Biomarkers in Pleural Effusions Can Improve Mesothelioma Diagnosis
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Biomarkers in Pleural Effusions Can Improve Mesothelioma Diagnosis

ByAlex Strauss

Italian scientists say some newly identified biomarkers in pleural effusions are very good at ruling out mesothelioma in patients who do not have the disease.  Unfortunately, most of these biomarkers are not as good as positively identifying mesothelioma. But their accuracy can be improved by combining several of them.  Pleural effusions are pockets of excess fluid that collect around the lungs of people with certain kinds of cancer and other conditions.  Mesothelioma biomarkers in pleural effusions are proteins and other substances that are mostly found in mesothelioma patients. The new study suggests that using these biomarkers the right way can lead to more accurate diagnoses. The Importance of Biomarkers in Pleural Effusions Pleural mesothelioma is a rare cancer of the…

Recurrent Pleural Effusion Could Signal High Mesothelioma Risk
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Recurrent Pleural Effusion Could Signal High Mesothelioma Risk

ByAlex Strauss

The case of a Japanese woman with recurrent pleural effusion suggests the problem could be a precursor of malignant pleural mesothelioma. Pleural effusion is a build-up of fluid on the space between the layers of the membrane that surrounds the lungs. It is common with mesothelioma and some other cancers.  In the new case study, the patient had recurrent pleural effusion for 15 years before she developed mesothelioma in situ. This is the earliest stage of asbestos cancer, before it becomes invasive. Her doctors say patients with similar problems should be tested for BAP1 loss and other signs of mesothelioma in situ.  Understanding Recurrent Pleural Effusion Pleural effusion is a side effect of several conditions including heart disease and cancer….

Lung Fluid Analysis Could Enhance Mesothelioma Survival, Report Finds
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Lung Fluid Analysis Could Enhance Mesothelioma Survival, Report Finds

ByAlex Strauss

Swedish researchers say more people might survive mesothelioma if doctors paid more attention to lung fluid analysis in making their diagnosis. The only way to definitely diagnose mesothelioma is to examine cells under a microscope. But pathologists at Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm say tissue biopsy happens too late.  Lung fluid starts to collect much earlier in the disease process. The Swedish team says lung fluid analysis (cytology) could give doctors an earlier indication of mesothelioma. That could lead to earlier diagnosis and better survival. Diagnosing Malignant Mesothelioma There are many signs of malignant mesothelioma. Coughing, chest pain, and shortness of breath are some of the most common. When these symptoms occur in someone who has worked around asbestos, that…

Pleural Effusion in Mesothelioma: Comparing Solutions
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Pleural Effusion in Mesothelioma: Comparing Solutions

ByAlex Strauss

A new study says, when it comes to pleural effusion in mesothelioma, the two main solutions are pretty equal – with one exception.  Pleural effusion is a buildup of fluid in the space around the lungs. Over time, this fluid restricts the lungs and makes it hard to breathe. The problem is common in several types of cancer, including malignant mesothelioma.  In a new report, Taiwanese and Hong Kong researchers compared the two primary ways of dealing with pleural effusion in mesothelioma. They conclude that the two methods work equally well. But one of them usually means a longer hospital stay. Understanding Pleural Effusion in Mesothelioma The pleura are layers of thin membranes that surround the lungs. Pleural mesothelioma tumors…

Talc Pleurodesis for Mesothelioma May Extend Survival
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Talc Pleurodesis for Mesothelioma May Extend Survival

ByAlex Strauss

A UK study suggests that successful talc pleurodesis for mesothelioma improves survival better than other lung fluid treatments.  Researchers in Oxford’s Chest Diseases Department analyzed the outcomes of two groups of pleural mesothelioma patients. Both groups underwent talc pleurodesis for mesothelioma.  The patients whose lung fluid did not come back after treatment experienced longer survival. Mesothelioma patients who had to be retreated did not live as long.  Pleural Effusion in Mesothelioma The pleura is a membrane that surrounds and encases the lungs. It is supposed to be flexible and allow the lungs to move when a person breathes.  But patients with pleural mesothelioma often develop pleural effusion. Pleural effusion is a build-up of excess fluid in the space between the…

Exposed to Asbestos? Lung Fluid Test May Waste Valuable Time
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Exposed to Asbestos? Lung Fluid Test May Waste Valuable Time

ByAlex Strauss

If you have been exposed to asbestos and your doctor sees a mesothelioma tumor on your CT scan, it may be a waste of time to do a lung fluid test, too. Many different types of cancer cause excess lung fluid or pleural effusions. Looking for cancer cells in pleural effusions is one of the ways doctors test for cancers like pleural mesothelioma. This is called effusion cytology. But a new study says this test may not be very reliable for people with malignant mesothelioma. If other factors point to mesothelioma, they say it makes more sense to skip effusion cytology and go straight to a biopsy. Mesothelioma Develops in People Exposed to Asbestos Pleural mesothelioma is a type of…

Minimally Invasive Mesothelioma Diagnosis from Lung Fluid
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Minimally Invasive Mesothelioma Diagnosis from Lung Fluid

ByAlex Strauss

Minimally invasive mesothelioma diagnosis with lung fluid may be just as effective as a tissue biopsy. That’s according to Australian mesothelioma researchers. Australia was once one of the biggest producers of asbestos and now has some of the highest mesothelioma rates in the world. It is also home to high-level mesothelioma research. In the latest study, scientists ran a meta-analysis comparing surgical biopsy with a minimally invasive mesothelioma diagnosis tool called cytology. Their conclusion is that surgery may not always be necessary to diagnose malignant mesothelioma. Tissue Versus Lung Fluid Malignant mesothelioma is a fatal cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. It is challenging to diagnose because the symptoms are often vague and similar to other less serious conditions. Doctors…

Can Mesothelioma Be Diagnosed with Lung Fluid Alone?
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Can Mesothelioma Be Diagnosed with Lung Fluid Alone?

ByAlex Strauss

The diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma can be a complicated process, but a team of Japanese scientists says it can be greatly simplified by the right kind of test at the right time. In an article in the journal Pathology, the team claims that a definitive diagnosis of mesothelioma can be made from a sample of excess lung fluid. Excess fluid collection around the lungs, called pleural effusion, is common in people with mesothelioma and several other kinds of cancer. Approximately 70 percent of people with mesothelioma develop pleural effusions. Because effusion is often one of the earliest signs of the disease, the Japanese doctors maintain that this fluid could be useful for making an early mesothelioma diagnosis. “Early in the incidence…