Author: Alex Strauss

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    The Peritoneal Cancer Index in Mesothelioma Prognosis

    ByAlex Strauss

    The peritoneal cancer index is a valuable prognostic tool and should be considered in mesothelioma treatment planning. That is the word from a group of Finnish cancer researchers. They analyzed twelve years of data on peritoneal mesothelioma in their country. Mesothelioma patients with a higher peritoneal cancer index had a worse prognosis than those with a lower PCI. The group says cancer doctors ought to be including the PCI in their decision-making for people with peritoneal mesothelioma. What is the Peritoneal Cancer Index? Peritoneal mesothelioma makes up about a fifth of all mesothelioma cases. It grows on the peritoneum, a membrane that surrounds the abdominal organs. As cancer spreads, tumors can show up in other areas inside the peritoneal cavity. …

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    Decisions About Pleural Effusion in Mesothelioma: New Tool May Help

    ByAlex Strauss

    Researchers in the UK have developed a new tool that may help patients with mesothelioma and other pleural cancers make decisions about pleural effusion.  Pleural effusion is the buildup of excess fluid in the space around the lungs. It is a common side effect in people with advanced lung or breast cancer or pleural mesothelioma.  It can be complicated and time-consuming to make decisions about pleural effusion treatment. There are many different ways to handle the problem.  The UK research team developed a web-based decision support tool with input from patients, clinicians, and caregivers. The tool uses videos and questions to help patients decide on the best course of treatment for their unique situation. Pleural Effusion and Treatment Options The pleura…

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    Electrochemotherapy for Mesothelioma May Relieve Pain, Shrink Tumors

    ByAlex Strauss

    There’s new evidence that a technique called electrochemotherapy (ECT) may relieve mesothelioma pain and even shrink tumors. It may be an option for patients who have not had success with other treatments.  Cancer researchers with the Italian Ministry of Health recently conducted the first test of electrochemotherapy on pleural mesothelioma and several other rare cancers.  They found that zapping tumors with electricity helped the medicine go through the cell membranes. The treatment reduced pain for every patient tested. In most cases, it also slowed down or even temporarily stopped their tumor growth.   How Electrochemotherapy Works Malignant mesothelioma is a rare membrane cancer. Chemotherapy is the main treatment for mesothelioma. But more than half of mesothelioma tumors do not respond to…

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    Breath Test for Mesothelioma Might Identify Subtypes

    ByAlex Strauss

    Researchers in the UK say a breath test for mesothelioma might be able to distinguish between mesothelioma subtypes. There are three major subtypes of mesothelioma. It is important to know which kind of person has. A patient’s subtype can impact their prognosis and even their mesothelioma treatment choice.  Right now, the only way to tell the mesothelioma subtypes apart is to look at the cells under the microscope. But scientists at Sheffield Hallam University have identified volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the rarest and the most common mesothelioma subtypes.  These VOCs could be used to develop a mesothelioma breath test that could tell the subtypes apart.  The Advantages of Breath Testing Breath testing is a way of measuring VOCs in…

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    Triple Therapy May Become New First-Line Treatment for Mesothelioma

    ByAlex Strauss

    A combination of three powerful mesothelioma therapies could become a new first-line treatment for mesothelioma if an upcoming clinical trial is successful. The makers of the experimental immunotherapy drug ONCOS-102 announced the new clinical trial. It will enroll up to 100 mesothelioma patients from around the world.  The trial will test ONCOS-102 along with Keytruda (pembrolizumab) and standard chemotherapy. Keytruda is an immune checkpoint inhibitor. Both ONCOS-102 and Keytruda have shown some promise when combined with mesothelioma chemotherapy. Targovax hopes that the triple therapy approach will produce an even more powerful first-line treatment for mesothelioma. Clinic Trial of ONCOS-102 A first-line treatment is a treatment for mesothelioma patients who have not yet had any other therapies. Most patients start with…

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    The Best Biomarkers for Mesothelioma Diagnosis, Prognosis, & Monitoring

    ByAlex Strauss

    What are the best biomarkers for mesothelioma? The answer is still Soluble Mesothelin-Related Proteins (SMRPs). That is the conclusion of a major review of medical literature by some of the world’s top mesothelioma experts. Dr. Harvey Pass of New York University’s Langone Medical Center and Dr. Michele Carbone of the University of Hawaii are among the authors on the new report.  They analyzed 20 years of research on the best biomarkers for mesothelioma. Several were valuable for mesothelioma prognosis. But SMRPs once again came out the winner for mesothelioma prognosis, diagnosis, and treatment monitoring.  How Do Biomarkers Work? A biomarker is any substance produced by the body that can act as a biological signpost. Proteins usually make the best biomarkers…

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    Managing Mesothelioma During the COVID-19 Pandemic: New Guidelines

    ByAlex Strauss

    New guidance suggests that patients should continue to receive treatment for malignant mesothelioma during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two new reports include recommendations for hospitals to keep vulnerable patients safe. COVID-19 is especially dangerous for people with lung-related cancers like pleural mesothelioma. Their immune systems are not as strong as healthy people and their lungs are already damaged.  But two new reports suggests that it may be even riskier to put off treatment for lung cancers like mesothelioma during the COVID-19 pandemic.  How the Virus Could Impact Lung Cancer Patients Both of the new reports come from researchers in Pennsylvania. They focus on people with lung cancer rather than mesothelioma. But pleural mesothelioma is also a lung-related cancer. It carries many…

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    Common Drugs May Impact Mesothelioma Survival After Immunotherapy

    ByAlex Strauss

    There is new evidence that taking certain common drugs could negatively impact mesothelioma survival after immunotherapy.  Drugs such as NSAIDs, antacids, corticosteroids, and antibiotics affect the microbiome. The microbiome is the collection of bacteria that live in a person’s gut.  The microbiome interacts with the immune system. Ohio State University researchers say some medicines disrupt the microbiome. This can threaten the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy.  The Microbiome and Immunity The microbiome is the collection of bacteria that live in the intestinal tract. Every mesothelioma patient’s microbiome is unique. Scientists are just beginning to understand the importance of the microbiome in human health.  At first glance, there might not seem to be a direct correlation between the microbiome and mesothelioma survival…

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    Lung Fluid Analysis Could Enhance Mesothelioma Survival, Report Finds

    ByAlex Strauss

    Swedish researchers say more people might survive mesothelioma if doctors paid more attention to lung fluid analysis in making their diagnosis. The only way to definitely diagnose mesothelioma is to examine cells under a microscope. But pathologists at Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm say tissue biopsy happens too late.  Lung fluid starts to collect much earlier in the disease process. The Swedish team says lung fluid analysis (cytology) could give doctors an earlier indication of mesothelioma. That could lead to earlier diagnosis and better survival. Diagnosing Malignant Mesothelioma There are many signs of malignant mesothelioma. Coughing, chest pain, and shortness of breath are some of the most common. When these symptoms occur in someone who has worked around asbestos, that…

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    First-Line Immunotherapy May Be Better Than Chemo for This Mesothelioma Subtype

    ByAlex Strauss

    A new study suggests that people with sarcomatoid mesothelioma may fare better if they have first-line immunotherapy before considering chemotherapy.  Chemotherapy is the standard first-line treatment for most people with mesothelioma. But a report in the journal Translational Lung Cancer questions the wisdom of that trend. The study focused on the outcomes of patients with the sarcomatoid mesothelioma subtype. These patients lived longer after immunotherapy than patients with other subtypes.  When first-line immunotherapy worked best, patients produced more white blood cells. Researchers say these patients might do well to avoid having chemotherapy first. Chemotherapy as Standard Mesothelioma Treatment First-line immunotherapy is not the typical mesothelioma treatment. Most mesothelioma patients have chemotherapy with Alimta (pemetrexed) before other treatments.  Alimta is the…