Treatment Combination Used Most for Mesothelioma
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Treatment Combination Used Most for Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is being used by doctors to treat malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM) more often. This is the finding of a study published in the Annals of Surgical Oncology. This is promising news because research has shown the CRS-HIPEC can be an effective treatment for patients with MPM. Mesothelioma Caused by Asbestos Exposure MPM is caused by exposure to a toxic material called asbestos. Most doctors believe it is caused from ingestion of asbestos fibers and that microscopic asbestos fibers become embedded in the abdomen. After about 20-50 years, these fibers can cause inflammation and mutations that ultimately caused tumors to form. This cancer occurs in less than 1,000 people in the United States…

Surgical Treatment Options for Mesothelioma
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Surgical Treatment Options for Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

For some patients with mesothelioma, aggressive surgical treatment can help them live longer than other treatment options. This is the finding of a study published in the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. The authors focused on a specific type of surgery called “cytoreductive surgery” that is done in both the chest and belly area. Surgery Provides Hope for Cure Mesothelioma is a deadly cancer caused by asbestos exposure. The type of treatment for mesothelioma depends on many factors. The location of the cancer, the type of mesothelioma, and the health of the patient are some of these key factors. For patients who are healthy enough, surgery provides the best hope for a cure. Cytoreductive surgery is a type of…

Peritoneal Mesothelioma and Palliative CRS/HIPEC Surgery
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Peritoneal Mesothelioma and Palliative CRS/HIPEC Surgery

ByHolly Zink

Peritoneal mesothelioma is the second most common form of asbestos cancer. Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the membrane around the abdominal organs. It can spread throughout the abdomen. Some peritoneal mesothelioma patients get good results with cytoreductive surgery. But success depends on many different factors. Surgical oncologists at the Medical College of Wisconsin are studying this question. Considering Surgery for Palliative Intent? Malignant mesothelioma is an especially aggressive cancer. The two primary types are pleural and peritoneal. Peritoneal mesothelioma used to be considered just as lethal as the more common pleural mesothelioma. But cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) have changed that. CRS involves removing as many of the cancer cells as possible. After surgery, the abdomen is cleaned with heated…

Chemotherapy Spray Could Make Surgery Possible for More Peritoneal Mesothelioma Patients

Chemotherapy Spray Could Make Surgery Possible for More Peritoneal Mesothelioma Patients

ByAlex Strauss

A technique that turns anti-cancer drugs into a chemotherapy spray could be a breakthrough for some peritoneal mesothelioma patients who were told they were not candidates for surgery.  The procedure is called PIPAC. It stands for pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy. It allows doctors to apply cancer-killing medication directly to the site of peritoneal mesothelioma tumors.  A new French study suggests that the chemotherapy spray, in combination with systemic chemotherapy, can shrink some tumors enough to completely remove them – even if doctors did not initially think resection was possible.  The study tracked several cases of successful surgery after standard chemotherapy and PIPAC. The retrospective study shows patients who had surgery experienced much longer progression-free survival than those who did not. …

CRS/HIPEC Procedure Has Improved Over Time, Study Finds
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CRS/HIPEC Procedure Has Improved Over Time, Study Finds

ByAlex Strauss

A new French study contains some good news for people considering the CRS/HIPEC procedure for peritoneal mesothelioma.  The CRS/HIPEC procedure combines surgical resection with localized chemotherapy. Its aim is to remove or destroy as many mesothelioma cells as possible in the abdomen.  French researchers studied the evolution of the procedure over time. They discovered that it has improved. As a result, people with peritoneal cancers like malignant mesothelioma are living longer.  Cytoreductive Surgery for Mesothelioma Peritoneal mesothelioma causes tumors on the peritoneal membrane that lines the abdomen. Like other forms of mesothelioma, the cause is usually asbestos exposure.  Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) is an operation to remove tumors from the abdomen. Mesothelioma tumors may be confined to the peritoneal membrane, or…

Surgery for Peritoneal Mesothelioma Could Be Limited During Pandemic
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Surgery for Peritoneal Mesothelioma Could Be Limited During Pandemic

ByAlex Strauss

It may be harder this year for patients who need it to get surgery for peritoneal mesothelioma.  An international group called RENAPE keeps track of peritoneal cancers like mesothelioma. The group advises doctors on the best treatment practices. The group is advising hospitals to tighten the criteria for who can get surgery for peritoneal mesothelioma during the pandemic.  “The Covid-19 pandemic is profoundly changing the organization of healthcare access,” say French doctors writing about the RENAPE recommendations. “This is particularly so for peritoneal neoplastic diseases, for which curative treatment mobilizes substantial personnel, operating room and intensive care resources.” Mesothelioma Treatment Options Mesothelioma is a rare cancer associated with asbestos exposure. About a fifth of all mesothelioma cases are the peritoneal…

CRS/HIPEC Treatment Helps Double Survival Among Swedish Mesothelioma Patients
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CRS/HIPEC Treatment Helps Double Survival Among Swedish Mesothelioma Patients

ByAlex Strauss

A new report suggests that CRS/HIPEC treatment has helped to double the odds of surviving peritoneal mesothelioma in Sweden.  Researchers collected data from the Swedish National Cancer Registry. A total of 102 peritoneal mesothelioma cases were included from two separate 5-year time periods. The report shows that, since CRS/HIPEC treatment was introduced in Sweden, overall survival of peritoneal mesothelioma increased from 7 to 15 months. At 5 years, twice as many peritoneal mesothelioma patients were still alive. The researchers conclude that this is likely due, at least in part, to CRS/HIPEC treatment.  Surviving Peritoneal Mesothelioma Peritoneal mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that starts on the membrane lining the abdomen. It is almost always caused by accidental swallowing of microscopic asbestos…

Long Term Survival Possible with CRS/HIPEC for Mesothelioma
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Long Term Survival Possible with CRS/HIPEC for Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

There’s hopeful news for peritoneal mesothelioma patients facing the prospect of surgery. A new study on the benefits of cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) finds that both the process and outcomes have improved over time. Cytoreductive surgery refers to any surgery aimed at removing as much cancerous tissue as possible. With peritoneal cancers such as mesothelioma, the surgeons may follow the procedure with a wash of heated chemotherapy drugs into the open body cavity. The goal of HIPEC is to destroy any remaining mesothelioma cells and to help keep new mesothelioma cells from growing. A study of 1,000 cytoreductive surgery/HIPEC patients, 72 of whom had mesothelioma, found that complications have decreased and survival has increased for all of…