New Test May Help Doctors Choose the Best Mesothelioma Surgery
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New Test May Help Doctors Choose the Best Mesothelioma Surgery

ByAlex Strauss

A new predictive model may make it easier for cancer doctors to choose the best mesothelioma surgery for each pleural mesothelioma patient.  There are two major surgical approaches for pleural mesothelioma. One involves removal of a lung and the other does not.  Right now, the choice about which surgery to have is based on patient demographics, symptoms, and lab values. Which surgery is most common at the institution may also play a role. Many surgeons have strong opinions about which is the best mesothelioma surgery.   But Harvard researchers say the new predictive model they tested is a better way to stratify mesothelioma patients. Their study suggests that this approach may lead to better treatment outcomes and more accurate clinical trials. …

P/D Surgery for Mesothelioma Improves Quality of Life Regardless of Lung Function
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P/D Surgery for Mesothelioma Improves Quality of Life Regardless of Lung Function

ByAlex Strauss

Japanese researchers say P/D surgery for mesothelioma improves quality of life for most patients, even if their lung function gets worse.  Doctors at the Hyogo College of Medicine tracked the cases of forty-five patients who had P/D surgery for mesothelioma between 2014 and 2018.  Lung function tests showed most pleural mesothelioma patients could not breathe as well after surgery as they did before. Their energy, vitality, and social functioning also decreased. But patients reported better mental health after surgery and significantly less pain.  The researchers conclude that quality of life after P/D surgery for mesothelioma may have less to do with breathing than previously thought.  What is P/D Surgery for Mesothelioma? Pleural mesothelioma tumors grow on the pleura, a thin…

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…

Complications After PD Surgery for Mesothelioma
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Complications After PD Surgery for Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

Durable air leak is one of the most common complications after PD surgery for pleural mesothelioma, according to the authors of a new study. People with overall better health are less likely than others to experience the problem.  Air leaks happen when inhaled air does not stay in the alveoli in the lungs. Instead, it leaks into the area around the lungs. This can cause breathing problems and put pressure on the heart. Too much leaked air can even collapse a lung. A new Japanese study found that more than half of mesothelioma patients analyzed experienced serious complications after PD surgery. One in three patients suffered from air leak for more than ten days.  Pleurectomy/Decortication for Mesothelioma Pleural mesothelioma is…