Search Results for: asbestos/

Mesothelioma Risk in Canadian Firefighters and Police
| | |

Mesothelioma Risk in Canadian Firefighters and Police

ByHolly Zink

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,…

Is Asbestos Fiber Type or Concentration More Important in Mesothelioma?
| |

Is Asbestos Fiber Type or Concentration More Important in Mesothelioma?

ByHolly Zink

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…

MicroRNAs in Cancer Development and Mesothelioma Personalized Medicine
| | |

MicroRNAs in Cancer Development and Mesothelioma Personalized Medicine

ByHolly Zink

A special issue was published in the Journal of Personalized Medicine. Dr. Alessandra Pulliero from the University of Genoa in Italy talks about microRNA. Specifically, the role of microRNA in cancer development and personalized medicine. A microRNA (miRNA) is a small part of an RNA molecule. MiRNAs play a key role in the regulation of gene expression in cells, including mesothelioma cells. Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer often caused by asbestos exposure. Asbestos also causes a progressive lung disease called asbestosis. Environmental exposure to asbestos often causes a higher incidence of malignant mesothelioma. Malignant mesothelioma is characterized by poor prognosis and short survival. Personalized Medicine and Mesothelioma Scientists now know that the role of miRNAs changes once they…

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…

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….

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

The First FDA-Approved Mesothelioma Drug in 15 Years

ByHolly Zink

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….

Asbestos Exposure During Childhood Can Lead to Mesothelioma
| |

Asbestos Exposure During Childhood Can Lead to Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

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…

Radiotherapy Outcomes in Mesothelioma Linked to Pembrolizumab
| | |

Radiotherapy Outcomes in Mesothelioma Linked to Pembrolizumab

ByHolly Zink

Canadian researchers say radiotherapy may hold the key to improving outcomes in mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a fast-growing membrane cancer caused by asbestos. Doctors have not found a single therapy that can beat it. For most patients, a combination of treatments offer the best survival odds. Pembrolizumab plus Radiotherapy Pleural mesothelioma is a rare lung-related cancer caused by asbestos exposure. There is no cure for mesothelioma. Most mesothelioma patients have a combination of therapies. Radiation is one of the methods doctors use to help slow its spread. Outcomes in mesothelioma vary widely with the use of radiotherapy. Pembrolizumab is used in combination with chemotherapy as a first-line treatment for mesothelioma. Radiotherapy uses beams of intense energy to kill cancer cells. One…

Immunotherapeutic and Targeted Approaches to Mesothelioma Treatment
| |

Immunotherapeutic and Targeted Approaches to Mesothelioma Treatment

ByHolly Zink

Immunotherapeutic and targeted approaches might make mesothelioma more responsive to chemotherapy. Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive disease. Asbestos exposure has led to globally poor outcomes. While mesothelioma is an uncommon disease, its occurrence is increasing worldwide. Immunotherapy drugs have the potential to make chemotherapy more effective for mesothelioma patients. Researchers theorized immunotherapeutic and targeted approaches might make mesothelioma more responsive to chemotherapy. The latest results in Molecular and Clinical Oncology suggest that they were right. The findings could have implications for people around the world with mesothelioma. First- and Second-Line Treatment Options for Mesothelioma Patients affected by mesothelioma have a very severe prognosis. Mesothelioma develops after three to four decades after initial exposure to asbestos. For years, the main…