Worldwide Mesothelioma Rates Decline

Worldwide Mesothelioma Rates Decline

A new study looked at the worldwide rates of mesothelioma over the past decade. The international team of researchers hailed from China, Sweden, Australia, the Philippines, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The researchers used information from three different databases to learn about the number of cases and what might cause the disease. The Global Cancer Observatory, Cancer Incidence in Five Continents Plus, and Global Burden of Disease provided data for this study. Banning Asbestos Worldwide Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that develops from cells of the mesothelium, the lining that covers many of the internal organs of the body. Sites of mesothelioma are typically the outer lining of the lungs and chest wall and the abdomen. … Continue reading Worldwide Mesothelioma Rates Decline »

Best Services to Quit Smoking for Mesothelioma Patients

Best Services to Quit Smoking for Mesothelioma Patients

A new study shows that a multifaceted approach to quitting smoking can help patients diagnosed with cancer. One rare type of cancer is mesothelioma. This cancer is caused by exposure to asbestos. It occurs in the lining of different parts of your body, usually in the abdomen or the lungs. Mesothelioma often takes decades to develop after being exposed to asbestos. The symptoms can be hard to diagnose because they look like other, more common diseases. This makes treating mesothelioma more difficult, too. The cancer has more time to spread while doctors are struggling to make a diagnosis. There are other factors that make cancers like mesothelioma difficult to treat. Smoking after a cancer diagnosis can lead to worse survival … Continue reading Best Services to Quit Smoking for Mesothelioma Patients »

Cracking the Code: New Mathematical Model for Cancer Screening to Catch Some Mesotheliomas Sooner

Cracking the Code: New Mathematical Model for Cancer Screening to Catch Some Mesotheliomas Sooner

Cancers, such as malignant mesothelioma, are one of the leading causes of death. Yet mortality could be reduced by detecting malignant tumors earlier so that treatment is started earlier at a less aggressive stage. A team of American data scientists recently “cracked the code” of cancer screenings. Cancer screenings are expensive and it can be difficult to know who and when to give screening. The tradeoff between the cost and the benefit of cancer screening is an ongoing challenge. A new study in PLOS Computational Biology describes a new mathematical model to help clinicians decide whom to screen and when. This is a big step forward in catching some mesotheliomas earlier. Early Diagnosis for Mesothelioma is Key Exposure to asbestos … Continue reading Cracking the Code: New Mathematical Model for Cancer Screening to Catch Some Mesotheliomas Sooner »

Mesothelioma Risk in Canadian Firefighters and Police

Mesothelioma Risk in Canadian Firefighters and Police

Firefighters and police usually work in high-stress, complex environments. And, these environments often have known and suspected hazardous and toxic exposures. A leading cause of mesothelioma is asbestos exposure. Asbestos is toxic and cancer-causing for human beings. Asbestos causes mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Canadian researchers published a new study in Occupational and Environmental Medicine. This new report characterizes cancer incidence among these occupations. Firefighters vs. Police The Canadian team used an Occupational Disease Surveillance System (ODSS) to identify workers. Then they compared compensation claims to the Ontario Cancer Registry. They found 36,267 people employed as firefighters or police in Ontario. In the final analysis, there were a total of 13,642 firefighters and 22,595 police. When compared with other workers, … Continue reading Mesothelioma Risk in Canadian Firefighters and Police »

Is Asbestos Fiber Type or Concentration More Important in Mesothelioma?

Is Asbestos Fiber Type or Concentration More Important in Mesothelioma?

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is strongly associated with occupational asbestos exposure. The total asbestos fiber concentration may be associated with an increased risk of mortality. Asbestos fiber type was not as important. A new study looked at different types and concentrations of asbestos fibers in the lung tissues of mesothelioma patients. The team investigated their effects on patient mortality. Asbestos Fiber Analyses A Finnish team of scientists identified 590 patients to study. All patients had malignant pleural mesothelioma and underwent pulmonary asbestos fiber analysis. A pulmonary asbestos fiber type analysis is a special clinical test. It extracts fibers and asbestos bodies from a patient’s lung tissue. Usually, this uses a digestion-and-concentration technique. The examination may even include electron diffraction and energy-dispersive … Continue reading Is Asbestos Fiber Type or Concentration More Important in Mesothelioma? »

New Cancer Guidelines to Manage and Treat Mesothelioma

Updating Mesothelioma Cancer Guidelines from a Global Perspective

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, … Continue reading New Cancer Guidelines to Manage and Treat Mesothelioma »

Preventing Malignant Mesothelioma through National Asbestos Regulation

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 … Continue reading Preventing Malignant Mesothelioma through National Asbestos Regulation »

Could Phlebotomy Delay Development of Mesothelioma?

development of mesothelioma

New research from Japan suggests that removing some blood from the body might offer a way to delay the development of mesothelioma in people exposed to asbestos.  Nearly all cases of malignant mesothelioma occur in people with a history of asbestos exposure. Scientists know that asbestos causes mesothelioma. But they still do not know exactly how.  What is clear is that both iron and byproducts of metabolism called reactive oxygen species (ROS) appear to play a role. Blood removal or phlebotomy can temporarily reduce iron and ROS levels.  The new report from Yasumasa Okazaki, a pathologist with Japan’s Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, details how phlebotomy in asbestos-exposed mice delayed the development of mesothelioma. It offers hope that this … Continue reading Could Phlebotomy Delay Development of Mesothelioma? »

Pleural Mesothelioma Risk Among Workers May Be Higher in Winter

International Mesothelioma Risk for Workers with Asbestos Exposure

A leading authority in the occupational health and safety space is warning workers to be aware that their pleural mesothelioma risk may be higher in the winter. The website Occupational Health & Safety says winter is a prime season for exposure to toxins like asbestos that can threaten respiratory health. Asbestos is the primary cause of malignant pleural mesothelioma worldwide. In a new online article, the site says the combination of dry air, colds and allergies, closed up work spaces, and poor ventilation can increase the risk for serious respiratory diseases.  Why Winter Can Be Dangerous for Workers Although anyone can get malignant mesothelioma, it is usually considered an occupational disease. People in certain kinds of jobs face a much … Continue reading Pleural Mesothelioma Risk Among Workers May Be Higher in Winter »

Mesothelioma Update: Drinking and Cancer Risk

drinking and cancer risk

A new study on the link between drinking and cancer risk may make people at risk for mesothelioma think twice about their alcohol consumption.  The new study is the latest to draw a direct line between drinking and cancer risk. According to the report released this week, more than 4 percent of new cancer cases last year were linked to alcohol use.  Asbestos exposure is the main cause of mesothelioma. But not everyone who is exposed to asbestos gets mesothelioma. Genetic factors play a role. But the new alcohol study suggests that drinking could also be a catalyst for cancer development.  The Link Between Drinking and Cancer Risk The new study was conducted by scientists from the International Agency for … Continue reading Mesothelioma Update: Drinking and Cancer Risk »

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