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…

Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer: These Biomarkers Can Tell the Difference
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Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer: These Biomarkers Can Tell the Difference

ByAlex Strauss

Researchers in Canada say when it comes to distinguishing between mesothelioma and lung cancer, some proteins are more valuable than others.  The team has identified an especially important protein biomarker for mesothelioma. A biomarker is a compound in body fluid or tissue that can act as a signpost for disease.  Understanding the value of this particular protein as compared to other biomarkers may improve the testing process for mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma and lung cancer share many of the same characteristics. Both affect the lungs and both cause similar symptoms. But they are treated differently.  It is not always easy to tell these two cancers apart, even with high-level diagnostic tools. But the biomarker testing completed in Canada may make it…

Asbestos and Lung Cancer: Study Highlights the Link
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Asbestos and Lung Cancer: Study Highlights the Link

ByAlex Strauss

A new report on asbestos and lung cancer says asbestos could be to blame for the cancer, even if the patient is a heavy smoker.  In smokers, lung cancer is usually attributed to tobacco use. But cancer researchers in Australia and Finland say that is not always right, especially if the patient has been exposed to asbestos. They propose new criteria for establishing the cause of lung cancer in asbestos-exposed people. The criteria would apply to both smokers and non-smokers. Mesothelioma is Not the Only Cancer Linked to Exposure Malignant mesothelioma is the cancer most often associated with asbestos exposure.  Mesothelioma is a rare but fast-growing and treatment-resistant cancer. Asbestos exposure is the only known cause of mesothelioma. Smoking increases…

Lung Cancer Blood Test: Can it Find Early Mesothelioma?
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Lung Cancer Blood Test: Can it Find Early Mesothelioma?

ByAlex Strauss

Mesothelioma patients and their doctors may have reason to be optimistic about a new lung cancer blood test. A random trial of more than 12,000 high-risk people in Scotland shows the EarlyCDT test combined with CT imaging can detect cancer early. Earlier diagnosis is likely to lead to longer survival of lung cancers like pleural mesothelioma. Researchers presented their findings on the new lung cancer blood test at a global conference this week in Spain. Largest Lung Cancer Trial As in the US, lung cancer is the biggest cancer killer in Scotland. Pleural mesothelioma is a form of lung cancer. Although it is rare, mesothelioma is more common in the UK than in other parts of the world. This is…

New Hope for Relapsed Pleural Mesothelioma?
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New Hope for Relapsed Pleural Mesothelioma?

ByAlex Strauss

There is new evidence that adding a drug called vorinostat to immunotherapy might help relapsed pleural mesothelioma patients.  The new study comes from the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. It focused on patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Non-small cell lung cancer is similar to pleural mesothelioma in many ways.  The study found that patients who received vorinostat along with an immune checkpoint inhibitor had better results. The findings could be good news for relapsed pleural mesothelioma patients, too. Different Immunotherapy Drugs Vorinostat is sold under the brand name Zolinza. It is a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor. HDAC inhibitors alter the way proteins are expressed inside cells. They also stimulate the immune system.  Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) like Keytruda also…