From 1965 to 1970 mesothelioma was an extreme rarity in the medical
wards. It became more common in the 1990s, an increase that was documented by the
Health and Safety Executive in the UK. At that time, there were already some published
series on extirpative surgery for mesothelioma. However, results were difficult to
interpret due to variation in protocols and no control data. The observations and
concerns leading to the establishment of the Mesothelioma and Radical Surgery
(MARS) trial summarized here reflect a personal experience.
Keywords: Mesothelioma, prognosis, thoracic surgery.
