Understanding Mesothelioma: Clues in the Blood
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Understanding Mesothelioma: Clues in the Blood

ByHolly Zink

Pleural mesothelioma is a tough cancer caused by asbestos. It’s hard to treat because it is rare and grows differently in people. A recent study tried to find clues that could help doctors figure out how to treat mesothelioma better. Helping Treat Mesothelioma In this study, they looked at 98 people with pleural mesothelioma. Researchers checked the patient’s blood for a few different factors. They wanted to see if a patient’s blood could tell how long someone might live with this cancer. They also wanted to use a patient’s blood to predict which treatment may work best for them. Researchers also learned from what treatments had worked for these patients in the past. Some treatments like surgery or multi-modal treatment…

Could Phlebotomy Delay Development of Mesothelioma?
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Could Phlebotomy Delay Development of Mesothelioma?

ByAlex Strauss

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…