Malignant mesothelioma is a cancer that is unlike all others in many ways. One of the most notable and frustrating of these is that mesotheliomasrisks continue to rise as more time passes from exposure to asbestos. This is in direct contrast to other types of cancers: for example, when a smoker quits smoking, every day that goes by without a cigarette their risk of being diagnosed with lung cancer decreases. The same is true for those who give up other harmful exposures or who change sedentary lifestyles to more active ones.

This has long been suspected in the mesothelioma research community, and was recently confirmed by a study conducted by Polish scientists at the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine. Their study was comprehensive, comparing information from 131 patients diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma to a control group of 655 patients enrolled over a 14-year period in a health surveillance program specifically targeting asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma, asbestosis and asbestos-related lung cancer.

The researchers found that the moretime went by followingasbestos exposure, the higher the risk of a later diagnosis of the disease. The scientists report said in part, The results show that the risk of pleural mesothelioma continued to increase even after 40 years since the last exposure. The information gathered was also useful in that it identified the types of asbestos that put patients at greatest risk, with blue asbestos, or crocidolite carrying the highest levels of danger and workers who had been exposed to a combination of several different types of asbestos being at a risk five times greater than of those who were exposed to chrysotile asbestos alone.

Theories as to why asbestos behaves so differently from other toxins abound, but the most frequently posited notion has to do with the physical properties of asbestos itself. Unlike nicotine or other inhaled chemicals, asbestos fibers are pointy and sharp. They become embedded in the cells of the body and remain there rather than being expelled. This means that they continue to have the potential for causing mutations and inflammation decades after the fiber is originally inhaled or ingested.

If you have been exposed to asbestos and are concerned about your own risk of being diagnosed with mesothelioma, or if someone you love has already been diagnosed with the disease, you need information on signs, symptoms, and resources that are available to you. At Mesothelioma.net, we are dedicated to providing asbestos exposure victims with the help that they need. Call our Patient Advocates today at 1-800-692-8608, or visit our website at http://www.mesothelioma.net.

Terri Oppenheimer is an independent writer, editor, and proofreader. She graduated from the College of William and Mary with a degree in English. Her dreams of a writing career were diverted by a need to pay her bills. She spent a few years providing the copy for a major retailer, then landed a lucrative career in advertising sales. With college bills for all three of her kids paid, she left corporate America for a return to her original goal of writing. She specializes in providing content for websites and finds tremendous enjoyment in the things she learns while doing her research. Her specific areas of interest include health and fitness, medical research, and the law.

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Polish Study Confirms That Mesothelioma Risk Only Increases With ... - Mesothelioma.net Blog (blog)

Adding nintedanib to pemetrexed/cisplatin improved the progression-free survival (PFS) of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma compared with placebo, according to updated results (abstract 8506) presented at the 2017 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.

Nintedanib is an oral multikinase inhibitor that targets vascular endothelial growth factor receptors 13, platelet-derived growth factor receptors /, fibroblast growth factor receptors 13, and Src and Abl kinase signaling. Patients treated with nintedanib on this trial had a median PFS (the primary endpoint) gain of 3.7 months compared with placebo.

This study met its primary endpoint and demonstrated clinical benefit in first-line treatment in patients with mesothelioma with the addition of nintedanib to pemetrexed and cisplatin, said Anna K. Nowak, MD, of the University of Western Australia, who presented the results.

According to Nowak, mesothelioma is often diagnosed at an advanced stage. Pemetrexed/cisplatin is the only approved regimen for this disease, providing a median overall survival of about 1 year.

Data from the primary analysis of this trial showed that nintedanib improved PFS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.56; 95% CI, 0.340.91) compared with placebo. At the meeting, Nowak presented updated PFS and mature overall survival results.

The trial included 87 patients with unresectable mesothelioma who were randomly assigned to 6 cycles or less of pemetrexed/cisplatin plus nintedanib or placebo followed by nintedanib or placebo monotherapy until progression.

Results from the updated analysis showed a median PFS of 5.7 months for placebo compared with 9.4 months for nintedanib (HR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.330.87; P = .010). In a preplanned subgroup analysis of patients with epithelioid histology, the median PFS increased from 5.7 months with placebo to 9.7 months with nintedanib (HR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.300.82; P = .006).

There was no significant difference in overall survival between the two treatment arms (HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.461.29; P = .319). The median overall survival increased from 14.2 months in the placebo arm to 18.3 months in the nintedanib arm, but the difference was not statistically significant. In patients with epithelioid histology, the median overall survival was 20.6 months for nintedanib compared with 15.2 months for placebo (HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.401.21; P = .197).

Finally, the objective response rate was 57% in the nintedanib arm compared with 44% in the placebo arm (odds ratio, 1.66; 95% CI, 0.723.92).

There was substantially more neutropenia and thrombocytopenia in the nintedanib arm. In addition, diarrhea and abnormalities in liver function were also more common in the nintedanib arm. However, Nowak noted that few of the diarrhea events were grade 3 or higher. Four fatal serious adverse events occurred on the studyone in the nintedanib arm and three in the placebo armbut all were related to disease progression.

A phase III study of this regimen is ongoing.

Link:

Nintedanib Combination Delayed Progression in Malignant Mesothelioma - Cancer Network

A pair of Polish researchers have confirmed what a number of other studies have suggested that the risk of contracting malignant mesothelioma continues to rise, even decades after a persons last exposure to asbestos.

The study was conducted by asbestos-exposure experts at the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine and included a total of 131 patients with pleural mesothelioma.

Another 655 people enrolled in a health surveillance program for asbestos-related diseases between 2000 and 2014 were included as controls.

When researchers Beata Swiatkowska and Neonila Szeszenia-Debrowska used the data to calculate the odds that asbestos-exposed people would develop malignant mesothelioma, the results were sobering.

Instead of declining over time, the chance that an asbestos-exposed worker would receive a diagnosis of mesothelioma continued to climb, the further he or she got from their last asbestos exposure.

The results show that the risk of pleural mesothelioma continued to increase even after 40 years since the last exposure, states the report. In fact, the people who had last been exposed to asbestos 4 decades ago were more than two-and-a-half times as likely to contract mesothelioma as those whose last exposure was just 5 years ago.

Another key observation from the new mesothelioma study is that the type of asbestos to which a person is exposed may also impact their risk of contracting pleural mesothelioma.

While all types of asbestos have been shown to cause mesothelioma, the Polish study found that the risk was very high in people who worked around crocidolite or blue asbestos. The risk of mesothelioma was also 5 times higher in workers who were exposed to a mixture of different types of asbestos than it was in those who were only exposed to chrysotile asbestos.

The researchers say an understanding of the dose-response relationship in occupationally-exposed people could be helpful in the study of mesothelioma risk among people exposed to asbestos in their environments.

Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral that was used for decades in a variety of industrial and construction applications. Although many countries have now banned its use, the incidence of mesothelioma, the most deadly disease associated with asbestos exposure, has continued to rise.

One big reason for this rise is the biopersistence of asbestos, the sharp fibers of which stay in the body indefinitely after exposure, triggering cancer-caused inflammation at the cellular level. Although multi-modal treatments have modestly increased mesothelioma survival rates, there is no cure.

Source:

Swiatkowska, B and Szeszenia-Dabrowska, N, Mesothelioma continues to increase even 40 years after exposure Evidence from long-term epidemiological observation, June 2017, Lung Cancer, pp. 121-125

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Mesothelioma Risk Continues to Rise for Decades After Asbestos Exposure - Surviving Mesothelioma

Cancer in the abdomen, or peritoneal cancer, is very rare. It occurs when cancer cells develop on the peritoneum, the thin cell lining of the abdominal organs. About 10 30% of peritoneal cancer cases occur following a gastric or colon cancer diagnosis. Very rarely this type of cancer will develop on its own, and even then it is often the result of metastasis after a tumor forms elsewhere in the body.

Similarly to peritoneal cancer, peritoneal mesothelioma is very rare, accounting for about 500 new cases each year and only about 15 20% of mesothelioma diagnoses. Unlike most forms of peritoneal cancer, peritoneal mesothelioma is not known to be caused by other forms of cancer or the result of metastasis. All types of mesothelioma are caused by exposure to asbestos, through inhalation or ingestion.

Oncologists for peritoneal cancers have relied on the Peritoneal Cancer Index (PCI) for years to help determine a patients eligibility for certain kinds of treatment, as well to better understand the severity of the tumors progression. PCI has become a notable tool when facing peritoneal mesothelioma, which typically has a poor prognosis and is very often fatal.

PCI is a way to determine the extent of the cancer in the abdominal cavity. The cavity is divided into 13 distinct sections, including central, left upper, and pelvic. Each region is ranked separately with a lesion size (LS) score depending on the size of the tumors present.

Patients with an LS score of 3 in a particular region may also have layers or multiple small nodules present. PCI itself is found by adding together the scores for the 13 regions, which makes the highest PCI a 39. Oncologists can determine their score for each region through various imaging tests or laparoscopy. For peritoneal mesothelioma patients, a diagnosis will first need to be confirmed through a peritoneoscopy or laparotomy, which is a tissue biopsy. Doctors will scrutinize the samples to determine the cell type and help examine if the cancerous cells have spread.

PCI is essentially a staging system for peritoneal cancers to help determine if the cancer is localized or has spread to other organs or lymph nodes. Typically, the higher the PCI indicates a worse prognosis as this indicates more, larger tumors present in the body. The PCI will also help oncologists determine if a patient is eligible for certain treatments, particularly surgical removal of the tumors or Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC).

A good or lower PCI for peritoneal mesothelioma patients can mean a better chance of long-term survival. Most oncologists have a cut off score to determine what kind of treatments the patient may be eligible for. In general, a PCI greater than 20 is thought to be too high to see any effective results from HIPEC and the patients would face greater risk undergoing this treatment.

While patients with peritoneal mesothelioma have a longer life expectancy than the other types of mesothelioma, the median survival is still only one year. All types of mesothelioma are generally treated with a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. For peritoneal mesothelioma, some of the best results have been seen with a multimodal approach of cytoreductive surgery (surgery to remove as much of the tumors as possible) and HIPEC.

HIPEC is a method of delivering a heated chemotherapy wash to the abdominal cavity. Its meant to ideally clean out any remaining cancer cells after surgery. HIPEC has been used to treat other abdominal cancers too, including colon and ovarian cancer.

According to a recent study, approximately two-thirds of the peritoneal mesothelioma patients treated this way survived over 3 years. While this may not seem very long, its significantly longer than the 1 year median survival rate. In general, there are very few long-term mesothelioma survivors regardless of the type, with only about 33% of patients surviving a year after diagnosis. Any treatment or tool that can better the survival rate is a big accomplishment.

Researchers recognize the advancements in the combination of surgery and HIPEC as the reason for improved survivorship among peritoneal mesothelioma patients in more recent years. Using PCI can make it easier for oncologists to determine the effectiveness of this treatment for an individuals case.

In the past decade, researchers have made a lot of great advancements in better diagnosing and treating mesothelioma. The peritoneal cancer index is just one tool that can help researchers and peritoneal mesothelioma patients better understand the stage of their disease and the available treatment options.

There is still a lot of work ahead to more effectively treat, and one day cure, this aggressive cancer. But hopefully with the help of established tools like PCI and the advancements made in research today, we will get there soon rather than later.

Link:

Peritoneal Cancer Index: What it Means for Mesothelioma Patients - Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center (blog)

Even though the United Kingdom officially banned asbestos in 1999, the toxin continues to claim lives. Though no new uses or imports of the mineral are allowed, it still remains in many schools and older buildings causing many to unknowingly be exposed. Since there is a long latency period after exposure before symptoms appear, millions are still at risk to develop mesothelioma and other asbestos-caused diseases in their lifetime.

In 2014, there were 2,717 new cases of mesothelioma in the UK. This number is on par with the number of new cases each year in the United States, where asbestos is still not banned. While it is a rare disease and the number of cases may not appear alarmingly high, the incidence rate in the UK has increased by 71% since the 1990s. Mesothelioma is preventable, and theres still a lot more work to be done worldwide to save lives from asbestos.

Over the years, the UK has said goodbye to several well-known talents because of this rare disease. For many of them, its uncertain how they were exposed to the toxin, which shows the continued importance of raising awareness for this mineral and the dangerous diseases it can cause.

George Hunt was a footballer from Swindon. At the young age of 14, he dropped out of school and began working at the Great Western Railway Works, also known as Swindon Works. After serving in the Army during World War II, Hunt had the opportunity to play football professionally and joined the Swindon Town Club. He made his debut in 1947 and played over 300 games before retiring in 1958. Hunt returned to Swindon Works fulltime and coached soccer occasionally on the side.

Unfortunately, his time at Swindon Works led to his devastating diagnosis. Railroad workers were frequently exposed to asbestos, as the mineral was used widely throughout the train because of its heat resistance. Over such a long career at the railroad, Hunt faced prolonged exposure to the toxin, which greatly increased his chances of developing mesothelioma.

So many workers at Swindon Works were exposed and ultimately diagnosed with mesothelioma that they sometimes referred to this rare cancer as Swindons disease. Hunt was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma and passed away in 1987.

Dame Ann Ebsworth was a barrister and judge of the High Court. She was appointed to the High Court in 1992, becoming the first woman to ever be appointed to the queens bench division. At the time, she was only one of four women among the over 100 justices at the High Court. Ebsworths first priority was justice, and her colleagues lauded her for her fairness. She aimed high throughout her career and earned appointments in many courts of law.

Unfortunately, her successful career in the courtroom ended in early retirement shortly after she was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma in 2000. Despite growing weaker, she continued to teach students who needed help and advocate the importance of justice.

Ebsworth was likely exposed to asbestos throughout her childhood, as she grew up in a military family. Her father served as an officer in the Royal Marines, and the family frequently traveled to different barracks. Asbestos was frequently used throughout the military, on various vessels and in buildings on base. Veterans make up a large proportion of mesothelioma diagnoses, and Ebsworth likely had secondhand asbestos exposure from her fathers various interactions with the mineral.

Science fiction writer Michael Coney had his first story published in 1969 in a science fiction magazine, with several other short stories published in British and American publications shortly after. Throughout the 1970s, Coney established himself as one of the leading British science fiction writers, which many of his critics owe to his move to the West Indies for a fresh start.

Though critics claim his period of intense creativity ended when his family moved to Canada, his novels and short stories were still loved by his audience and critics alike. Some of his most beloved work include his novels Mirror Image and Glass Children.

It remains unclear how Coney was first exposed to asbestos which later led to a pleural mesothelioma diagnosis. In his last interview, Coney described how debilitating the disease was and how he struggled with his concentration. He said handling the disease took over his ability to write. When he was diagnosed, Coney decided to release his latest short stories for free online. His last novel, I Remember Pallahaxi, was published posthumously in 2007.

Christie Hennessy was an Irish folk singer and songwriter, though he suffered from severe dyslexia which made him unable to read or write. His most famous song, Dont Forget Your Shovel, has often been described as an alternative national anthem for Ireland.

Hennessy realized his exposure to the toxin occurred as a result of his work in London as a painter and decorator. He worked with this company from the young age of 15, and likely faced prolonged exposure from the different buildings and jobsites he worked in.

He was later diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma, and sadly died at a London hospice at just 62. At the time, Hennessy had been working on new music and planning a tour. His wife, Gill Ross, recognized their legal rights and decided to pursue action against his employer for their negligence which ultimately led to the singers death. With the help of qualified mesothelioma lawyers, they were able to reach a settlement to assist with the high medical costs associated with the disease.

John MacDougall was a Member of Parliament from 2005 until his death for Glenrothes. He previously served in the House of Commons for Central Fife after the 2001 election. Before he began his career in politics, MacDougall worked in shipyards. He first started caulking riveters and eventually transitioned to work at an oil rig as a boilermaker.

His asbestos exposure certainly occurred during his career before he transitioned to politics. Boilermakers were frequently exposed to airborne asbestos because of the nature of their work, especially when repairing older boilers that likely had damaged asbestos insulation.

MacDougall was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma in 2007. In later years, he revealed the severity of his disease, explaining he had his lung removed in the hopes of removing the cancer. In later interviews, his daughter Julie explained his decline was rapid, but he never gave up hope. After his passing, Julie created the John MacDougall Mesothelioma Trust in his honor in 2010. Their goals are to raise awareness for this rare disease and help support important mesothelioma research to hopefully one day find a cure.

Ian Cundy served as the Bishop of Peterborough from 1996 until his death. He was held in high regard for his education and varied skills. Throughout his career, Cundy strived to create better unity in the church. He is particularly known for his support of female priests, which created some tension with other church members.

He was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in 2007, and by 2008 announced his plans to retire early because of the severity of his disease. Although he underwent chemotherapy, the aggressive cancer rapidly spread. Ian passed away shortly after collapsing at a family event. His wife, Jo, released a book in 2014 about their life together and her journey in letting him go.

Though asbestos is banned in the UK, there is still a lot of work to be done to help change the statistics and better prevent mesothelioma.

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Remembering Mesothelioma Victims in the UK - Mesothelioma.com (blog)

Jillian Duff covers pressing news for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance. Bio

June 20, 2017

Washington, D.C. - Barbara Minty McQueen, wife of the late actor and mesothelioma victim Steve McQueen, continues to create awareness and fight for an asbestos ban in the name of her film icon husbands legacy. Steve McQueen died of mesothelioma cancer at 50 years old.

Steve McQueen grew up in Indiana, and at one point during his service in the U.S. Navy, he met Barbara Minty and ran off with her. When the tryst was discovered, he was made to scrub the inside of a submarine from top to bottom. Its believed thats when the asbestos exposure occurred with flakes flying everywhere as he cleaned.

Asbestos doesnt only affect blue-collar workers. Housewives, Congressmen, movie stars, rock stars, and everyone else can be exposed. Even Hollywood film industry professionals have fallen victim to mesothelioma. Fake snow, special effect boards, piping, and curtains containing asbestos were used on numerous sets throughout history.

Barbara McQueen is a presenter at the 2017 Harvest America Festival to be held in the University of Phoenix stadium. Almost 63,000 people will be in attendance, and the speech will be broadcast to millions of viewers around the world.

According to Barbara McQueen, Steve once said, When I believe in something, I fight like hell for it. Thats why shes also written a new book titled Steve McQueen: the Salvation of an American Icon with Marshal Terrill, coauthor of Barbara McQueens first book, and Greg Laurie, founder of the Harvest Christian Fellowship.

Barbara McQueen has also published Steve McQueen: The Last Mile. It discusses the couples three-and-a-half-year relationship before he passed.

The revised edition of the book includes a page for mesothelioma information and talks about the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization to share more on the deadly effects of asbestos. Many international conference attendees and even Michelle Obama have been presented with the book.

Asbestos is still not banned in the U.S. American businesses legally import, use, and sell both raw asbestos and products made with it today. Hundreds of thousands of pounds enter the country each year, according to the EWA Action Fund.

I think he would think thats wonderful. That he could use his death, his celebrity, for something to help people open their eyes, said Barbara McQueen. I think hed be proud to be a part of it.

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Steve McQueen's Wife Pushes for Asbestos Ban - Mesothelioma.com

We asked Dr. Raja Flores, an expert in the study and treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma, about this aggressive form of lung cancer. Flores is based at Mt. Sinai in New York City and over the years has published information for mesothelioma patients and caregivers at the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance mesothelioma.com the national online resource center focused on raising awareness of the dangers of asbestos and information on related cancers.

Review-Journal: What is mesothelioma and what causes it?

Flores: Mesothelioma is a rare, aggressive disease that affects the linings of the lungs and abdomen. The vast majority of mesothelioma cases are caused by exposure to asbestos and can take anywhere from 20 to 50 years to show symptoms. After rigid asbestos fibers are inhaled, they can get stuck in the the lining of the lung, where inflammation and tumors can develop.

What percentage of people who are diagnosed with mesothelioma die from it?

I dont like to use percentages because those figures are for comparing patient populations. The percentages of people who are diagnosed vary depending on what studies you look at. Unfortunately, a majority of mesothelioma patients will die of their disease. However, there are many treatment options to improve and extend the length of ones life. Each patient should be looked at as an individual with different prognostic factors that will influence his or her survival.

What treatment options are available?

Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for mesothelioma, followed by chemotherapy or radiation or both depending on the intraoperative findings. Palliative treatment is recommended to ease symptoms and improve ones quality of life. New experimental treatments like immunotherapy and clinical trials are being worked on every day in hopes of finding a cure.

What resources are available for patients and caregivers in Las Vegas?

Las Vegas has a great cancer center (Nevada Comprehensive Cancer Center) with one of the best medical oncologists for mesothelioma, Dr. Nicholas Vogelzang. Also, patients are encouraged to travel to other mesothelioma specialists in New York or Boston for second opinions. Each individual is unique, and the best options are different for each person.

What suggestions do you have for people who might have had asbestos exposure in the past?

My suggestion would be to obtain a low dose screening CT scan to look for obvious signs of asbestos exposure in the lungs. Exposure to asbestos not only causes mesothelioma, but asbestos-related lung cancer and progressive asbestosis fibrosis that can lead to these illnesses mentioned and serious health concerns.

If you are a medical professional who would like to be considered for this feature, send your name, a brief explanation of your expertise and your contact information to health@reviewjournal.com.

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5 Questions: Treatment options exist for mesothelioma - Las Vegas Review-Journal

Staging of a persons cancer is done for many different reasons. According to the American Cancer Society, staging is defined as: The process of finding out how much cancer is in the persons body and where it is located. Its how the doctor determines the stage of a persons cancer. For mesothelioma, there have been various different staging systems put in place over the years at different institutions. This sometimes leads to confusion regarding the language, a patients prognosis, and for scientists hoping to speak a common language when collaborating.

Most cancers are staged using the TNM classification system. T stands for the primary tumor, N stands for the lymph nodes- whether the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, M stands for metastasis, whether the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body. Each of these three classifications- T, N, M is then broken down with more descriptive information. Once the extent of the T, N, M classifications have been determined, they are then assigned an overall stage. There are also other factors that affect the stage, including the grade- how the cells look under the microscope, cell type, location, and tumor marker levels. Once cancer is staged it always remains the same. If you are diagnosed with Stage 2 cancer, it will always be referred to as Stage 2 even if it goes into remission, or metastasizes to other organs.

For many years, mesothelioma experts did not have a defined staging system exclusively to describe mesothelioma. A mesothelioma expert once said mesothelioma is so rare just having the diagnosis of mesothelioma, at an earlier point in time, would have gottenyou into a mesothelioma clinical trial.

As testimony to progress, a group led by Dr. Valerie Rusch of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, in conjunction with the International Mesothelioma Interest Group, and other organizations has defined a new staging system for pleural mesothelioma. The importance of mesothelioma staging system is uniformity in describing the disease. The effect of various treatment options can be studied and perfected for the different types of pleural mesothelioma.

More evidence that the treatment of mesothelioma is being advanced on many fronts and further work towards a potential cure!

If you have questions about your mesothelioma treatment or any aspect of your mesothelioma care, please email me at LHyde-Barrett@mesotheliomahelp.net.

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Nurse Explains Mesothelioma Staging - MesotheliomaHelp.org (blog)

Much of mesothelioma research centers on identifying new and noninvasive biomarkers for earlier detection of the asbestos-related cancer.

Progress has been made in finding biomarkers in blood and pleural effusions, but researchers in Belgium now believe the next breakthrough in early diagnosis for mesothelioma cancer may be a breath test.

Researchers at Ghent University Hospital and Antwerp University Hospital recently highlighted the potential of breath analysis, called breathomics, as a noninvasive screening tool for malignant pleural mesothelioma. The Oncotarget medical journal published the study in May.

Breath tests or electronic noses are not a new innovation, but the science behind them especially as an early detection device for cancer is improving.

The tool uses spectrometric, chromatographic and sensor techniques to identify organic molecules in breath as biomarkers. There are still challenges, including improving effectiveness and ease-of-use, lowering test-related costs and shortening the time for achieving an analytical result.

There is also a need for more clinical studies with larger patient cohorts.

But breath tests seem to be the most promising avenue for early detection. Current mesothelioma screening tools generally detect the cancer in advance stages.

We believe a breathomics-based biomarker approach should be further explored to improve the follow-up and management of asbestos exposed individuals, lead researcher Sabrina Lagniau wrote in the study. We aim to develop breath analysis as a point-of-care biomarker test that meets these requirements.

Mesothelioma, much like other cancers, is best treated in the early stage.

But the rarity of the cancer, along with symptoms that mirror less serious conditions, makes early detection difficult. Most diagnoses occur after symptoms become severe, when the cancer has progressed so much that treatments usually focus on improving a patients quality of life rather than substantially extending it.

In the recent study, Lagniau and her team highlight shortcomings of blood and fluid based biomarkers.

Studies addressing the accuracy in mesothelioma patients versus healthy controls are redundant, as are studies restricted to pleural effusions, as the latter are obtained in patients who have already a high likelihood of [malignant pleural mesothelioma], Lagniau wrote.

Lagniaus team believes the focus should turn to people with a history of asbestos exposure with no signs of asbestos-related health conditions.

High-risk individuals can be monitored with breathomics, and if they are later diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, researchers can better determine the biological changes that occurred.

While this wont prevent the development of mesothelioma, it could potentially lead to detection before symptoms appear, when the cancer is localized and more life-extending treatment options are possible.

It could revolutionize the diagnostic process, which now relies on imaging tests and biopsies.

Cancer is a disease that affects people in every layer of society and we, scientists, have the obligation to use our knowledge on human health in exploring new ways to improve cancer management, Lagniau wrote. Therefore, future studies should focus on the at-risk population, consisting of people being [occupationally] exposed to asbestos with a latency time of at least 20 years after exposure.

There is still no gold standard for breath analysis in regard to early detection of malignancies.

Currently, the best option is gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), known for its high sensitivity and ability to identify and quantify individual compounds.

But downsides of GC-MS, as Lagniau points out, include its relative cost, requirement for expert operation and the amount of time it takes to get a result.

Other breath analysis tools such as electronic noses (e-noses) or selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry allow for real-time results, but also come with shortcomings, including decreased sensitivity.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may be used as a potential diagnostic biomarker to screen mesothelioma and other cancers. The Belgian research team believes if cancer-specific VOCs can be identified, e-noses can be refined to detect them.

With this strategy, the specificity of an e-nose will be higher than that of the standard, more complex technologies, Lagniau wrote.

There is still plenty of work to be done, but Lagniau feels research is moving in the right direction.

Research that focuses on breath biomarkers in [malignant pleural mesothelioma] is in its early days, but the few studies that have been performed show promising results.

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Can a Breath Test Diagnose Mesothelioma in the Early Stages? - Asbestos.com

NEW YORK, June 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --The Mesothelioma Compensation Center is now urging an electrical worker or any electrician who has recently been diagnosed with mesothelioma to call anytime at 800-714-0303 for access to two or three of the nation's most skilled, experienced, and capable mesothelioma attorneys. The group's number one goal for people with mesothelioma is to get the best possible financial compensation. This might explain why they are so passionate about a person with mesothelioma hiring the absolute top mesothelioma attorneys in the nation. http://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com

An electrician or electrical worker could have had exposure to asbestos by having contact with the following products:

The Mesothelioma Compensation Center says, "The reason the financial compensation for an electrical worker or electrician can be so significant is because prior to 1980 the individual most likely had non-stop exposure to asbestos. The only work groups that could have had equal or more exposure to asbestos would be a US Navy Veteran, shipyard worker, plumber, insulator, or welder.

"If we had one vital tip for an electrical worker or electrician with mesothelioma it would be call us at 800-714-0303 to ensure you have the nation's top mesothelioma attorneys working on your financial claim.

"We recommend the nation's most skilled and qualified mesothelioma attorneys because these experts produce the best financial compensation results for their clients nationwide. We want people with mesothelioma to get the best compensation, but to do so they will need to team up with the nation's top mesothelioma attorneys as we would like to discuss." http://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com

For a listing of most major electrical utility companies in the United States please refer to the following website: http://www.bestenergynews.com/solar/utility_co/utility_companies.php.

The Mesothelioma Compensation Center specializes in assisting specific types of people who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma. The Center's top priority is assisting US Navy Veterans, shipyard workers, oil refinery workers, public-utility workers, chemical plant workers, manufacturing workers,power plant workers,plumbers, welders,electricians, millwrights, pipefitters, boiler technicians, machinists, nuclear power plant workers, hydro-electric workers or oil and gas field production workers who have been diagnosed with this rare cancer caused by asbestos exposure. In most instances a diagnosed person with mesothelioma was exposed to asbestos in the 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, or 1980's. http://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com

According to the CDC the states indicated with the highest incidence of mesotheliomainclude Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland,New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia,Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Louisiana, Washington, and Oregon. However, an electrician or electric utility worker with mesothelioma could live in any state including California, New York, Florida,Texas,Illinois,Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia,Alabama, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada,Utah, Arizona, Idaho, or Alaska.

The average age for a diagnosed victim of mesothelioma is about72 years old. This year between 2500, and 3000 US citizens will be diagnosed with mesothelioma. US Navy Veterans comprise about one-third of all people who will be diagnosed with mesothelioma each year in the United States.

The Mesothelioma Compensation Center says, "Before you hire a law firm to advance a mesothelioma compensation claim for yourself or a family member please call us anytime at 800-714-0303 to ensure you are talking directly to the nation's very best mesothelioma attorneys." http://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com

For more information about mesothelioma please refer to the National Institutes of Health's web site related to this rare form of cancer: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mesothelioma.html

Contact: Michael Thomas 8007140303 163147@email4pr.com

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SOURCE Mesothelioma Compensation Center

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Mesothelioma Compensation Center Now Urges an Electric Utility Worker or Electrician with Mesothelioma to Aim High ... - PR Newswire (press release)

Most people who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestosis have been exposed to asbestos from a job where they were breathing asbestos fibers.

However, there are also a growing number of cases involving family members and others who have contracted mesothelioma or other asbestos-related ailments through second-hand asbestos exposure. Common industrial fields where workers may be exposed to asbestos and increase the risk of mesothelioma for themselves andloved onesinclude:

In recent years, there have also been a growing number of mesothelioma cases caused by second-hand asbestos exposure, where the individual lived with someone who worked around asbestos and may have breathed fibers that were carried home on their clothing or in their hair. This has been found to occur among spouses who washed the workers clothes and among children who were held by their father after coming home covered in asbestos fibers.

The asbestos attorneys at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. review potential injury lawsuits for individuals throughout the United States who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestosis. To review a potential claim for yourself, a friend or family member, request a free consultation.

The lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk are investigating potential claims for individuals throughout the United States who may be entitled to compensation through an asbestos lawsuit as a result of mesothelioma or asbestosis.

REVIEW A CASE

It is estimated that approximately 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year. Most begin in the chest cavity.

Because the signs of mesothelioma, asbestosis and other asbestos-related diseases often take a long time to manifest, diagnosis of these ailments often comes decades after exposure.

There is no cure for these asbestos exposure injuries and most of those who are diagnosed with mesothelioma from asbestos often only have a prognosis of one to five years after the illness is discovered.

In many cases, industries and employers knew for years that asbestos exposure was dangerous to their workers, but put profits ahead of worker safety and failed to warn them of the dangers of exposure and failed to provide the proper safety equipment.

Many individuals each year are able to obtain an asbestos settlement, as massive jury verdicts have repeatedly been handed down throughout the United States.

ASBESTOS LAWSUIT

Our lawyers can provide a free consultation and claim evaluation to determine what benefits your family may be entitled to for payment of medical costs, lost wages and personal injury damages as a result of injuries from exposure to asbestos. Numerous settlements and financial recoveries have been obtained for asbestos victims and their families nationwide. If you, a friend or family member have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, we can protect your rights and pursue the compensation you may be entitled.

Request a free consultation and claim evaluation. There are no fees or expenses until we secure a recovery.

CONTACT OUR ASBESTOS LAWYERS ABOUT AN INJURY LAWSUIT

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Asbestos Exposure Attorneys - Mesothelioma Lawsuits ...

A mutation on the BAP1 tumor suppressor gene can influence the development of malignant mesothelioma but may have little bearing onsurvival.

That conclusion comes from a new Chinese study of more than 2,400 people with cancers directly linked to the BAP1 genetic mutation, including pleural mesothelioma.

BRCA1-associated protein 1 (BAP1) is a tumor suppressing protein encoded by the BAP1 gene. Multiple studies have confirmed that people with a mutation on the BAP1 tumor suppressor gene are more likely to develop certain kinds of cancer, including malignant mesothelioma.

The BAP1 gene helps explain why some people develop mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos exposure while others do not.

In addition to mesothelioma, other cancers associated with BAP1 mutation include uveal melanoma, clear cell renal cell carcinoma, and possibly cholangiocarcinoma (a cancer of the bile ducts). People with the syndrome are also more likely to develop benign melanocytic skin tumors when they are young.

In the new study, researchers with Chinas Fudan University analyzed 21 different BAP1 studies including 2,457 cancer patients. The study contains some good new for mesothelioma patients who have the BAP1 mutation.

Although the pooled results demonstrated that BAP1 mutation was a negative indicator of overall survival and disease-free survival, this prognostic value was only applicable to uveal melanoma and clear cell renal cell carcinoma, but not to malignant pleural mesothelioma or cholangiocarcinoma, reports XY Wang, a surgeon whose name appears first on the paper.

According to Dr. Wang and colleagues, BAP1 mutation only influenced how the cancer lookedunder the microscope(clinicopathological features)in uveal melanoma and clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Mesothelioma cellsfrom people with the BAP1 mutation looked the same as any other mesothelioma cells.

In fact, there is evidence that BAP1 mutation may actually have a positive impact on mesothelioma survival. A 2015 study of mesothelioma patients with BAP1 mutations suggested that these patients maylive longer than mesothelioma patients without the mutation because they tend to be younger and healthier at diagnosis.

Source:

Wang, XY, et al, Tissue-specific significance of BAP1 gene mutation in prognostic prediction and molecular taxonomy among different types of cancer, June 2017, Tumour Biology

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The Influence of BAP1 on Mesothelioma Survival - Surviving Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma, an asbestos-caused cancer, comes with debilitating pain. Patients and their doctors often try a variety of options to relieve the pain, but still, it persists. Many patients also worry about the addictive side effects of the frequently used opioid drugs. Now, a drug-free, effective relief may soon be on the way if a clinical trial using radiotherapy proves helpful.

Noting that there is an urgent need to improve the treatment of pain in malignant pleural mesothelioma patients, researchers from the Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit, based at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, a Scottish cancer center focused on the delivery of non-surgical cancer care, hope to enroll 100 patients in the second round of the Symptoms Study of Radiotherapy in Mesothelioma (SYSTEMS) clinical trial. In the first round of 40 patients given a standard dose of radiation, the team reports approximately one third of patients experienced clinically meaningful improvements in pain control with minimal toxicity.

In the SYSTEMS-2 randomized trial, 50 percent of the patients will receive the standard dose of radiation and the other half will receive a higher dose. By conducting a side-by-side comparison, the researchers hope to determine the best dosage for pain control with acceptable side effects. The researchers will also be monitoring the impact on quality of life and overall survival time. The radiation therapy will be given over two weeks.

In SYSTEMS-2, we are comparing the standard dose of radiotherapy (given in SYSTEMS) with a bigger dose given over 2 weeks, note the researchers, according to the SYSTEMS-2 website. The reason for doing this is because we believe that the bigger dose of radiotherapy may be more effective in controlling pain, but because no-one has looked at this before, we cannot be sure.

Mesothelioma tumors are often located close to other organs which limits the ability of oncologists to order radiation treatment in high enough doses to successfully attack the cancer. However, by using the most current radiation tools, deep-seated tumors can be targeted with greater precision limiting damage to the surrounding tissue.

Since we will be giving a bigger dose of radiotherapy to some of the patients, we are using more sophisticated methods to plan and deliver the treatments than were used in SYSTEMS, according to the trial notes. These techniques allow us to carefully control the doses given to normal tissues, ensuring that these are kept at a safe level and dont cause unacceptable side effects.

Pain associated with mesothelioma varies from patient to patient and depends on the type of mesothelioma. Over half of the pleural (lung) mesothelioma patients suffer pain in the lower, back and sides of the chest. Sufferers of peritoneal (abdominal) mesothelioma may experience pain in the abdominal area. The pain typically increases over time and can be acute in many patients requiring prescription narcotics to manage the pain. Even with the most potent drugs available, pain continues to impact the quality of life for the patients.

To find out more about the Systems-2 trial visit the SYSTEMS-2 website.

Photo Credit: Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre

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Clinical Trial to Assess If Radiation Therapy Can Bring Effective Relief from Mesothelioma Pain - MesotheliomaHelp.org (blog)

Malignant mesothelioma is a cancer that takes years to make itself known, but once it is detected it is particularly deadly, spreading aggressively throughout the body and making effective treatment nearly impossible. But a recent discovery by a researcher from Johns Hopkins has identified the biochemical mechanism that spurs cancerous cells to break off and do what is known as metastasizing spreading to other areas of the body and that discovery may hold the key to finding more effective treatment options.

According to a report published in The Baltimore Sun, Hasini Jayatilaka has been interested in the ways that cancer cells break off and spread since she was just a sophomore studying at Johns Hopkins University. Now she and a team of scientists have not only identified what makes cells break off and spread, but also that two already existing drugs that have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration may actually slow down the process of cancer spreading throughout the body including malignant mesothelioma.

Jayatilaka is now a PhD with a degree in chemical and bimolecular engineering. Speaking of her discovery, which was published in the journal Nature Communications,she says, There are really no therapeutics out there right now that directly target the spread of cancer. So what we came up with through our studies was this drug cocktail that could potentially inhibit the spread of cancer.

In most cases (including mesothelioma) cancer treatment has focused on the main cancerous tumor, either through surgical removal, shrinking it through radiation therapy, or killing its cells with chemotherapy. By opting instead to slow metastasis, Jayatilakas group believes that more patients will be able to survive. As senior author Denis Wirtz, Johns Hopkins vice provost for research and director of its Physical Sciences-Oncology Center says, Its not this primary tumor thats going to kill you typically.

The researchers believe that when cancer cells become too dense, they release two proteins Interleukin 6 and Interleukin 8. The proteins serve as a signal that the cancer cannot continue to sustain itself amidst the crowded area and that it is time to move off to other parts of the body and start a new colony. What is particularly exciting about this discovery is that there are two drugs that have already been found to block Interleukin receptors. By using them together, they found that they were able to slow metastasis, though not to stop it completely. It is their hope that by adding a third drug the effect will be more complete.

People diagnosed with mesothelioma derive hope from the great strides being made in cancer research. If you would like information about research or other resources that may be available to you, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net. We are dedicated to providing assistance to those affected by this challenging disease.

Terri Oppenheimer is an independent writer, editor, and proofreader. She graduated from the College of William and Mary with a degree in English. Her dreams of a writing career were diverted by a need to pay her bills. She spent a few years providing the copy for a major retailer, then landed a lucrative career in advertising sales. With college bills for all three of her kids paid, she left corporate America for a return to her original goal of writing. She specializes in providing content for websites and finds tremendous enjoyment in the things she learns while doing her research. Her specific areas of interest include health and fitness, medical research, and the law.

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Mesothelioma Treatment May Benefit From New Discovery ... - Mesothelioma.net Blog (blog)

NEW YORK, June 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mesothelioma Victims Center says, "The biggest mistake we see construction workers, plumbers, or anyone in the skilled trades with mesothelioma make is to not think their compensation claim could be worth as much as it is. Depending on the extent of the asbestos exposure and how or where it occurred, a diagnosed person's compensation could be in the low six figures or it could exceed one million dollars.

"So that a recently diagnosed construction or skilled trades worker knows what their potential financial compensation claim could be worth, we offer on-the-spot access to some of the most skilled, experienced, and qualified mesothelioma attorneys in the United States. This mesothelioma claim evaluation is free as we would like to discuss anytime at 800-714-0303 and there is no obligation to hire the attorney. However, these really are some of the nation's top mesothelioma attorneys, so it would be a very good starting point as far as the potential value of the claim and what might be involved for the diagnosed person." http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com

Specific types of construction workers or skilled trades workers the Mesothelioma Victims Center specializes in assisting include:

For a family seeking more information about mesothelioma please refer to the National Cancer Institute's website on this topic: https://www.cancer.gov/types/mesothelioma/patient/mesothelioma-treatment-pdq.

For a listing a banned asbestos products for construction workers please refer to the EPA's website on this topic: https://www.epa.gov/asbestos/us-federal-bans-asbestos

Each year about 3000 US citizens will be diagnosed with mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos. High -risk work groups for exposure to asbestos include US Navy Veterans,power plant workers, shipyard workers, oil refinery workers, steel mill workers, miners,manufacturing workers, pulp or paper mill workers, millwrights, welders, plumbers, electricians, auto mechanics, machinists, construction workers, rail road workers, and firemen. Typically, the exposure to asbestos for these types of workers occurred in the 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, or 1980's.

The average age for a diagnosed victim of mesothelioma is about 70 years old.Frequently victims of mesothelioma are initially misdiagnosed with pneumonia. http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com

According to the CDC the states indicated with the highest incidence of mesotheliomainclude Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland,New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia,Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Louisiana, Washington, and Oregon.

However, based on the calls the Mesothelioma Victims Center receives a construction worker or plumber with mesothelioma could live in any state including New York, Florida, California, Texas,Illinois, Ohio, Iowa,Indiana, Missouri, North Carolina,Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia,Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada,Arizona, Idaho, or Alaska.

The Mesothelioma Victims Center says, "As we would like to explain anytime at 800-714-0303 if a person who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma wants the best possible compensation it is vital they have the nation's most skilled, and experienced mesothelioma lawyers." http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com

For more information about mesothelioma please refer to the National Institutes of Health's web site related to this rare form of cancer: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mesothelioma.html

Media Contact: 163153@email4pr.com 800-714-0303

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mesothelioma-victims-center-now-urges-a-diagnosed-construction-worker-or-plumber-to-call-for-instant-access-to-the-nations-top-lawyers-and-a-free-financial-compensation-evaluation-300475276.html

SOURCE Mesothelioma Victims Center

Mesothelioma Victims Center

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Mesothelioma Victims Center Now Urges a Diagnosed Construction Worker or Plumber to Call for Instant Access to the ... - PR Newswire (press release)

Symptoms of mesothelioma can often be confused with the symptoms of other diseases. Therefore, it is important to know the potential signs of mesothelioma, especially if you have a history of being exposed to asbestos. By recognizing symptoms right away, mesothelioma patients have a better chance of receiving an early diagnosis, which can improve overall prognosis and life expectancy.

Mesothelioma can take a long time to develop, and the symptoms of the disease often do not present themselves until the cancer has progressed to later stages. Early signs of mesothelioma can be easily mistaken for common, everyday ailments, and as a result, early symptoms are often ignored, dismissed, or misdiagnosed.

Symptoms can also vary significantly based on the type of mesothelioma a person has. The table below provides an overview of the most common signs and symptoms of late-stage mesothelioma based on the location of the tumors.

Not all of the symptoms listed here will manifest for each type of mesothelioma. However, they can be used as a guide to help doctors find the right diagnosis, or at least know where to begin looking.

While a few symptoms are common to all types of the disease, mesothelioma symptoms are strongly tied to the location of the mesothelioma tumors in the body.

The most common form of mesothelioma, pleural mesothelioma develops in the linings of the lungs and accounts for approximately 75 percent of all cases of the disease. Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma often affect breathing and the thoracic cavity(chest), and they can often be taken for problems related to other diseases, such as pneumonia, flu, or even lung cancer.

Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include:

The lining of the abdomen is known as the peritoneum, and this is where peritoneal mesothelioma develops, accounting for approximately one quarter of mesothelioma cases. Because the abdomen contains many different organs, symptoms can vary significantly, depending where within the abdomen tumors occur and which organs may be affected. Symptoms such as loss of appetite, swelling, and abdominal pain can often be confused for diseases related to specific organs or systemic problems, rather than mesothelioma.

Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include:

Fewer than 1 percent of mesothelioma cases affect the lining of the heart (the pericardium), and unfortunately in many cases the disease is not diagnosed until after the patient dies. As with other forms of the disease, symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma can often mimic other conditions, such as coronary heart disease, heart failure, or pericarditis (an inflammation of the pericardium).

Symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma include:

The latency period for mesothelioma can last for many years, usually decades. This provides a long timeframe during which symptoms can develop, and in many cases they may be confused for symptoms of another condition even after the symptoms begin to occur.

In general, the early stages of the disease present fewer and milder symptoms than the later stages. This is one reason why mesothelioma is so hard to diagnose in the early stages, and why developing early detection techniques is an important area of research.

Stage 1

The tumor is found only in the lining of the lung, abdomen, or heart, and it has not spread to the lymph nodes or other areas of the body. Most people experience no or very mild symptoms at this stage.

Stage 2

The cancer has grown beyond its initial point of origin, and it may have spread to nearby lymph nodes. Certain symptoms such as shortness of breath, weight loss, or chronic coughing are likely to occur, but may still be relatively mild and misdiagnosed.

Stage 3

This advanced stage of mesothelioma is where most diagnoses occur, and where symptoms tend to be taken seriously. Symptoms tend to include chest pain or difficulty breathing(pleural mesothelioma) or abdominal pain and discomfort(peritoneal mesothelioma).

Stage 4

In the most advanced stage, symptoms are severe and can affect many areas of the body. They include pain, difficulty swallowing or breathing, and systemic problems. Treatment for Stage 4 mesothelioma is limited to palliative care to reduce pain.

Once mesothelioma has metastasized that is, spread to other parts of the body well beyond where the first tumor originated symptoms will often include systemic problems, such as:

Whenever your body is showing signs of sickness, it is best not to ignore it, regardless of whether you have a rare disease, such as mesothelioma, or a common sickness like the flu. This is especially true if you are experiencing symptoms such as difficulty breathing, abdominal pain, or chest pain, which could point to mesothelioma or another severe condition.

The best thing to do in such cases is to start by talking with your family doctor. Explain to your doctor in as much detail as possible the symptoms you are experiencing, without leaving anything out. The more information your doctor has, the better he or she can diagnose the problem or refer you to a specialist.

If your doctor believes you may have mesothelioma, they will typically refer you to an oncologist, a type of doctor who specializes in cancer diagnosis and treatment. (Since most mesothelioma cases affect the linings of the lungs, this is usually a thoracic oncologist.) Your oncologist will perform a series of diagnostic tests, which may include imaging scans, blood tests, or biopsies, to determine whether you mesothelioma or another form of cancer. Once a diagnosis is confirmed, the oncologist will work with you and your family doctor to develop a treatment plan.

The most important thing, however, is not to ignore any symptoms you may be experiencing. Mesothelioma has a very poor prognosis, and the best thing you can do to improve that prognosis is to catch it early. Telling your doctor about any symptoms as soon as you start experiencing them is the only way to do that.

Several factors influence when and how symptoms of mesothelioma develop. Some of the most important factors are a persons occupation, the duration of asbestos exposure, and the type of asbestos they were exposed to.

Duration: Individuals who are exposed to asbestos over extended periods of time, such as at a workplace, could develop symptoms sooner than those who are not exposed to the substance on a regular basis.

Amount: Those who experience asbestos exposure in large quantities may be more likely to develop symptoms more quickly than those who are exposed to low levels of asbestos.

Type of Asbestos: In general, crocidolite is considered more hazardous to your health than other forms of asbestos. Crocidolite exposure may lead to mesothelioma symptoms sooner than other asbestos types.

Stage: Different symptoms may show up depending on the stage of the disease. Patients with earlier stages of mesothelioma will often have milder symptoms than those who are diagnosed at a later stage.

Other factors, such as cell type, metastasis(spreading), and duration of exposure to asbestos can affect which symptoms appear and when.

Ahmed, Ishtiaq, Salman Ahmed Tipu, and Sundas Ishtiaq. "Malignant Mesothelioma." Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences 29.6 (2013). National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 04 May 0006. Web. 17 June 2014. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3905399/.

Algn, Mustafa Cem, Faik Yaylak, Zlf Bayhan, Figen Aslan, and Nilfer Araz. "Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma: Clinicopathological Characteristics of Two Cases." Case Reports in Surgery 2014. Hindawi Publishing Corporation. Web. 18 June 2014. http://www.hindawi.com/journals/cris/2014/748469/.

Boyum, James, BA, and Neil Wasserman, MD. "Malignant Mesothelioma of the Tunica Vaginalis Testis: A Case Illustrating Doppler Color Flow Imaging and Its Potential for Preoperative Diagnosis." Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine 27 (2008). Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine. Web. http://www.jultrasoundmed.org/content/27/8/1249.short#cited-by.

Cedrs, Susana, Lorena Farias, Neda Stejpanovic, Pablo Martinez, Alex Martinez, Esther Zamora, Maria Angeles Montero, and Enriqueta Felip. "Bone Metastases with Nerve Root Compression as a Late Complication in Patient with Epithelial Pleural Mesothelioma." Journal of Thoracic Disease 5.2 (2013). PubMed. Web. 18 June 2014. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3621936/.

Godar, Mohit, Jianhua Liu, Pengguo Zhang, Yang Xia, and Qinghai Yuan. "Primary Pericardial Mesothelioma: A Rare Entity." Case Reports in Oncological Medicine 2013 (2013): 1-4. Hindawi Publishing Corporation. Web. http://www.hindawi.com/journals/crionm/2013/283601/.

Goel, Ashish, Akansha Agrawal, Rajiv Gupta, Smriti Hari, and A. B. Dey. "Malignant Mesothelioma of the Tunica Vaginalis of the Testis without Exposure to Asbestos." Cases Journal 1.1 (2008): 310. Web. 18 June 2014. http://www.casesjournal.com/content/1/1/310.

"Malignant Mesothelioma." American Cancer Society. Web. 18 June 2014. http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/003119-pdf.pdf.

"Malignant Mesothelioma Treatment (PDQ)." National Cancer Institute. 12 Dec. 2013. Web. 17 June 2014. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/malignantmesothelioma/patient/page2.

"Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma." National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Web. 18 June 2014. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/mpm.pdf.

"Mesothelioma." Mayo Clinic. 24 Oct. 2012. Web. 18 June 2014. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mesothelioma/basics/definition/CON-20026157?p=1.

Suman, S. "Primary Pericardial Mesothelioma Presenting as Pericardial Constriction: A Case Report." Heart 90.1 (2004): 4e-4. Web. 18 June 2014. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1767997/.

"Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment." American Lung Association. Web. 18 June 2014. http://www.lung.org/lung-disease/mesothelioma/symptoms-diagnosis.html.

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Mesothelioma Symptoms - Identify Early Warning Signs

Researchers say cediranib has "tolerable toxicity" and "promising efficacy" in the treatment of malignant mesothelioma.

Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) June 18, 2017

A new clinical trial of the VEGF-inhibitor cediranib suggests that, at the right dose, the drug might safely be used to improve the effectiveness of standard chemotherapy for pleural mesothelioma. Surviving Mesothelioma has published a new article on the trial. Click here to read it now.

For the Phase I trial, doctors at several US cancer centers helped test a mesothelioma treatment combination including the oral cancer drug cediranib the the standard mesothelioma chemotherapy drugs pemetrexed (Alimta) and cisplatin.

"Cediranib combined with cisplatin-pemetrexed has a reasonable toxicity profile and preliminary promising efficacy," writes oncologist Anne Tsao, MD, of MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas.

The study, published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, determined that 20 milligrams of cediranib, taken during each chemotherapy cycle for six cycles, produced a disease control rate of 90 percent and a median overall survival of 16.2 months.

"Although previous studies of cediranib have produced some severe side effects, this study of the drug at a smaller dose suggests that it may still have a role to play in mesothelioma treatment," says Alex Strauss, Managing Editor for Surviving Mesothelioma.

For the complete details of the new cediranib study, as well as background on the drug, see Cediranib May be Safe Supplement to Mesothelioma Treatment, now available on the Surviving Mesothelioma website.

Tsao, AS, et al, "Phase I Trial of Cediranib in combination with cisplatin and pemetrexed in chemo naive patients with unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma (SWOG S0905)", June 6, 2017, Journal of Thoracic Oncology, Epub ahead of print, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S155608641730429X

For more than a decade, Surviving Mesothelioma has brought readers the most important and ground-breaking news on the causes, diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma. All Surviving Mesothelioma news is gathered and reported directly from the peer-reviewed medical literature. Written for patients and their loved ones, Surviving Mesothelioma news helps families make more informed decisions.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2017/06/prweb14436904.htm

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New Trial Finds VEGF-Inhibitor May Safely Boost Mesothelioma ... - Benzinga

The VEGF inhibitor cediranib may not yet be out of the running as a mesothelioma treatment.

Although previous studies have found it to have dose-limiting side effects, a new study in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology finds that, at the right dose, it could boost the effectiveness of standard mesothelioma chemotherapy.

Cediranib, an oral drug made by Astra Zeneca, is a powerful inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a signal protein that can stimulate the growth of cancer cells.

Research has found that mesothelioma patients who have higher serum levels of VEGF have a lower chance of survival. Cediranib has the ability to counter the effects of VEGF by latching onto VEGF receptor sites inside cancer cells, preventing the protein from having an effect on those cells.

In 2011, an NIH study found that cediranib could significantly shrink tumors in people with alveolar soft part sarcoma, a rare malignancy for which no other chemotherapy drugs had been effective. But a 2012 study of cediranib in mesothelioma patients found that most could not tolerate the drug at doses higher than 45 milligrams and many still had serious side effects like hypertension and blood clots at 30 milligrams.

For the new Phase I trial, mesothelioma researchers cut the dose in half and combined it with standard chemotherapy. In this study, most pleural mesothelioma patients who received 20 milligrams of cediranib along with pemetrexed and cisplatin did not experience side effects that were serious enough to stop the study.

The mesothelioma patients selected for the study had been deemed inoperable and had not yet received any chemotherapy. They were treated with 6 cycles of chemotherapy along with cediranib.

Although some did experience a drop in white blood cells, gastrointestinal upset, and low blood platelets, at six weeks, the disease control rate was 90 percent. The median overall survival for patients on this regimen was 16.2 months.

Cediranib combined with cisplatin-pemetrexed has a reasonable toxicity profile and preliminary promising efficacy, writes oncologist Anne Tsao, MD, of MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas.

The next step for the supplemental use of cediranib in the chemotherapeutic treatment of malignant mesothelioma is to test the combination in a planned Phase II trial. Phase I clinical trials establish dose and safety while Phase II trials focus on a drugs effectiveness.

Although most mesothelioma patients receive chemotherapy as part of their treatment, it is only moderately effective. Even with the gold standard chemotherapy regimen of pemetrexed and cisplatin, mesothelioma is usually fatal within a year.

A number of new and ongoingmesothelioma studiesarefocused on potential methods forboosting the power of chemotherapy.

Sources:

Tsao, AS, et al, Phase I Trial of Cediranib in combination with cisplatin and pemetrexed in chemo naive patients with unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma (SWOG S0905), June 6, 2017, Journal of Thoracic Oncology, Epub ahead of print

Campbell, NP et al, Cediranib in Patients with malignant mesothelioma: A phase II trial of the University of Chicago Phase II Consortium, July 23, 2012, Lung Cancer, Epub ahead of print

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Cediranib May be Safe Supplement to Mesothelioma Treatment - Surviving Mesothelioma

Newly diagnosed mesothelioma patients around the world have begun enrolling in a much-anticipated, phase III clinical trial involving an immunotherapy drug combination with groundbreaking potential.

The trial, designed as first-line therapy for unresectable pleural mesothelioma, will measure the effectiveness of nivolumab (Opdivo) and ipilimumab (Yervoy) against standard-of-care chemotherapy.

A presentation this month at the 2017 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting sparked high expectations for the trial, detailing early, impressive effectiveness involving the two drugs in second-line and third-line treatments.

Pharmaceutical giant Bristol-Myers Squibb is sponsoring the latest clinical trial that will include investigational sites in 20 countries and 17 cancer centers across the U.S., including:

Were ultimately hoping [with this trial] to forge a new standard of care for mesothelioma, Dr. Patrick Ma, lead investigator at WVU Cancer Center, told Asbestos.com. Yes, the expectations for this trial are high.

The ASCO presentation in Chicago was based on a multi-center phase II trial in France that included 125 patients with recurrent mesothelioma and measured the effectiveness of nivolumab against a nivolumab and ipilimumab combination.

The disease control rate (DCR) the percentage of patients in which the cancer either does not grow or shrinks was 50 percent at the 12-week mark for those getting the drug combination.

It was 44 percent for those receiving only nivolumab. According to the investigators, previous studies using other second-line treatments managed only a 30 percent DCR.

Tumors shrank in 26 percent of patients getting both drugs and in 17 percent of those receiving just the one. The median progression-free survival (until the cancer worsens) was 5.6 months with the combination and four months with the single drug.

Severe side effects were more common with the drug combination than with nivolumab alone, with 18 percent and 10 percent of patients reporting, respectively.

Our findings suggest that immunotherapy may provide new hope to patients with relapsed mesothelioma, said lead study author Dr. Arnaud Scherpereel of University Hospital of Lille in France. It is too early to conclude whether nivolumab alone or the combination is better.

The phase III trial, which is preparing for 600 participants across the 20 countries, is expected to last until 2021. Newly diagnosed patients with unresectable disease are encouraged to participate.

It is a randomized trial in which the immunotherapy drug combination will be measured against a pemetrexed and cisplatin or carboplatin chemotherapy combination.

The concept of clinical trials needs to be promoted for mesothelioma patients, whose standard of care has been chemotherapy after chemotherapy that has not produced a wonderful response or a satisfactory outcome, Ma said. In a sense, these trials should be seen as just part of modern clinical care.

Unlike chemotherapy, immunotherapy drugs are designed to boost the bodys natural defenses to fight the cancer. They work by blocking the molecules which prevent the immune system from recognizing the cancer as foreign.

Ma, co-leader of the lung cancer program at WVU, believes immunotherapy is the future for many tough-to-treat cancers, including mesothelioma.

In 2015, nivolumab was the first immunotherapy drug approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for non-small cell lung cancer as a second-line treatment.

In May, the FDA approved pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in combination with chemotherapy for first-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, another first for an immunotherapy drug.

Pharmaceutical company Merck is expected to announce soon its latest mesothelioma clinical trial involving a combination of Keytruda and CRS-207, a drug form of the Listeria bacteria.

More immunotherapy combination trials are on the horizon for many cancers.

We are only at the dawn of the immunotherapy revolution. We are moving inch-by-inch closer to better treatment for these cancers, Ma said. In the big picture of things, there is still so much more we can learn about the immune system that will lead to significant advancements.

Mesothelioma, which has no definitive cure, is an aggressive cancer typically caused by occupational exposure to asbestos. The FDA has not approved a new treatment for first line mesothelioma therapy since 2005.

The majority of patients with pleural mesothelioma live less than 18 months after diagnosis.

People need to pay more attention to this rare disease, Ma said of mesothelioma. It is really emotional walking with them through this [cancer] journey and not having great treatment options. Hopefully now, were closer to finding a better way to treat them.

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Mesothelioma Clinical Trial Opens with High Expectations - Asbestos.com

My dad always enjoyed celebrating the holidays, especially Fathers Day.

Unlike Christmas or Thanksgiving, Fathers Day was all about him. It is a day families spend together, expressing their love and appreciation for the father figures in their lives.

Most men revel in the attention and enjoy time spent with friends and family. My father was no exception.

During the late spring of 1993, Dad was receiving the last of his chemotherapy and radiation treatments. He was very sick and was considering ending his treatment.

Despite nearing the end of his battle with mesothelioma, we planned an unforgettable Fathers Day celebration. My family and I knew the party would take his mind off of his treatments.

He loved family get-togethers.

Mom instructed my siblings and me to open the pool for the summer. Dad always took care of the pool, but he was just not up to it that year.

We worked hard to get the pool open, and the water crystal clear. It wasnt up to Dads standards, but he taught us well, and we did our best.

Mom made countless phone calls to invite family and friends to a huge pool party and barbecue. We designed the menu to include all of Dads favorites: German bratwurst and Polish sausages, baked beans, potato salad and cold beer.

He hadnt been eating well, but we knew he couldnt resist a feast like this.

We kept our plans secret, and our excitement grew by the day. Friday came around, and Mom called again to confirm with guests.

With the grocery shopping finished, we giddily worked on the final touches. Saturday came, and the pools pH level was spot on.

The weather forecast for Sunday was beautiful. Our plans were rock solid.

Sunday morning came, and eager anticipation and enthusiasm filled our home.

We let Dad sleep late so we could decorate and prepare while undercover. Mom and I tiptoed around the kitchen, preparing the feast.

My brother and sister gathered extra chairs and placed citronella candles on the patio tables. Things were really coming together.

As the morning crept by, Mom went in to check on Dad. She yelled for me and my siblings to help.

Dad could hardly stand. His face was unusually pale. Our party-induced enthusiasm left the room as quickly as the color faded from Dads face.

Chemotherapy treatments took a terrible toll on his body. He was violently ill, but still just as stubborn. He was reluctant to let Mom call his oncologist.

With the office closed for the holiday weekend, Mom reached the doctor at home. The doctor suggested they go to the emergency room.

Dad refused to go to the hospital that day but agreed to see his doctor the next morning. Mom nervously made the appointment.

Dads surprise party was not happening at least not as planned. He just wasnt up for celebrating.

We never told Dad about the party we planned. He didnt feel like having company or having a barbecue. Telling him about the party would only further dampen his spirits.

My dad didnt need an elaborately planned party that day. He only needed us to be there for him.

Instead of celebrating, we all just lounged around the living room watching sitcoms and game shows. Despite the change in plans, we made the best of the situation and enjoyed a lazy Sunday.

Dad seemed to find comfort being surrounded by those who loved him most.

That summer, Dad focused his care on quality of life and started feeling better. While his battle with mesothelioma raged on, his infectious smile finally resurfaced.

Dad decided he didnt want to deal with the side effects of chemotherapy anymore. He just wanted to enjoy the time he had left and focus on doing, rather than fighting.

A few weeks later, Dad got his special day. He felt so much better that he spent the day poolside with friends and family. Dad enjoyed his favorite dinner and an ice-cold beer.

My father, a masterful poker player, even obliged to remind his friends what a skillful player he was.

Our party wasnt on Fathers Day, but it was definitely Dads day. He owned it.

The first few Fathers Days without Dad were torturous.

For several years, I avoided the holiday. I didnt want to talk about it. I didnt want to celebrate it, and I couldnt mention my father without breaking down.

With time and with healing, the joy in my memories returned. I now can reminisce with my family about the many remarkable times we shared with Dad.

I can share with others about the kind of man my father was, the impact he had on those around him, and his battle with mesothelioma.

Within his fight with cancer, Dad unknowingly prepared me to share his story.

It is my sincerest hope that those who hear his story find hope in his triumphs. Through stories of his struggles, others can know they are not alone in their battle with mesothelioma.

As my children and I secretly plan for my husbands big day, memories of my Dad flood my heart and mind.

Rather than wince in heartache, I smile with endearment. Although I must admit, it is a tearful smile at times.

Through my childhood experiences with my dad, I can pass the party-planning torch on to my children. They are bursting with the same excitement and anticipation for the secret surprises in store for their father.

As they craft modeling clay coffee mugs and thoughtfully paint pictures, I am blessed to see Dads smile emerge on the faces of my children.

Our Fathers Day plans are coming together nicely.

My kids have a fondness for celebrating special occasions and sharing time with friends and family.

They must get it from their Grandpa.

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Despite Mesothelioma Diagnosis, Dad Loved Father's Day - Asbestos.com (blog)