Author: Alex Strauss

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    Predicting Mesothelioma Outcomes with FDG-PET: A New Model

    ByAlex Strauss

    Swiss doctors have created a new tool for predicting mesothelioma outcomes with FDG-PET scans.  FDG-PET scanning is a nuclear imaging technique. It gives doctors a non-invasive way to track the growth of pleural mesothelioma tumors.  The Swiss team analyzed multiple PET scans and CT scans from mesothelioma patients. They used a computer to look for commonalities in the scans. Then they used the information to create a computer model for predicting mesothelioma outcomes with FDG-PET. The model may help doctors and patients make better decisions about mesothelioma treatment in the future.  Imaging Studies for Mesothelioma Prognosis Pleural mesothelioma tumors occur on the pleural lining around the lungs. In the early stages, mesothelioma causes few symptoms. As mesothelioma tumors grow, they…

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    Lung-Sparing Surgery for Mesothelioma Superior to EPP, Study Says

    ByAlex Strauss

    A team of Japanese researchers have added their voices to the ongoing debate over lung-sparing surgery for mesothelioma. The researchers analyzed multiple studies on the different kinds of surgery for mesothelioma. The studies included more than 2,600 mesothelioma patients.  After a careful review of the data, the Japanese team concluded that lung-sparing surgery for mesothelioma is almost always better than removing a lung. Mesothelioma patients who had this type of surgery had much fewer complications. They lived just as long as those who had more radical mesothelioma surgery.  Radical and Conservative Mesothelioma Surgery Malignant mesothelioma is a membrane cancer caused by asbestos exposure. It usually occurs in the membrane around the lungs. About 20 percent of cases occur on the…

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    Benefits of Propolis: Could Bee Product Help Fight Mesothelioma?

    ByAlex Strauss

    A new review of the potential benefits of propolis suggests that this antioxidant-rich bee product might be a worthwhile addition to the fight against mesothelioma.  Bees produce propolis from the sap of evergreens. The research on this supplement is limited. There has never been a study on propolis and mesothelioma.  But a new Taiwanese review concludes that there is enough evidence on the benefits of propolis in several other types of cancer to warrant further study.  What is Propolis? Propolis is a sticky resin that bees produce to help protect their hives. It is made up of a combination of evergreen sap, bee saliva, and beeswax. Bees coat their hives with it. Many ancient civilizations believed in the health benefits…

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    Some Long-Term Mesothelioma Survivors May Have Few Symptoms

    ByAlex Strauss

    New research shows that some long-term mesothelioma survivors may have few or no symptoms of the disease for years.  The research appears in a recent issue of the journal Clinical Lung Cancer. A team of Finnish doctors wanted to identify the unique characteristics of long-term mesothelioma survivors. They discovered that some of these survivors seem to have an indolent form of asbestos cancer. This suggests that it is possible for a person to live for many years with pleural  mesothelioma and not even know they have it. Typical Mesothelioma Symptoms It is not unusual for mesothelioma patients to have no symptoms in the early stages, but long-term mesothelioma survivors are rare. Once the cancer takes hold, it usually grows quickly. …

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    BAP1 Expression Not an Independent Factor in Mesothelioma Prognosis

    ByAlex Strauss

    A new report says the prognostic role of BAP1 expression in mesothelioma is not as cut-and-dried as some studies suggest. Italian researchers analyzed the cases of 698 patients with pleural mesothelioma. The group included 60 of their own patients and another 638 from other studies. Their analysis suggests that mesothelioma prognosis has more to do with subtype than with genetic BAP1 expression. They caution doctors not to put too much stock in a patient’s BAP1 status without also considering other factors. Genetic Alterations and Mesothelioma Survival Asbestos exposure is the primary cause of mesothelioma. But not everyone who is exposed to asbestos gets cancer. This may have to do with their genetic makeup. Certain genetic alterations may make a person…

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    Study Highlights Treatment Disparities in Female Mesothelioma Patients

    ByAlex Strauss

    Female mesothelioma patients are less likely to have surgery and other aggressive treatments than male patients are, but they still tend to live longer. That’s according to a nine-year study of nearly 19,000 pleural mesothelioma patients.  Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine led the study. The team used the National Cancer Database to identify pleural mesothelioma cases diagnosed between 2004 and 2013. The study included more than four thousand female mesothelioma patients.  The conclusion is that there are serious disparities in the way doctors treat men and women with malignant mesothelioma. Gender Differences in Mesothelioma Incidence Exposure to asbestos is the primary cause of malignant mesothelioma. Although it can affect either gender, most mesothelioma patients are…

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    Long Term Peritoneal Mesothelioma Survival with NIPEC

    ByAlex Strauss

    A new report suggests that long term peritoneal mesothelioma survival may be possible with a treatment called NIPEC and the drug paclitaxel.  NIPEC stands for normothermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy. It is similar to the heated chemotherapy that many peritoneal mesothelioma patients now get. But NIPEC is delivered through a catheter over time and at room temperature.  The new article details the long term peritoneal mesothelioma survival of six patients on NIPEC with paclitaxel. It comes from one the nation’s leading experts in this form of mesothelioma, Paul Sugarbaker, MD.  Even though the sample size is small, Dr. Sugarbaker says the results are impressive enough to warrant further study.  HIPEC and Mesothelioma Treatment Peritoneal mesothelioma accounts for about 20 percent of mesothelioma…

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    Understanding the Psychological Effects of Mesothelioma

    ByAlex Strauss

    A new study is shedding light on the psychological effects of mesothelioma on patients and their caregivers.  Researchers at the University of Sheffield in the UK reviewed more than 35 years worth of medical literature to find relevant studies. They say the psychological effects of mesothelioma revolve around timelines, emotions, and communication. They also suggest that more should be done to understand the unique burdens of mesothelioma caregivers.  Rarity of Mesothelioma May Impact the Psychological Effects  Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer of internal membranes. It can be a lonely disease for caregivers and patients. Only about 2,500 Americans receive a mesothelioma diagnosis each year making it one of the rarest types of cancer. In many cases, a family may…

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    Regular Physical Activity May Boost Mesothelioma Survival

    ByAlex Strauss

    There is new evidence that regular physical activity may help patients with mesothelioma live longer.  A Korean professor has just published the findings of his study on physical activity among lung cancer patients. The findings may be relevant for people with the lung-related cancer, pleural mesothelioma.   Dr. Junga Lee analyzed 11 studies. The studies included more than 6 million lung cancer patients and spanned a 19 year period.  Dr. Lee found that patients’ cardiorespiratory fitness, walking speed, and level of physical activity correlated with how long they lived. Even their leisure activities played a role.  Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer Pleural mesothelioma starts in the lining around the lungs. Because it does not arise from lung cancer cells, it is not…

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    FDA Approval of Keytruda will Help Some Mesothelioma Patients

    ByAlex Strauss

    The FDA approval of Keytruda this month may help some patients in their battle against asbestos cancer.  Keytruda is the brand name for the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab. The FDA first approved Keytruda as a first-line treatment for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. That initial approval came in 2017. The new FDA approval of Keytruda is for treatment of specific kinds of malignant tumors. Eligible patients must have unresectable mesothelioma and no other treatment options.  How Keytruda Fights Mesothelioma Keytruda is an immune checkpoint inhibitor. It blocks a protein called PD-L1. Mesothelioma cells use PD-L1 to avoid immune system attack. Drugs like Keytruda unmask these hiding cells and make them more vulnerable to treatment.  But not all patients with mesothelioma will…