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Predicting Bone Cancer in Mesothelioma Patients

ByHolly Zink
Predicting Bone Cancer in Mesothelioma Patients

New research from Scientific Reports describes a tool called a nomogram that can help doctors to predict the outcome of bone cancer in mesothelioma patients.

The tool was developed by scientists in China at Xiangya Hospital and Central South University.

Improving Survival Chances

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. It grows in the thin layer of tissue that covers many of the body’s organs.

In the later stages of the disease, mesothelioma can spread to the bones. This happens when cancer cells travel through the bloodstream or lymphatic system and reach the bones. This is called bone metastasis.

Bone cancer can cause symptoms like pain, broken bones, and problems with movement. It can also affect the overall health and survival of the patient.

Doctors and scientists are still trying to understand how bone metastasis in mesothelioma happens and how it affects the patient’s chances of recovery. A tool like a nomogram can predict how bone metastasis may impact a patient’s survival.

By identifying the factors that affect the prognosis, doctors can provide better treatment and care for mesothelioma patients with bone metastasis.

The Nomogram Tool for Bone Cancer Prediction

The scientists looked at data from the SEER database to create the nomogram. This is a publicly available U.S. database that organizes data from cancer patients. They were able to include data from 311 mesothelioma patients with bone metastasis.

The scientists used the data to look at factors that could affect survival and used statistics to create the nomogram. They also looked at how the cancer spreads and how that affects survival.

The biggest risk factors for mesothelioma spreading to the bones were age, sex, cancer cell type, and chemotherapy.

The nomogram was good at predicting survival at different time points. The scientists found that the location of the spreading cancer had different effects on the patients’ prognosis.

Source

Yang A, Tang B, Liu X, et al. Development of a prognostic nomogram for patients with malignant mesothelioma with bone metastasis. Sci Rep. 2023;13(1):10789. Published 2023 Jul 4. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-37679-9. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-37679-9

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