\[Pleural Well-differentiated Papillary Mesothelial Tumor Presenting with Recurrent Pneumothorax and Pleural Effusion: A Case Report\]

Our plain-English summary of [Pleural Well-differentiated Papillary Mesothelial Tumor Presenting with Recurrent Pneumothorax and Pleural Effusion: A Case Report], by Z. Li, F. Kong, B. Yang, et al (Zhongguo Fei Ai Za Zhi = Chinese Journal of Lung Cancer, 2026).

The study

• Authors: Z. Li, F. Kong, B. Yang, T. Song, S. Zhao, X. Song
• Journal: Zhongguo Fei Ai Za Zhi = Chinese Journal of Lung Cancer
• Published: 2026;29(5):390-394
• Type of article: Case report, Review
• Language: Chinese
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher · Free full text

Abstract

Well-differentiated papillary mesothelial tumor (WDPMT) is a rare neoplasm characterized by a distinct papillary architecture, bland cytological features, and a propensity for superficial spread without stromal invasion. We herein report the diagnosis and management of a patient with pleural WDPMT presenting predominantly with recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax and pleural effusion, along with a review of the current literature on this entity. The patient was a 58-year-old female who presented with a two-week history of chest tightness and dyspnea on a background of recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax and pleural effusion over the preceding seven years. She had experienced four episodes of recurrence during that period and denied any history of asbestos exposure. Thoracoscopic exploration revealed pulmonary bullae, pleural effusion and pneumothorax, pleural thickening, and scattered grayish-white nodules on both the visceral and parietal pleura. Histopathological examination of the pleural nodule biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of WDPMT. Based on the features of this case and a review of the literature, clinicians should be aware that WDPMT may present with the atypical manifestation of recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax accompanied by pleural effusion. .

In plain English

This was a case report from Cangzhou Central Hospital in China. It described one 58-year-old woman with pleural well-differentiated papillary mesothelial tumor (WDPMT), a rare tumor of the lining of the chest, together with a review of the literature. The patient had had repeated spontaneous pneumothorax (collapsed lung) with pleural effusion (fluid around the lung) over seven years, and reported no asbestos exposure. Pathology from an operation seven years earlier favored WDPMT. A later operation confirmed it again. Six months before her December 2025 presentation, surgery on a pelvic mass found WDPMT matching the pleural disease. In December 2025 the patient had a further right-sided operation. Tissue tests showed a low Ki-67 proliferation index of 1%-2%. Three months later no obvious air or fluid was seen in the chest. In total the patient had four operations for complications of the tumor. The authors suggested this case may have departed from the tumor's usual slow-growing behavior. They concluded that WDPMT may present as recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax with pleural effusion. Because this is a single case, it shows what happened to one person and gives no rate.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Case report of a single patient, with a review of the literature
• Who was studied: One 58-year-old woman seen at Cangzhou Central Hospital, China, on 25 December 2025, with a 7-year history of recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax and pleural effusion, plus 2 weeks of chest tightness and shortness of breath
• Exposure: No asbestos exposure: the patient denied any history of asbestos exposure. The article also states no history of smoking or drinking and no family history of tumors.
• Main results:
  • At the patient's first thoracoscopic operation, seven years before presentation, pathology showed nodules of papillary mesothelial cell proliferation, favoring WDPMT
  • Pathology from a right-lung bulla removal and pleural decortication eight months before presentation again confirmed WDPMT
  • Pathology after pelvic surgery six months before the December 2025 presentation showed WDPMT consistent with the original pleural lesion
  • Thoracoscopic exploration found grayish-white nodules on both the visceral and parietal pleura
  • After the 29 December 2025 operation, right pleural tissue showed mesothelial cell proliferation with local papillary growth. Given the prior WDPMT history, the pathologists considered it to show a tendency toward tumor development.
  • Ki-67 immunohistochemistry showed a low proliferation index of 1%-2%
  • At follow-up 3 months after surgery, no obvious air or fluid was seen in the patient's chest
  • The patient underwent four operations in total for complications related to WDPMT
  • The authors suggested that the pelvic spread, which appeared 6 years after the first operation, indicates this case may have departed from indolent (slow-growing) behavior
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that clinicians should be aware that WDPMT may present with the atypical picture of recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax accompanied by pleural effusion

Topics

The National Library of Medicine indexes this study under subjects our site covers: Lung cancer, Pleural plaques and thickening.

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Well-Differentiated, Pneumothorax, Pleural Effusion, Neoplasm, Dyspnea, Asbestos Exposure, Pleural Thickening, Parietal Pleura.

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