Predicting How a Patient Will Respond to Mesothelioma Treatment
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Predicting How a Patient Will Respond to Mesothelioma Treatment

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
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Comparing 3 Standard Treatments for Mesothelioma

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
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New Cancer Guidelines to Manage and Treat Mesothelioma

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
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Dentists Exposed to Asbestos Could Trigger Malignant Mesothelioma

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
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Lower Platelet Count Linked to Longer Mesothelioma Survival

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…

The First FDA-Approved Mesothelioma Drug in 15 Years
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The First FDA-Approved Mesothelioma Drug in 15 Years

On October 2, 2020, the first FDA-approved mesothelioma drug in 15 years hit the market. They approved a new combination of drugs for mesothelioma. The combination of nivolumab with ipilimumab is now considered the first-line treatment. It is the go-to for adult patients with unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma. The FDA based approval on results from an open-label clinical trial. The results of a new study show outcomes of Mesothelioma patients over the last 2 years. This often was often six cycles of chemotherapy. Patient survival using this new combination of drugs was an average of 18.1 months. This was an increase from 14.1 months for patients who only received chemotherapy. More clinical pharmacology data also supported an alternative dosing regimen….

Preventing Malignant Mesothelioma through National Asbestos Regulation
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Preventing Malignant Mesothelioma through National Asbestos Regulation

After almost 30 years, one key to preventing malignant mesothelioma is found. A national ban on asbestos in the Netherlands has shown positive effects. Results from a new study show the ban cut malignant mesothelioma incidence. Malignant mesothelioma incidence has peaked about 10 years earlier than predicted. This is after the Dutch national ban on asbestos. Mesothelioma treatment advances have led to somewhat better survival in the Netherlands. But the prognosis is still dismal. National Regulation Can Prevent Malignant Mesothelioma In 1993, a national ban on asbestos went into effect in the Netherlands. This ban was preventing malignant mesothelioma in future generations. Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer. It arises from the pleura or peritoneum due to asbestos exposure. A…

Maximizes Your Immune Cell Response with High-Intensity Exercise
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Maximizes Your Immune Cell Response with High-Intensity Exercise

There is an increasing role of high-intensity exercise training in cancer care. Evidence suggests that exercise can reduce side effects of treatment. And it has the added benefits of improving physical functioning and quality of life. Exercise leads to an increase of adrenalin, which also triggers a patient’s natural immune response. This can alter the tumor microenvironment and lead to reduced tumor growth. New data suggest that exercise could improve immune responses against cancer cells. It works by increasing immune cell infiltration to the tumor. And it may have an impact on disease progression. A new clinical trial has been initiated. It will investigate if high-intensity exercise can benefit patients with lung cancer. Can adrenalin mobilize and increase the infiltration…

New Drug Targeting Fibrosis may Help Mesothelioma Patients
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New Drug Targeting Fibrosis may Help Mesothelioma Patients

Targeting fibrosis has therapeutic benefits in mesothelioma. Most drugs have limited effects in difficult-to-treat cancers such as mesothelioma. Often this is because not enough of the drug can get into the tumor to generate an anti-tumor effect. Fibrosis is a common element of mesothelioma. It causes the area around the cancer to stiffen. Fibrosis acts as a barrier, stopping drugs from getting into the cancer tumor. This limits the immune system’s ability to detect and access the tumor to kill it. A new study is looking at how a family of proteins called lysyl oxidases can help solve this problem. These proteins are associated with fibrosis in many cancers, including mesothelioma. Oncologists targeting fibrosis and this protein family may improve…

Asbestos Exposure During Childhood Can Lead to Mesothelioma
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Asbestos Exposure During Childhood Can Lead to Mesothelioma

Scientists are looking at mesothelioma risk in women exposed to asbestos. Asbestos exposure in women varies. But, environmental and domestic asbestos exposures are common. Oncologists are now asking about childhood environmental and domestic asbestos exposures. A study from the International Journal of Environmental Research & Public Health tells more. Forms of Asbestos Exposure: Environmental and Domestic All forms of asbestos are capable of causing cancer in humans. Most asbestos research focuses on malignant mesothelioma. This is aggressive cancer associated with exposure to asbestos. Occupational asbestos exposure is the most common exposure. Workers are exposed to asbestos on the job site or through work-related tasks. Women more often have domestic asbestos exposure. This comes from living with and handling the clothing…