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Academic Medical Centers Extend Peritoneal Mesothelioma Survival
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Academic Medical Centers Extend Peritoneal Mesothelioma Survival

ByAlex Strauss

A new published study suggests that peritoneal mesothelioma patients treated at academic medical centers survive much longer than those who get their care at community hospitals. The study was conducted by Harvard Medical School researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.  Peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer of abdominal membranes. There is no known cure. The new study compared outcomes and survival among more than 2,600 mesothelioma patients. Patients were treated at high-volume academic hospitals or community cancer centers.  The results suggest that academic medical centers consistently provide more advanced and potentially life-extending care for this complex cancer.  Experience is Critical for Mesothelioma Care Malignant mesothelioma is the name for cancers that occur on internal membranes. It…

Asbestos Bans Not a Quick Fix for Rising Mesothelioma Incidence
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Asbestos Bans Not a Quick Fix for Rising Mesothelioma Incidence

ByAlex Strauss

A new study is further evidence that asbestos bans are not a quick fix for the global problem of malignant mesothelioma incidence.  Researchers in China and the US just released a worldwide research study on the asbestos cancer. The study included 21 regions in 195 countries and territories and spanned 27 years.  The authors say mesothelioma incidence does decrease after asbestos bans. But the decrease can take decades. In the meantime, they say many countries need to do a better job of tracking and managing mesothelioma cases.  Asbestos and Mesothelioma Incidence Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer with a poor prognosis. Exposure to asbestos is its only known cause. People with mesothelioma often die of this cancer in less than…

New “Real World” Study of Immunotherapy for Peritoneal Mesothelioma
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New “Real World” Study of Immunotherapy for Peritoneal Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

A new study from one of the nation’s top cancer centers supports the role of immunotherapy in peritoneal mesothelioma treatment. Immunotherapy is a treatment approach that aims to harness the body’s natural defense system to fight cancer.  Several immunotherapy drugs have been tested for pleural mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma affects the lungs. Last year, the FDA approved a new combination of immunotherapy drugs for the pleural form of asbestos cancer.  But there is less data on immunotherapy for peritoneal mesothelioma. Researchers at MD Anderson Cancer Center just released their findings on a class of immunotherapy drugs called immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). They say it is the first “real-world evidence” of clinical outcomes with ICIs in peritoneal mesothelioma patients. Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors…

Occupational Asbestos Exposure: The Need for Standardized Assessment
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Occupational Asbestos Exposure: The Need for Standardized Assessment

ByAlex Strauss

A new report shows how important it is to have a standardized way to assess occupational asbestos exposure in people with mesothelioma.  Malignant mesothelioma is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos. Usually, that happens in the workplace. But sometimes, even the worker has no idea how or where he or she was exposed. This is especially true in industries not normally associated with occupational asbestos exposure.  The new Italian case study of a trucking worker who developed pleural mesothelioma illustrates the point.  Some Occupations Pose a Higher Mesothelioma Risk Than Others Before scientists discovered how dangerous it was, asbestos was a common additive to many products. Industries prized the fibrous mineral for its strength, heat and corrosion resistance, durability,…

One in Three Mesothelioma Deaths Go Unreported in Brazil
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One in Three Mesothelioma Deaths Go Unreported in Brazil

ByAlex Strauss

Brazil has a history of underreporting mesothelioma deaths and the trend is not improving.  That is the word from Brazilian public health experts. Their new report appears in a recent issue of Occupational Medicine.  Researchers from the Institute of Collective Health in Salvador examined electronic medical records from across the country. They compared them with the official record of asbestos related diseases (ARDs) in Brazil’s Mortality Information System.  They discovered that more than 300 mesothelioma deaths were missing from the roughly 1000 deaths reported between 2008 and 2014. The researchers say such underreporting makes it harder to evaluate “remedial policies” that could help prevent asbestos-linked illnesses. Asbestos in Brazil Asbestos is the primary cause of mesothelioma deaths worldwide. Mesothelioma is a…

How Long Does Mesothelioma Risk Last After Asbestos Exposure?
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How Long Does Mesothelioma Risk Last After Asbestos Exposure?

ByAlex Strauss

If you experienced asbestos exposure more than 30 years ago and you have not developed mesothelioma, your risk for the disease may be starting to decline.  A new Italian study is the latest to suggest that mesothelioma risk may taper off over time. A group of occupational health experts conducted the study. Their goal was to predict mesothelioma trends in Italy until 2040.  The data shows that mesothelioma cases will probably peak this year. But they also show that most of those cases will happen in people with asbestos exposure in the last three decades.  Asbestos Exposure and Mesothelioma Incidence Asbestos is the main cause of malignant mesothelioma. A small number of mesothelioma cases happen without any known asbestos exposure….

CAR-T Cells + Keytruda: New Immunotherapy for Pleural Mesothelioma?
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CAR-T Cells + Keytruda: New Immunotherapy for Pleural Mesothelioma?

ByAlex Strauss

Researchers at a top US cancer center are experimenting with a new approach to immunotherapy for pleural mesothelioma – with exciting results.  The research was done at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and published in a recent issue of Cancer Discovery.  The Phase I trial is the first to treat pleural mesothelioma patients with CAR-T cell therapy and the PD-1 blocker pembrolizumab (Keytruda). Although the trial was small, 83 percent of patients lived for more than a year. Some lived for nearly two.  Malignant Mesothelioma commonly claims the lives of patients within months. This new type of immunotherapy for pleural mesothelioma could be a breakthrough in improving survival. The Challenge of Malignant Mesothelioma Scientists have known about…

Mesothelioma Update: Drinking and Cancer Risk
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Mesothelioma Update: Drinking and Cancer Risk

ByAlex Strauss

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…

South Korean Mesothelioma Rates Still Rising Decades After Asbestos Ban
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South Korean Mesothelioma Rates Still Rising Decades After Asbestos Ban

ByAlex Strauss

A new report out of South Korea is proof that it can take many years for mesothelioma rates to decline even after implementing an asbestos ban. Asbestos is the number one cause of malignant mesothelioma worldwide. South Korea banned asbestos in 2009. But a report in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health shows the country will likely be dealing with the after-effects well into the future.  A national asbestos ban is a vital step toward fighting occupational cancer. But the new study is a sobering reminder that it cannot eliminate mesothelioma overnight.  Occupational Risk for Malignant Mesothelioma Mesothelioma can be a health hazard for anyone who ever worked with or around asbestos.  Once a worker inhales or…

Study May Lead to Safer Immunotherapy for Mesothelioma
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Study May Lead to Safer Immunotherapy for Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

New research conducted in Europe and at Harvard University may open the door to safer immunotherapy for mesothelioma patients.  Immunotherapy is one of the most promising approaches to fight malignant mesothelioma. But the potential side effects can be devastating.  Now, new data suggests there are ways to reduce the complications of immunotherapy for mesothelioma. The key is to target some of the white blood cells that trigger inflammation. Inflammation is the driver behind most of the serious side effects of immunotherapy.  Why Harness the Immune System? No one ever expects to contract mesothelioma. It is an extremely rare cancer. Most people who get it have spent time living or working around asbestos. Even among asbestos-exposed people, mesothelioma is rare. Scientists…