The impact of lymph node station on survival in 348 patients with surgically resected malignant pleural mesothelioma: Implications for revision of the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system

This study confirms a preferential pattern of drainage of malignant pleural mesothelioma to N2 rather than N1 lymph nodes, but suggests that N1 only nodal involvement should be classified as lower stage disease. Multiple N2 nodal site involvement could potentially be classified as higher stage disease than single station N2. Our results emphasize the need for larger, confirmatory multicenter studies that could lead to revision of the current staging system.