Mesothelioma Survival is Higher with Radical Lung-Sparing Surgery
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Mesothelioma Survival is Higher with Radical Lung-Sparing Surgery

ByAlex Strauss

Open radical lung-preserving surgery appears to offer a significant survival advantage over non-radical, palliative surgery in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. That is the finding of a new study published in the European Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery. Pleural mesothelioma is caused by inhaling asbestos fibers, which irritate the delicate lung tissue, leading to chronic inflammation and, sometimes, malignancy. Lung-preserving (or debulking) surgery for mesothelioma falls into two categories: radical, an invasive procedure during which affected lung tissue is removed, and non-radical, which is aimed at releasing the contracture in the mesothelium surrounding the lungs to allow for more comfortable breathing. Researchers from Nottingham, England compared the outcomes of 13 mesothelioma patients who had had the more invasive radical decortication with…

Mesothelioma Survival Improved by Adding Heated Chemotherapy to Surgery
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Mesothelioma Survival Improved by Adding Heated Chemotherapy to Surgery

ByAlex Strauss

Delivering a high dose of heated chemotherapy directly into the chest and abdomen during mesothelioma surgery improves patients’ survival without compromising their safety, according to a recent study published in The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. The researchers say their results provide real evidence that adding chemotherapy or other drugs to surgery could improve the outcome for mesothelioma patients, particularly those with early-stage cancers. “The exciting thing about this is that a new platform for therapy has been established,” says lead author David J. Sugarbaker, MD, Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School. Any potentially effective therapy is good news to mesothelioma researchers, because this cancer has traditionally been…

Mesothelioma Survivor Defies Odds
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Mesothelioma Survivor Defies Odds

ByAlex Strauss

Recently there have been a number of articles written about Jon Matthews, the British man who was diagnosed with mesothelioma a little over two years ago. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. Apparently, Mr. Matthews had placed a bet with a bookie that he would live beyond 25 months. The bookie took the bet at 50 to 1 odds. When Mr. Matthews survived past this point, the bet paid off £5,000 on a £100 bet. First, we want to commend Mr. Matthews for proving his doctors wrong. But, why was 25 months chosen? Is this a magic number? According to Andy Nicholson of William Hill Bookmakers the bookie had consulted with “various medical…

Mesothelioma Gene Test Predicts Survival Odds
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Mesothelioma Gene Test Predicts Survival Odds

ByAlex Strauss

A test that looks at ratios of four genes can accurately predict which mesothelioma patients face the greatest chance of survival, and help pinpoint the best candidates for surgery, according to a study in the May 6 Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Mesothelioma is one of the most challenging cancers to treat. Patients survive an average of just one year after their diagnosis. Surgery can help improve survival somewhat, but it does have risks. Knowing which patients are most likely to benefit from surgery can spare those with a poor outlook from having to undergo an unnecessary and invasive procedure. To predict a patient’s prognosis, doctors typically look at cancer stage (how far it has spread), whether the tumor can…

Mesothelioma and Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy
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Mesothelioma and Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy

ByAlex Strauss

Combining aggressive surgery with chemotherapy delivered directly into the abdominal cavity may significantly extend survival in patients with peritoneal mesothelioma, according to a consensus statement of peritoneal mesothelioma specialists published in the September 15 issue of the Journal of Surgical Oncology. Reaching a consensus on the treatment of peritoneal mesothelioma—a cancer that affects the abdominal lining—has been difficult for doctors, because the disease progresses so quickly and conventional treatments such as surgery and chemotherapy have done little in the past to stall its progress and improve survival. However, new therapies are showing great promise, and are vastly improving the outlook for patients with this cancer. Among the most promising of these therapies is combining aggressive surgery to remove as much…

Peritoneal Mesothelioma and Multi-Modality Treatment
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Peritoneal Mesothelioma and Multi-Modality Treatment

ByAlex Strauss

Combining surgery, localized chemotherapy and gamma-interferon-1b, and radiation can increase survival for patients with peritoneal mesothelioma, according to a recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Oncology. Currently, no standard treatment exists for peritoneal mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the abdominal lining (peritoneum). Because the disease is typically confined to the abdomen, treatment usually consists of local therapies such as surgery or chemotherapy. In the current study, researchers investigated whether combining surgery with locally delivered chemotherapy, biological therapy (gamma-interferon-1b), and radiation might slow the progression of the disease and improve survival. The study involved 27 patients (average age, 53) with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. All of the participants underwent surgery in which doctors removed all traces of visible disease—a time-intensive…