*Institut für Pathologie
†Lungenklinik, Kliniken der Stadt Köln gGmbH, Klinikum der Privaten Universität Witten-Herdecke, Cologne, Germany
V.S., O.S., E.S., and M.B.: designed the study. V.S., O.P., R.-L.T., and J.L.: performed the laboratory investigations. M.B.: performed the pathologic investigations. C.L. and E.S.: performed the surgical procedures and all patient-related processes. V.S., O.P., and O.S.: wrote the manuscript. M.B. and E.S.: supervised the study.
All samples used for this study were archived during the past decade in the Institute of Pathology of our hospital. All samples were obtained from patients suffering from pleural mesothelioma who were being treated for this disease in our facilities. Samples were archived according to local legal regulations.
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Reprints: Verena Schildgen, PhD, Institut für Pathologie, Kliniken der Stadt Köln gGmbH, Krankenhaus Merheim, Klinikum der Privaten Universität Witten/Herdecke, Ostmerheimer Str. 200, D-51109 Köln (Cologne), Germany (e-mail: [email protected]).
Received May 13, 2013
Accepted June 7, 2013