative long-term survival in trimodality therapy of malignant pleural mesothelioma: results in 183 patients. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1999;117:54-63. PMID 9869758.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Sugarbaker DJ, et al. Hyperthermic intraoperative pleural cisplatin chemotherapy extends interval to recurrence and survival among low-risk patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma undergoing surgical macroscopic complete resection. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2013;145:955-963. PMID 23434448.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Yan TD, et al. Cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy for malignant peritoneal mesothelioma: multi-institutional experience. J Clin Oncol 2009;27:6237-42. PMID 19917862.
  23. ↑ Alimta (Pemetrexed) FDA Label, FDA
  24. ↑ Biden-Harris Administration Finalizes Ban on Ongoing Uses of Asbestos to Protect People from Cancer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, March 18, 2024
  25. ↑ HIPEC Definition, NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
  26. ↑ Mesothelioma Cancer Centers and Treatment Programs, Mesothelioma.net
  27. ↑ Bueno R, et al. Comprehensive genomic analysis of malignant pleural mesothelioma identifies recurrent mutations, gene fusions and splicing alterations. Nat Genet 2016;48:407-16. PMID 26928227.
  28. ↑ Wagner JC, Sleggs CA, Marchand P. Diffuse pleural mesothelioma and asbestos exposure in the North Western Cape Province. Br J Ind Med 1960;17:260-71. PMID 13782506.
  29. ↑ Cancer Treatment Research, National Cancer Institute
  30. ↑ CAR T Cells: Engineering Immune Cells to Treat Cancer, National Cancer Institute
  31. ↑ Targeted Cancer Therapies, National Cancer Institute
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Reuss JE, et al. Perioperative nivolumab or nivolumab plus ipilimumab in resectable diffuse pleural mesothelioma: a phase 2 trial and ctDNA analyses. Nat Med 2025;31:4097-4108. PMID 40921804.
  33. ↑ Mesothelioma Treatment Options, National Cancer Institute
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 Asbestos Trust Fund Tracker, AsbestosTrusts.org. Documented floor across 44 of 54 active trusts; snapshot September 24, 2026. Exact figures: AsbestosTrusts.org tracker data feed, as of 2026-10-08.
  35. ↑ VA Asbestos Exposure, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
  36. ↑ Malignant Mesothelioma Treatment, National Cancer Institute
  37. ↑ Mesothelioma, National Cancer Institute
  38. ↑ CheckMate 743: Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab vs Chemotherapy in Mesothelioma, ClinicalTrials.gov
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