A comparison between MRI and CT in the assessment of primary tumour volume in mesothelioma

Primary tumour volume (T-volume) is a critical determinant of survival and a key component of Tumor, Node, Metastases (TNM) cancer staging. Simple surrogates of tumour volume, such as unidimensional measurements perform well in many cancers (e.g. Lung Cancer) [1], but Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM) forms a complex, rind-like primary tumor that is difficult to accurately measure. As a result, current T-staging describes only the extent of invasion into adjacent tissues and does not account for tumour size, and demonstrates poor concordance with subsequent pathological staging [2] and limited prognostic accuracy in ‘real world’ populations [3].
Source: Lung Cancer - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Source Type: research