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Needle Procedure Could Prevent Unneeded Surgery for Malignant Mesothelioma
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Needle Procedure Could Prevent Unneeded Surgery for Malignant Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

A minimally invasive method for cancer staging could prevent unnecessary surgery for malignant mesothelioma. The method involves putting a needle into the chest behind the breast bone. This area is called the mediastinum. The mediastinum contains critical lymph nodes. The presence or absence of cancer cells in these nodes can help determine whether a patient needs surgery for malignant mesothelioma. Now, a group of Canadian doctors say an ultrasound-guided needle biopsy procedure can provide as much information as more invasive options with less risk and pain. Staging Helps Direct Surgery for Malignant Mesothelioma Most mesothelioma patients receive chemotherapy. If the patient is healthy enough and the cancer has not spread, the patient may also have surgery for malignant mesothelioma. Some…

Longer Mesothelioma Survival Possible with Long-Term Local Chemotherapy
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Longer Mesothelioma Survival Possible with Long-Term Local Chemotherapy

ByAlex Strauss

There is evidence that repeatedly rinsing the abdomen with medicine might lead to longer mesothelioma survival after surgery. A rinse of heated chemotherapy drugs during surgery has become standard of care for peritoneal mesothelioma. Unfortunately, mesothelioma usually comes back. But a top mesothelioma doctor says longer mesothelioma survival might be possible if patients got regular chemotherapy “rinses” through a catheter. Studies show the drugs may not even have to be heated to work. Longer Mesothelioma Survival After Surgery Peritoneal mesothelioma is a type of asbestos cancer. It starts on the lining around the abdomen and can spread to other parts of the body. About a fifth of mesothelioma patients have this type. Heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has led to longer…

Risk of Dying from Mesothelioma Varies by Type, Study Shows
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Risk of Dying from Mesothelioma Varies by Type, Study Shows

ByAlex Strauss

The risk of dying from mesothelioma rises and gradually falls  in the decades after exposure for most, but not all, types of asbestos cancer. New research shows those peaks and valleys can vary based on a number of factors. Public health researchers from across Italy recently published their findings on asbestos workers’ risk of dying from mesothelioma. They suggest that the lifetime risk of dying from peritoneal mesothelioma stays high, even after the risk of death from pleural mesothelioma and lung cancer begins to drop off. Quantifying the Risk of Dying from Mesothelioma Asbestos is the primary cause of all three types of mesothelioma: pleural, peritoneal, and pericardial. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common asbestos-related cancer. Pleural tumors start on…

Environmental Group Calls for Oversight of Asbestos in Personal Care Products
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Environmental Group Calls for Oversight of Asbestos in Personal Care Products

ByAlex Strauss

Environmental experts say there’s a need for more oversight of asbestos in personal care products. Asbestos can cause malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis and other serious health problems. Although the FDA says it is not allowed in personal care products, several retailers have gotten in trouble recently for traces of asbestos in personal care products. Some face lawsuits. Why is Asbestos in Personal Care Products? Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral that is heat resistant, won’t burn, and doesn’t corrode. It is also plentiful and inexpensive. There was a time when dozens of household products, from Christmas decor to hairdryers –  contained asbestos. But after the government learned about the link between asbestos and mesothelioma, they passed strict rules about asbestos…

Research Highlights Connection Between BDNF and Mesothelioma Survival
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Research Highlights Connection Between BDNF and Mesothelioma Survival

ByAlex Strauss

French scientists say there is a clear connection between a biomarker called BDNF and mesothelioma survival. The research may open the door to improved mesothelioma diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. BDNF stands for brain-derived neurotrophic factor. It is a protein found in the brain and other tissues. In a new published study, researchers at the University of Nantes found that mesothelioma patients had higher BDNF levels than people with other cancers. Mesothelioma patients with the highest BDNF levels had the shortest mesothelioma survival. Linking BDNF and Mesothelioma Survival A biomarker is a substance that can be used to show the presence of disease. BDNF is a soluble mesothelioma biomarker. Soluble biomarkers are in body fluid and can be collected without a…

Mesothelioma Research Demonstrates Power of Intrapleural Immunotherapy
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Mesothelioma Research Demonstrates Power of Intrapleural Immunotherapy

ByAlex Strauss

New metadata suggests that intrapleural immunotherapy is a powerful, targeted way to treat malignant pleural mesothelioma.   Pleural mesothelioma is a deadly cancer of the lining around the lungs. It is caused by asbestos exposure and is notoriously difficult to treat. Now, a new study suggests that delivering immunotherapy treatments directly into the pleural space where mesothelioma tumors form may help these drugs work even better. What is Intrapleural Immunotherapy? Immunotherapy treatments harness the immune system to help fight cancer. Immunotherapy works alone or in combination with other treatments like chemotherapy or surgery. Many researchers and doctors believe that immunotherapy is the future of mesothelioma treatment. Intrapleural immunotherapy is a more targeted way to deliver these cancer-fighting messengers. It does…

Childhood Environmental Asbestos Exposure and Malignant Mesothelioma
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Childhood Environmental Asbestos Exposure and Malignant Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

Environmental asbestos exposure in childhood can dramatically raise the risk for malignant mesothelioma later in life. That is the finding of new mesothelioma research conducted in Denmark. The study appears in the newest issue of Occupational & Environmental Medicine. It included more than 12,000 people who attended school near an asbestos cement plant during a 30-year period. Researchers discovered that kids educated near the plant were much more likely to receive a mesothelioma diagnosis as adults. Environmental Asbestos Exposure in Danish Children Asbestos was once thought to be an ideal component of building products such as insulation, roof tiles, and cement. It has high tensile strength, is impervious to heat and flame, and is and highly resistant to corrosion. On…

Early Detection of Mesothelioma with MicroRNAs
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Early Detection of Mesothelioma with MicroRNAs

ByAlex Strauss

A new study appears to contradict some of what scientists thought they knew about early detection of mesothelioma. Malignant mesothelioma is a rare but highly aggressive cancer. It usually happens because of past asbestos exposure. Early detection of mesothelioma is key to improving survival. But it is notoriously hard to make a mesothelioma diagnosis. Many patients who have mesothelioma do not even know it until the cancer is in its advanced stage. As a result, most do not live more than a year. Some studies have suggested that tiny, non-coding bits of RNA could help doctors detect mesothelioma earlier. But new research in Germany brings that idea into question. Biomarkers for Early Detection of Mesothelioma MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important…

Mesothelioma Incidence in the US: The Good News and the Bad News
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Mesothelioma Incidence in the US: The Good News and the Bad News

ByAlex Strauss

A new study on mesothelioma incidence in the US contains some good news and some bad news. The good news is that the incidence of the asbestos cancer is finally dropping in the US, after years of growth. The bad news is that, if you live in the Northern part of the US, you are more likely to be exposed to the toxin and your mesothelioma risk is higher. The Good News About Mesothelioma Incidence in the US Asbestos is the primary cause of mesothelioma around the globe and in the US. Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral that is resistant to fire and corrosion. It was mined at several sites in the US and used in thousands of consumer products…

Asbestos in Mesothelioma Development: No Amount is Safe
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Asbestos in Mesothelioma Development: No Amount is Safe

ByAlex Strauss

A new study contains some sobering news about the role of asbestos in mesothelioma development. Public health officials in Italy analyzed the medical records of people who died of pleural mesothelioma in the Broni, Italy area. Broni was the site of an asbestos cement plant from 1932 until 1993. They discovered that even some people who did not work with asbestos had a high risk of dying from this rare cancer. In fact, their risk for mesothelioma was higher even though their asbestos exposure was smaller. It suggests that no amount of asbestos exposure is “safe” — especially for people who are extra sensitive because of their genetics. Small Amounts of Asbestos in Mesothelioma Development Scientists began to suspect the…