Artificial Intelligence Improves Mesothelioma Diagnosis, Study Finds
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Artificial Intelligence Improves Mesothelioma Diagnosis, Study Finds

ByAlex Strauss

There is more evidence that artificial intelligence may have a role to play in helping doctors diagnose deadly malignant mesothelioma earlier.  A study conducted at Japan’s Hyogo College of Medicine used past patient records to test a deep convolutional neural network (CDNN). This is a complex computer program designed to evaluate diagnostic criteria.  Pleural mesothelioma is a difficult cancer for doctors to diagnose. Artificial intelligence can help by quickly comparing diagnostic data to hundreds of past cases. In the Japanese study, the AI produced the most accurate mesothelioma diagnoses when combined with all of the available patient data. The Challenge of Diagnosing Mesothelioma Mesothelioma tumors grow on the membranes around internal organs. They usually come from past exposure to asbestos….

P16 Test May Improve Diagnostic Accuracy for Mesothelioma
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P16 Test May Improve Diagnostic Accuracy for Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

Scientists in the UK say testing for a tumor suppressor protein called p16 can improve diagnostic accuracy for mesothelioma. It may also help predict which patients are likely to have the best treatment response. The p16 protein is encoded by the CDKN2A gene. Many people with mesothelioma are missing this gene.  Previous studies show a lack of p16 may be linked to lower cancer survival. Now, researchers in Manchester say it should be added to routine tests to improve prognostic and diagnostic accuracy for mesothelioma. The Challenge of Diagnostic Accuracy for Mesothelioma It is not easy to diagnose mesothelioma. There is no single test that can show if a person has this cancer. Diagnosis usually involves blood tests, imaging studies,…

Video-Assisted Pleural Biopsy for Mesothelioma is Not Always Accurate
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Video-Assisted Pleural Biopsy for Mesothelioma is Not Always Accurate

ByAlex Strauss

New research shows some patients are more likely to get an accurate mesothelioma diagnosis from video-assisted pleural biopsy than others.  Cancer doctors at Japan’s Hyogo College of Medicine conducted the new research. It included four hundred patients with suspected pleural mesothelioma.   The researchers found that certain conditions can affect the accuracy of video-assisted pleural biopsy. Patients with early stage mesothelioma, a lot of inflammation, or fibrous connective tissue around their tumors were more likely to be misdiagnosed. Biopsy for Mesothelioma Diagnosis VATS is the acronym for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. It is a minimally-invasive surgical technique to diagnose problems in the chest. Mesothelioma tumors grow on the membrane around the lungs (pleura). Doctors may use the video-assisted pleural biopsy technique…

Mesothelioma and Early Lung Cancer Identified by Screening
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Mesothelioma and Early Lung Cancer Identified by Screening

ByAlex Strauss

Using computed tomography scans to screen former asbestos workers can detect both early and late-stage lung cancer and late-stage mesothelioma, according to a study in the May Journal of Thoracic Oncology. However, it’s still not clear whether screening for these cancers might improve patients’ prognoses. Exposure to asbestos fibers is a known risk factor for lung cancer and the cause of mesothelioma. Although asbestos is still not completely banned in the U.S., it was phased out of American industry to a large degree beginning in the 1970s.  However because asbestos-related diseases can take 20 to 40 years to emerge after people have been exposed, former asbestos workers and those exposed to products containing this carcinogen continue to be diagnosed with asbestos…