Mesothelioma Needs a Multidisciplinary Team
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Mesothelioma Needs a Multidisciplinary Team

ByHolly Zink

Mesothelioma treatment may be best managed by a multidisciplinary team of doctors and specialized surgeons. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. Asbestos can be found in thousands of industrial and consumer products. People who are exposed to asbestos may not experience symptoms of mesothelioma for decades. Multimodal therapy may give patients the best odds of surviving mesothelioma. Multimodal therapy often includes surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Yet even when combined, these therapies achieve only limited success. The 5-year survival rate of patients with mesothelioma is less than 20%. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommends that patients with mesothelioma be treated by a multidisciplinary team of doctors. A multidisciplinary team includes doctors from different specialties. They…

Understanding the New Multimodality Prognostic Score (MMPS) in Mesothelioma

Understanding the New Multimodality Prognostic Score (MMPS) in Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

The Multimodality Prognostic Score (MMPS) is a new tool for evidence-based mesothelioma treatment. It has given clinicians and surgeons a new guideline in multimodality treatment. The treatment options for mesothelioma are many. Often, one treatment alone cannot control cancer so many treatment types are required. Multimodal therapy can be tailored to each patient’s case. The Multimodality Prognostic Score (MMPS) has an update. It is a tool in the clinician’s toolbox for outlining a treatment plan. Surgical Options Surgery is a common treatment option for malignant pleural mesothelioma. There are two surgeries that are most common. The first is pleurectomy and decortication (P/D) surgery. The second is an extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP). Pleurectomy and decortication surgery (P/D) is a common pleural mesothelioma…

Radiation Therapy for Mesothelioma Patients: Value and Timing
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Radiation Therapy for Mesothelioma Patients: Value and Timing

ByHolly Zink

The value and safety of radiation therapy for mesothelioma patients are promising. Oncologists from the Fox Chase Cancer Center released new data on radiotherapy. What are the options for radiation therapy? What is the best timing? Who should receive it? This guide shows the role of radiotherapy in the treatment of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma Radiosensitivity and Treatment Combinations Mesothelioma tumors are radiosensitive. This means they are sensitive to X-rays and radiant energy forms. In other words, mesothelioma tumors are treatable with radiation therapy. The use of a multi-modality treatment has also shown potential for mesothelioma patients. A tri-modality treatment uses three different treatment types. The combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy is most common. Understanding Timing and Adverse Effects There are…

Triple-Modality Therapy May Improve Mesothelioma Outcomes, Study Suggests
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Triple-Modality Therapy May Improve Mesothelioma Outcomes, Study Suggests

ByAlex Strauss

A Canadian study suggests that triple-modality therapy with radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and surgery may extend the lives of people with malignant pleural mesothelioma.  Pleural mesothelioma is an intractable cancer with a poor prognosis. It mainly affects people who have lived or worked around asbestos.  There is no cure for mesothelioma. People who have the best mesothelioma outcomes usually have a combination of treatments.  Now, scientists at Toronto General Hospital’s Research Institute say a triple-modality therapy they tested in mice might have the power to extend human lives, too. Multi-modal Mesothelioma Treatment Pleural mesothelioma is a fast-growing cancer that starts on the membrane around the lungs. Many mesothelioma patients die less than a year after diagnosis.  There is no single accepted treatment…

Lower-Volume Centers Less Likely to Follow Mesothelioma Treatment Guidelines
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Lower-Volume Centers Less Likely to Follow Mesothelioma Treatment Guidelines

ByAlex Strauss

Mesothelioma patients need to beware of low-volume centers that are less likely to follow mesothelioma treatment guidelines. That is the message from a new study based on data from the National Cancer Institute. The study was run by doctors at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. It shows that treatment centers that do not see a lot of mesothelioma cases are less likely to follow the life-saving mesothelioma treatment guidelines. As a result, patients treated in these lower-volume facilities tend to have shorter mesothelioma survival. What are the Mesothelioma Treatment Guidelines? Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a cancer that occurs on the membrane that surrounds the lungs. It is extremely rare and difficult to treat. Many hospitals and doctors never see…