Understanding Cancer in Women: Why It Matters and What We Can Do
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Understanding Cancer in Women: Why It Matters and What We Can Do

ByHolly Zink

Lung cancer and mesothelioma are a big worry for women worldwide. Many things like our bodies, the environment, and how we live can make this disease more likely. It’s the main cause of cancer deaths in women in some countries. But when we talk about lung cancer and mesothelioma, we often think more about men. This makes it hard to learn about, treat, and help women who have it. A new study in Clinical Lung Cancer looks at the history and future of lung cancer in women. Decoding Women’s Unique Risks Researchers say it’s hard for women with lung cancer or mesothelioma to get the right help. Not enough women are part of studies to learn about cancer treatments. There…

Predicting Lung Cancer Survival: A New Tool for Patients

Predicting Lung Cancer Survival: A New Tool for Patients

ByHolly Zink

Lung cancer is a tough opponent, causing a lot of harm worldwide. In Morocco, it’s a big concern, making up most non-small cell lung cancers and a chunk of small cell lung cancers. Scientists have created a new tool, a special chart, to predict how long someone might live with lung cancer. Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer caused by asbestos exposure. It shares some commonalities with lung cancer in terms of its impact and treatment challenges. While they have their differences, both diseases affect the lungs and can have similar treatment approaches. Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma Top of Form Treating early-stage lung cancer often involves a mix of treatments. These include chemotherapy, radiation, and sometimes surgery. But not…

Expanding Treatment Horizons: CIRT’s Potential for Mesothelioma Patients
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Expanding Treatment Horizons: CIRT’s Potential for Mesothelioma Patients

ByHolly Zink

When it comes to treating early-stage cancer, surgery is often the recommended approach. But did you know that some patients choose a different option – radiotherapy? In recent years, a special type of radiotherapy called Carbon-ion radiotherapy (CIRT) has become popular, and a study from Japan has shown how it can help people with early-stage lung cancer. CIRT also has treatment applications in mesothelioma. CIRT: A Different Kind of Treatment Carbon-ion radiotherapy, or CIRT, is a unique way to treat cancer using special particles called carbon ions instead of X-rays. This treatment has several advantages, making it an attractive choice for people who don’t want surgery. CIRT is known for its ability to control cancer locally while causing fewer severe…

Navigating Mesothelioma Diagnosis: The Power of Uroplakin-IIIb
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Navigating Mesothelioma Diagnosis: The Power of Uroplakin-IIIb

ByHolly Zink

Figuring out if someone has mesothelioma or lung cancer can be tricky for doctors. They often use special tests called immunohistochemical stains to help them. But sometimes, these tests are not specific enough on their own. Recently, a big study found a potential new marker called uroplakin-IIIb (UpIIIb). It might be really good at telling if someone has mesothelioma. Decoding Mesothelioma and Diagnostic Accuracy Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Three different types of mesothelioma are identified based on the shape of the cancer cells. About half of mesothelioma cases are the epithelioid type, and 10% are the sarcomatoid type. The rest of mesothelioma cases are a mix of epithelioid and sarcomatoid, and this type is…

Misleading Symptoms: The Complex Path to Diagnosing Mesothelioma
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Misleading Symptoms: The Complex Path to Diagnosing Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

Patients with symptoms that look like mesothelioma take longer to get an accurate diagnosis, finds a study out of the United Kingdom. The Complex Path to Diagnosing Mesothelioma Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that develops from the cells in the lining of many of the internal organs in the body. There are about 2,000 cases of mesothelioma diagnosed in the United States each year. It is caused by exposure to asbestos. Symptoms of mesothelioma may include shortness of breath, chest pain, weight loss, and fatigue. These are so like many other diseases that only a proper work-up, including scans and even a biopsy, can determine if the cause is mesothelioma. Because the disease is so rare, it can…

New G8 Screening Questionnaire for Mesothelioma Treatments
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New G8 Screening Questionnaire for Mesothelioma Treatments

ByHolly Zink

A screening questionnaire for lung cancer patients could improve treatment plans and clinical outcomes. This is the conclusion of a team of researchers from the United Kingdom. Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that often forms in the lungs of affected patients. It is caused by exposure to asbestos, usually in the work environment. It takes a long time for mesothelioma symptoms for appear. Because of this, most mesothelioma patients are elderly. Introducing the G8 Questionnaire The G8 questionnaire is a geriatric screening tool for doctors to use when choosing treatment options for patients with cancer. It takes up to five minutes for a doctor to complete the questionnaire. It includes eight questions and provides a score between zero…

LA Woman’s Story is a Sobering Reminder to Watch for Signs of Pleural Mesothelioma
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LA Woman’s Story is a Sobering Reminder to Watch for Signs of Pleural Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

The plight of an LA actress who found out she had lung cancer because of a COVID test is a sobering reminder to be aware of the early signs of pleural mesothelioma. The woman’s story was recently featured on the Today Show website. Fifty-nine year old Annabelle Gurwitch is a non-smoker with no known lung cancer risk factors. She and her 23-year-old child decided to get COVID tests after her child came home from college.  Although the COVID test was negative, Gurwitch writes that doctors were concerned about her persistent cough. Ongoing cough can be a one of the early signs of pleural mesothelioma, too. An X-ray revealed that Gurwitch was suffering from Stage 4 lung cancer, the most common…

New Lung Cancer Screening Guidelines Could Catch Some Mesotheliomas Earlier
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New Lung Cancer Screening Guidelines Could Catch Some Mesotheliomas Earlier

ByAlex Strauss

New lung cancer screening guidelines for smokers might have an unexpected benefit for people who have also been exposed to asbestos: They may catch mesothelioma earlier.  Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a lung-related cancer caused by asbestos. It develops over many years. Many mesothelioma patients do not show any symptoms until the disease is very advanced. There is currently no routine screening for mesothelioma. The new lung cancer screening guidelines apply to people ages 50 to 80. They suggest that those who have smoked the equivalent of a pack a day for 20 years should have annual low-dose CT scans.  If screening shows a tumor, doctors can dig further to determine its type. Both lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma are more…

Pleural Mesothelioma Rates Expected to Decline Just as Lung Cancer Deaths Have
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Pleural Mesothelioma Rates Expected to Decline Just as Lung Cancer Deaths Have

ByAlex Strauss

A new report suggests that pleural mesothelioma rates will continue to decline worldwide over the next decade as many countries get wise to the dangers of asbestos. The report comes on the heels of another study showing dramatic declines in US lung cancer deaths.  The report on mesothelioma rates comes from market research website, Research and Markets. The company evaluated malignant pleural mesothelioma incidence in seven countries to come up with an 11-year forecast. According to the research, the US, UK, Japan, and four European countries can expect declining rates of asbestos cancer through 2030. Those who do receive a pleural mesothelioma diagnosis may benefit from some of the same drugs that are helping lung cancer patients survive. Lung Cancer…

Epithelioid Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer: Biomarker Shows Which is Which
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Epithelioid Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer: Biomarker Shows Which is Which

ByAlex Strauss

Researchers from Hiroshima University say they have found a nearly foolproof way to tell the difference between epithelioid mesothelioma and lung cancer.  This is critical because the prognosis can be very different between the two. They are also treated differently.  But epithelioid mesothelioma and lung cancer are similar in many ways. They cause many of the same symptoms. Even their cells look similar under the microscope. This can make it hard for doctors to deliver an accurate and timely diagnosis.  If the new findings are right, the biomarker identified by the Hiroshima researchers could be a diagnostic gamechanger.  Lung Adenocarcinoma or Pleural Mesothelioma? At first glance, epithelioid mesothelioma and lung cancer seem to be very different. Mesothelioma makes up about…