Evidence on survival of malignant mesothelioma (MM) and other rare thoracic cancers is limited due to the rarity of these cancer sites. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of MM incidence and survival after MM and other rare thoracic cancers in Germany and the United States (US). Incidence was estimated from a German National Cancer Database and from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) 18 database for 2000–2014. Patients diagnosed in 1997–2013 with malignant epithelial tumors of the trachea (Etra), epithelial tumors of the thymus (Ethy) and MM were extracted from a German cancer survival database and from the SEER 13 database. Period analysis was employed to compute 5‐year relative survival (RS). During 2000–2014, an annual average of 0.9 and 0.6 MM cases per 100,000 person‐years was diagnosed in Germany and the US. Rates decreased in Germany and in the US. Patients with Ethy had highest 5‐year RS with US patients surviving longer (69.1% compared to 63.7%, p = 0.02). Survival after Etra was comparable in both countries (Germany 33.6%, US 34.4%, p = 0.07). Survival in MM patients was poor overall (Germany 11.8%, US 12.1%, p < 0.01). Survival improvements were only observed in MM patients in Germany (10.8% [2002–2007] vs. 13.0% [2008–2013], p < 0.01). The lack of progress in survival for Etra and Ethy patients underlines the need of novel preventive, therapeutic and diagnostic approaches. MM incidence significantly decreased in Germany and in the US. Further monitoring of MM incidence is warranted given that a peak in incidence is expected in 2020–2030 in Western countries.

中文翻译：

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恶性间皮瘤和其他罕见的胸腔癌在德国和美国的生存：一项基于人群的研究。

由于恶性间皮瘤（MM）和其他罕见的胸腔癌的罕见性，因此其生存证据有限。在这里，我们提供了德国和美国（MM）MM和其他罕见胸腔癌术后MM发生率和生存率的综合概述。根据德国国家癌症数据库以及监测，流行病学和最终结果（SEER）18数据库估算了2000–2014年的发病率。从德国癌症生存数据库和SEER 13数据库中提取了1997-2013年诊断为气管恶性上皮肿瘤（Etra），胸腺上皮肿瘤（Ethy）和MM的患者。使用周期分析来计算5年相对生存率（RS）。在2000年至2014年期间，德国和美国平均每10万人年诊断出0.9和0.6 MM病例。在德国和美国，利率下降了。Ethy患者的5年RS最高，而美国患者的生存时间更长（69.1％，而63.7％，p = 0.02）。在两个国家，Etra术后的生存率相当（德国为33.6％，美国为34.4％，p = 0.07）。MM患者的生存总体较差（德国11.8％，美国12.1％，p <0.01）。仅在德国的MM患者中观察到生存率改善（2002年至2007年分别为10.8％和2008年至2013年为13.0％，p <0.01）。Etra和Ethy患者的生存缺乏进展，因此需要新颖的预防，治疗和诊断方法。在德国和美国，MM发生率显着下降。鉴于预计在2020-2030年西方国家的发病率将达到峰值，因此有必要对MM发病率进行进一步监测。