Saving Lives and Lung Tissue: The Ideal Surgical Approach for Mesothelioma
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Saving Lives and Lung Tissue: The Ideal Surgical Approach for Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

New research has outlined the ideal approach to surgery for treating mesothelioma. The news comes from Hyogo Medical University in Japan. Since surgery is just one part of the treatment plan, it is important to focus on saving the lung tissue as much as possible. After the surgery, the patient’s quality of life should be the top priority, especially when they need other treatments. Improving Mesothelioma Treatment Outcomes Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. When asbestos fibers get into the lining of the lungs, it can cause the tissue to become inflamed and grow tumors. The usual treatment strategy for mesothelioma includes multiple types of therapies. The treatment plans usually include surgery, chemotherapy,…

Quality of Life Similar Regardless of Pleural Mesothelioma Surgery Type
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Quality of Life Similar Regardless of Pleural Mesothelioma Surgery Type

ByAlex Strauss

New research suggests that the two major types of pleural mesothelioma surgery have about the same impact on patients’ quality of life afterward.  Thoracic surgeons at Switzerland’s University Hospital Zurich compared the results of 42 mesothelioma patients. Patients had either extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) or lung-sparing PD surgery between 2013 and 2017.  Patients answered questions about their health in the weeks and months after pleural mesothelioma surgery. Their answers show that, where post-surgical quality of life is concerned, it may not matter which procedure a person has.  Two Approaches to Pleural Mesothelioma Surgery Pleural mesothelioma tumors start on the membranous tissue (pleura) that surrounds the lungs. A healthy pleura is thin and flexible and expands to accommodate the lungs during respiration….

HITOC for Mesothelioma: Benefits May Outweigh the Risk
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HITOC for Mesothelioma: Benefits May Outweigh the Risk

ByAlex Strauss

The benefits of a localized chemotherapy regimen known as HITOC for mesothelioma outweigh the small risk of kidney failure for most patients.  That is the conclusion of a new study published in the journal Cancers. German researchers conducted a retrospective review of the medical literature on HITOC (also called HITHOC) in pleural mesothelioma patients.  They were most interested in patients who developed kidney problems after the procedure. This is a known risk with HITOC for mesothelioma. But the study suggests that most patients benefit from this type of chemotherapy in spite of the risk. Localized Treatment Versus Systemic Treatment Pleural mesothelioma tumors start on the membrane around the lungs and are hard to treat. Once this cancer takes hold, most…

Study Asks What is the Best Mesothelioma Surgery?
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Study Asks What is the Best Mesothelioma Surgery?

ByAlex Strauss

The best mesothelioma surgery is the one the patient can tolerate with the fewest serious side effects. That’s according to a new study from MD Anderson researchers. Their goal was to help settle the ongoing debate over which type of pleural mesothelioma surgery is most effective.  Both EPP and P/D surgery are major operations. But one causes much more serious side effects than the other. So how do doctors and patients decide on the best mesothelioma surgery for their case? The new research suggests there may not be a definitive answer.  Debate Over the Best Mesothelioma Surgery Pleural mesothelioma is an asbestos-linked cancer of the membrane around the lungs. During EPP (extrapleural pneumonectomy) surgery, doctors remove this membrane, any other…

Mesothelioma Surgeries Carry Similar Mortality Risk, Study Finds
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Mesothelioma Surgeries Carry Similar Mortality Risk, Study Finds

ByAlex Strauss

The two major types of mesothelioma surgeries carry similar risk of death, according to a new study from cancer researchers in Japan.  One surgery involves removing the diseased pleural lining and one of the lungs. The other surgery removes many of the same tissues but leaves the lungs intact.  Surgeons around the world are divided as to which of these mesothelioma surgeries is best. Mesothelioma patients have more complications with lung-removing surgery. But some studies suggest it could lead to longer survival.  The 4-year Japanese study included more than 600 patients. It suggests that the likelihood of dying is similar with either of these mesothelioma surgeries.  Surgical Treatment of Pleural Mesothelioma Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of asbestos…

Some Mesothelioma Surgery Complications May be Predictable
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Some Mesothelioma Surgery Complications May be Predictable

ByAlex Strauss

It is not always possible to predict which patients will suffer from mesothelioma surgery complications. But a new study suggests there is way to make an educated guess about one particular kind of complication. A lung-removing operation called EPP used to be the preferred surgery for pleural mesothelioma. Most surgeons now favor a more conservative procedure called P/D.  But surgeries do not always work out the way patients and surgeons hope they will. In some cases, mesothelioma surgery complications require the surgeon to convert a planned P/D procedure into an EPP operation instead.  A team of Japanese researchers recently analyzed which patients had the highest risk for these mesothelioma surgery complications and what kinds of outcomes they experienced.  Converting P/D…

Still No Clear Answer on SMART Protocol for Pleural Mesothelioma
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Still No Clear Answer on SMART Protocol for Pleural Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

Another study is out and there is still no clear answer about the value of the SMART protocol for mesothelioma.  SMART stands for surgery for mesothelioma after radiotherapy. After studying nearly a hundred patients, doctors in Toronto say radical surgery after RT can be effective. But they also say it is still very hard to prevent serious complications, even in an experienced center like theirs.  The team at Princess Margaret Cancer Center tested the SMART protocol on previously-untreated pleural mesothelioma patients.  As with previous studies of the SMART protocol for mesothelioma, some of the patients did very well. Many lived longer than they would normally expect to live. But there was also a high incidence of serious surgery-related complications.  The…

Age is a Factor in Mesothelioma Survival After Surgery
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Age is a Factor in Mesothelioma Survival After Surgery

ByAlex Strauss

Age appears to be one of the biggest predictors of mesothelioma survival after surgery. This holds true no matter which kind of surgery a patient has.  A new study from the University of Pennsylvania compared the outcomes of more than 2,000 mesothelioma surgery patients. They compared them by surgical type. They also compared their survival with that of people who did not have surgery. Mesothelioma survival after surgery was consistently longer for younger patients. The risk of death within a few months went up a little bit with each year of age. The news could help patients and doctors make better treatment decisions. Surgical Procedures for Mesothelioma Operating on mesothelioma patients is controversial. Mesothelioma tumors are irregularly shaped and difficult to…

Lung-Sparing Surgery for Mesothelioma Superior to EPP, Study Says
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Lung-Sparing Surgery for Mesothelioma Superior to EPP, Study Says

ByAlex Strauss

A team of Japanese researchers have added their voices to the ongoing debate over lung-sparing surgery for mesothelioma. The researchers analyzed multiple studies on the different kinds of surgery for mesothelioma. The studies included more than 2,600 mesothelioma patients.  After a careful review of the data, the Japanese team concluded that lung-sparing surgery for mesothelioma is almost always better than removing a lung. Mesothelioma patients who had this type of surgery had much fewer complications. They lived just as long as those who had more radical mesothelioma surgery.  Radical and Conservative Mesothelioma Surgery Malignant mesothelioma is a membrane cancer caused by asbestos exposure. It usually occurs in the membrane around the lungs. About 20 percent of cases occur on the…

Black Mesothelioma Patients Less Likely to Receive Surgery
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Black Mesothelioma Patients Less Likely to Receive Surgery

ByAlex Strauss

Black mesothelioma patients are less likely to receive potentially-life saving surgery than white patients, even though they have worse short-term mortality.   That is the finding of a new study published in the Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health.  Mount Sinai researchers used data from the National Cancer Institute to compare mesothelioma treatment trends among 2550 patients.  They concluded that both white and black mesothelioma patients live longer with surgery, but white patients tend to get the most benefit. Surgical Options for Malignant Mesothelioma Malignant mesothelioma is a membrane cancer. It can occur in different places in the body. The type of treatment varies depending on where the cancer occurs. For mesothelioma in the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma), surgery with a rinse…