Mesothelioma and MRI Scans: Using an Old Tool in a New Way
| |

Mesothelioma and MRI Scans: Using an Old Tool in a New Way

ByHolly Zink

Imaging scans are an important tool in helping clinicians diagnose mesothelioma. These scans include X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, and PET scans. These tools help clinicians to see tumors inside a patient’s body. The results of the scan cannot diagnose mesothelioma, but it is an important tool for arriving at the correct diagnosis. Unlike X-rays and CT’s, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans use a completely different type of radiation. An MRI applies a very strong magnetic field to change the spin of protons. The scanner also produces a radio frequency. This process produces a signal that can be made into an image. Until now, the role of MRIs has been limited in mesothelioma. However, new evidence suggests MRIs can be…

Using Electric Fields to Treat Tumors: Combining Standard and Innovative Treatments
| | |

Using Electric Fields to Treat Tumors: Combining Standard and Innovative Treatments

ByHolly Zink

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer and standard therapies are limited. So most patients consider one or more different treatments. Different types of therapies can be used and they are usually not exclusive. Mesothelioma patients can move from one type to another. And, if their doctors agree, can sometimes use them in combination. One of the non-standard treatment therapies is the use of electric fields. Tumor-treating electric fields can disrupt cancer cell division. This treatment is approved for mesothelioma treatment. A new combination of treatments has recently been proposed. Does the combination of tumor-treating fields with a standard treatment effective? A new global clinical trial combined tumor-treating fields with sorafenib. This medication blocks cell protein signals to prevent cancer cells from…

Gender Differences in Men versus Women with Mesothelioma
| |

Gender Differences in Men versus Women with Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

Asbestos is toxic and cancer-causing for human beings. Asbestos causes mesothelioma and other asbestos related diseases. Asbestos-related diseases affect men and women differently. A recent study looked at Brazilian patients with asbestos-related diseases. These included mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung and ovarian cancer. Introduction Mesothelioma, asbestosis, and pleural plaques are the main asbestos-related diseases. Many consider mesothelioma as the fingerprint of asbestos usage. Between 1961 and 2017, more 7 million tons of asbestos were consumed in Brazil. Mesothelioma from occupational exposure is most common in men. They were often exposed to asbestos at the job site. The number of non-occupational exposures is higher in women. Women are often exposed to asbestos from domestic and environmental sources. It has been difficult to…

Body Swelling and Joint Pain in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
| |

Body Swelling and Joint Pain in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

The diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma often includes widespread body inflammation. Inflammation and body swelling occur when white blood cells try to protect against infection. Symptoms of inflammation are often redness, swelling, and joint pain or stiffness. Oncologists have studied the relationship between swelling and cancer for 150 years. New research was recently published in the scientific journal Lung Cancer. French medical oncologists believe that patients with more body swelling may have shorter survival. This suggests that body swelling may play a big role in malignant pleural mesothelioma. Body Swelling to Predict a Developing Mesothelioma Diagnosis Prediction of diagnosis is important for malignant pleural mesothelioma patients. The sooner a patient can be diagnosed, the better their outcomes. Oncologists suggest that…

Living With Mesothelioma: Coping Strategies to Find Hope
| |

Living With Mesothelioma: Coping Strategies to Find Hope

ByHolly Zink

Mesothelioma is a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. One key question remains unanswered. How do diagnosed patients experience living with mesothelioma? A new study in Health Psychology aimed to explore the mesothelioma patient experience. Data from 22 different research studies were analyzed. The coping strategies highlighted here provide hope for mesothelioma patients and caregivers. The results bring awareness of the patient experience, coping processes, and support pathways. Two Coping Strategies to Support a Mesothelioma Patient The best coping strategies help patients reclaim a sense of mental calm, individual autonomy, and meaning. These strategies can also reduce the trauma of living with mesothelioma. Patients who accepted the diagnosis fully were more optimistic than those in denial. Patients who accepted the…

Predicting How a Patient Will Respond to Mesothelioma Treatment
| |

Predicting How a Patient Will Respond to Mesothelioma Treatment

ByHolly Zink

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a rare cancer. Early diagnosis is challenging. Treatments are the first clinical option in the advanced disease stage. A doctor’s initial clinical response says a lot about the patient’s prognosis. It may even represent a useful way to identify patients with a better long-term outcome. A new Italian study from the Journal of Clinical Medicine looks at this possibility. First Mesothelioma Treatment Response Options Scientists looked at the initial treatment response in 46 mesothelioma patients who had pleural mesothelioma. None of these patients had surgery as an option because their tumors were considered inoperable. The doctor’s initial treatment response included a CT scan and clinical examination. This examination was usually after 2–3 cycles of drug therapy….

Comparing 3 Standard Treatments for Mesothelioma
| |

Comparing 3 Standard Treatments for Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

There are three standard treatments for malignant pleural mesothelioma. Patients and doctors want to know which is more effective. A new study from the Davidoff Cancer Center in Israel sought to do just that. This study compared three clinical trials of the standard treatments recommended for malignant mesothelioma. All three treatments involved different chemotherapy drugs. Treatment A was cisplatin plus pemetrexed vs cisplatin. Treatment B was cisplatin plus pemetrexed plus bevacizumab vs cisplatin plus pemetrexed. And Treatment C was nivolumab plus ipilimumab vs cisplatin plus pemetrexed. Urgent Need to Identify Effective Treatment Strategies Malignant pleural mesothelioma is the primary cancer of the pleural lining. It is caused by exposure to asbestos. It affected more than 30,000 patients globally in 2020….

New Cancer Guidelines to Manage and Treat Mesothelioma
| | | |

New Cancer Guidelines to Manage and Treat Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops from the thin layer of tissue that covers many of the body’s internal organs. Mesothelioma is a difficult disease to study on a global scale for many reasons. Yet, there has been tremendous progress in mesothelioma research over the last decade. However, current cancer guidelines are fragmented. An editorial in the Annals of Oncology recommends that new guidelines need to focus on both global and gender perspectives. Shifting Timeframes Make it Difficult to Study Mesothelioma Cases of mesothelioma are rising in some countries and falling in others. This makes it difficult to study the disease on a global level. There are a few different reasons for this global variation. First,…

Dentists Exposed to Asbestos Could Trigger Malignant Mesothelioma
| |

Dentists Exposed to Asbestos Could Trigger Malignant Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

Experts have recommended a new plan to warn dentists exposed to asbestos. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that has been found throughout the world. Asbestos is toxic and cancer-causing for human beings. Dentists used asbestos in the manufacture of dental prostheses from the 1960s to 1970s. Generally, those who develop asbestos-related diseases show no signs of illness for a long time after their exposure. It can take from 10 to 40 years or more for symptoms of an asbestos-related condition to appear. Experts have recommended a new plan to prevent asbestos exposure in dentistry. This recommendation was created under the EuropeAid Assessment Guidelines. Experts also request the inclusion of the dental sector in the lists of professions with asbestos exposure….

Lower Platelet Count Linked to Longer Mesothelioma Survival
|

Lower Platelet Count Linked to Longer Mesothelioma Survival

ByHolly Zink

A high platelet count may not bode well for people battling malignant pleural mesothelioma. New evidence suggests that survival rates may be higher for mesothelioma patients with a lower platelet count. This news comes from the Kocaeli University which analyzed malignant mesothelioma patients between 2008 and 2014. They wanted to know if certain clinical characteristics could predict longer patient survival. Platelets and Health Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer. It develops from cells of the mesothelium, the lining that covers many of the internal organs of the body. While it is uncommon, it has a high mortality rate. Smaller than either red or white blood cells, platelets are the components in blood that facilitate clotting. The normal range for platelet…