Author: Alex Strauss

  • |

    Radical Surgery for Peritoneal Mesothelioma Boosts Survival

    ByAlex Strauss

    Patients who have radical surgery for peritoneal mesothelioma live longer than those who have non-surgical treatments.  That is the conclusion of a team of Virginia researchers. The study is based on peritoneal mesothelioma cases in the National Cancer Database. It spans more than a decade and includes over 2,000 patients.  Not everyone is a candidate for radical surgery for peritoneal mesothelioma. But the research shows that those who have surgery live an average of five times longer than those who do not.  Surgical Treatment of Peritoneal Mesothelioma Peritoneal mesothelioma is sometimes called diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. It is an aggressive cancer in the abdomen. It grows on the membrane around organs. Because mesothelioma tumors lie so close to these organs,…

  • | | | |

    Invasiveness of Peritoneal Mesothelioma: MRI Beats CT for Assessment

    ByAlex Strauss

    New research shows MRI beats CT when it comes to measuring the invasiveness of peritoneal mesothelioma. Scientists from several of the top US cancer centers ran the study. It included nearly 500 mesothelioma patients and appears in the journal Clinical Colorectal Cancer.  The study shows that the invasiveness of peritoneal mesothelioma is more visible on MRI than it is on CT. The news could make a difference in how doctors plan peritoneal mesothelioma treatment.  Peritoneal Cancer Index and Mesothelioma Peritoneal mesothelioma cancer grows on the peritoneal membrane lining the abdomen. Like all forms of mesothelioma, it usually comes from exposure to asbestos. Peritoneal mesothelioma accounts for about a fifth of all mesothelioma cases.  Doctors assess the invasiveness of peritoneal mesothelioma…

  • | | | |

    Video-Assisted Pleural Biopsy for Mesothelioma is Not Always Accurate

    ByAlex Strauss

    New research shows some patients are more likely to get an accurate mesothelioma diagnosis from video-assisted pleural biopsy than others.  Cancer doctors at Japan’s Hyogo College of Medicine conducted the new research. It included four hundred patients with suspected pleural mesothelioma.   The researchers found that certain conditions can affect the accuracy of video-assisted pleural biopsy. Patients with early stage mesothelioma, a lot of inflammation, or fibrous connective tissue around their tumors were more likely to be misdiagnosed. Biopsy for Mesothelioma Diagnosis VATS is the acronym for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. It is a minimally-invasive surgical technique to diagnose problems in the chest. Mesothelioma tumors grow on the membrane around the lungs (pleura). Doctors may use the video-assisted pleural biopsy technique…

  • | | | |

    Multidisciplinary Care for Mesothelioma

    ByAlex Strauss

    Italian doctors say patients are more likely to enter clinical trials when they have multidisciplinary care for mesothelioma.  Inclusion in clinical trials is one of the best ways for mesothelioma patients to access cutting edge treatments.  The study shows multidisciplinary care for mesothelioma helps funnel patients into trials. It  also provides better monitoring of treatment response and better access to palliative care.  What is the Multidisciplinary Approach? In most hospitals, mesothelioma patients receive diagnosis from a cancer doctor or oncologist. The oncologist orders the appropriate diagnostic tests and helps craft the treatment plan. Diagnostic imaging or radiotherapy for mesothelioma is usually overseen by radiology specialists. But multidisciplinary care for mesothelioma involves a bigger team of people. The team consists of…

  • | | | |

    Mesothelioma Recurrence After PD Surgery

    ByAlex Strauss

    A new study finds that mesothelioma recurrence after PD surgery is common but most patients still live for more than a year afterwards. More than a third were still alive three years after recurrence. The study included 90 Japanese patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.  Those who lived for at least a year without mesothelioma recurrence after PD surgery had the best chance of longer term survival. A good performance status and undergoing additional treatment were also key to better outcomes.  Understanding Pleurectomy with Decortication (PD) Surgery Pleural mesothelioma is a virulent cancer that occurs on the membrane around the lungs. There is no cure for mesothelioma. Even with the best treatment, the cancer usually comes back. The goal of most…

  • | | |

    Tumor Treating Fields for Mesothelioma Faces Criticism

    ByAlex Strauss

    Tumor Treating Fields for mesothelioma is coming under fire from some other researchers. The treatment uses electricity to interfere with division of cancer cells. The FDA approved it for mesothelioma last year under the Humanitarian Device Exemption. It is only the second treatment ever approved for asbestos cancer.  But scientists in Italy and the Netherlands are disputing some of the findings from the STELLAR trial of TTFields. They published separate articles in a recent issue of The Lancet Oncology. STELLAR tested Tumor Treating Fields along with chemotherapy as a novel mesothelioma treatment. The FDA based its approval on the STELLAR results.  But the newly published articles suggest that there were problems with the trial. Both say Tumor Treating Fields is…

  • | | |

    Study Supports Curative Radiation Therapy for Pleural Mesothelioma

    ByAlex Strauss

    A new study out of Turkey supports the idea of using highly targeted radiation therapy for pleural mesothelioma that can’t be treated surgically. Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer that grows on the membrane around the lungs. The membrane is called the pleura. Like all forms of mesothelioma, it carries a grim prognosis. But the Turkish researchers say new radiotherapy techniques offer the promise of better outcomes. They compared two types of radiation therapy for pleural mesothelioma. They found that both could be delivered safely and with limited damage to nearby organs.  Unrectable Pleural Mesothelioma The first-line treatment for pleural mesothelioma is chemotherapy. Ideally, chemotherapy will help to shrink the pleural mesothelioma. Then doctors can remove most of it surgically. They…

  • | | | | |

    Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma Treatment Focuses on Two-Drug Combo

    ByAlex Strauss

    Researchers in Spain are developing what they hope will be a more effective sarcomatoid mesothelioma treatment. The new treatment focuses on a pair of drugs that are already being tested in humans.  Mesothelioma impacts about 2,500 Americans each year. Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is a rare form of this rare cancer. About a quarter of the annual cases are sarcomatoid.  This form of cancer is even more aggressive than epithelioid mesothelioma. But sarcomatoid mesothelioma treatment is not significantly different. Neither are the results.  But the new study could change the prognosis for people with asbestos cancer. It appears in the journal Cancer Research. Chemotherapy is the Primary Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma Treatment Most people with malignant mesothelioma receive chemotherapy with cisplatin and Alimta. This…

  • | | |

    Mesothelioma and Tile Production Linked by New Case Studies

    ByAlex Strauss

    Two newly published case studies have drawn a link between malignant mesothelioma and tile production.  The authors of the new report analyzed the cases of two people who contracted mesothelioma after working for a tile manufacturer.  Both people were exposed to talc in their work. This is likely where they encountered the asbestos that may have triggered mesothelioma. Understanding the Different Types of Tile Malignant mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos. Before the 1990s, many homes and businesses were built with asphalt or vinyl ‘tiles’ made with asbestos. These types of tiles are still in many older buildings. Disturbing or removing them can pose a risk for mesothelioma.  But the current report focuses on ceramic tile workers. Mesothelioma and…

  • | | |

    Mesothelioma in Seafarers: Cancer Risk at Sea

    ByAlex Strauss

    New research has revealed a higher risk for mesothelioma in seafarers and fisherman in Nordic countries. A seafarer is someone who makes their living at sea. The study conducted by the Danish Cancer Society found an elevated risk in most types of cancer among Nordic seafarers. Mesothelioma was one of just three cancers whose cause was not difficult to guess. The research included tens of thousands of seamen and fisherman and spanned more than 40 years. The authors say malignant mesothelioma in seafarers is the result of on-the-job asbestos exposure. Asbestos at Sea Asbestos is a toxic mineral. It causes malignant mesothelioma and several other types of cancer. Before scientists made the connection between asbestos and cancer, it was a…