Some Mesothelioma Patients Have Unrealistic View of Palliative Chemotherapy
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Some Mesothelioma Patients Have Unrealistic View of Palliative Chemotherapy

ByAlex Strauss

A new Danish study suggests that, when it comes to palliative chemotherapy for mesothelioma, patients, families, and doctors may have very different expectations.  Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer caused by asbestos. It is not curable but chemotherapy can sometimes slow it down. Palliative chemotherapy is chemotherapy aimed at relieving mesothelioma symptoms.  But researchers at Odense University and University of Southern Denmark say nearly a third of families expect palliative chemotherapy to cure their cancer. This was especially true of patients younger than 70.  Palliative Chemotherapy for Mesothelioma Chemotherapy has been the main treatment for mesothelioma since the early 2000s. Pemetrexed (Alimta) and a platinum drug like cisplatin is the standard drug combination. But this treatment is rarely a cure….

Palliative Radiotherapy for Mesothelioma Faster with New Technology
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Palliative Radiotherapy for Mesothelioma Faster with New Technology

ByAlex Strauss

A new type of linear accelerator could make palliative radiotherapy for mesothelioma faster and safer.  That news comes from researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Perelman is the site of some of the world’s foremost mesothelioma research.  Their new report on palliative radiotherapy for mesothelioma focuses on the Halcyon multileaf collimator. This machine delivers radiotherapy to relieve mesothelioma symptoms.  The report shows patients were in and out of treatment within minutes. This could make Halcyon an option for fragile mesothelioma patients who could not tolerate a longer treatment. What is Palliative Radiotherapy for Mesothelioma? Palliative medicine is a branch of medicine focused on symptom management. Many mesothelioma patients have no symptoms for many years….

Isolated Thoracic Perfusion for Mesothelioma Symptom Relief
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Isolated Thoracic Perfusion for Mesothelioma Symptom Relief

ByAlex Strauss

A new study suggests that a treatment called isolated thoracic perfusion could help alleviate some of the worst symptoms of malignant pleural mesothelioma. Isolated thoracic perfusion is a method for circulating medicine in just one area of the body. When doctors circulated chemotherapy drugs in the chests of people with pleural mesothelioma, their symptoms went away for several months.  Now, the team says it is time to test the technique in a bigger pool of mesothelioma patients.  The Theory Behind ITP Pleural mesothelioma is a membrane cancer that occurs in the chest. Chemotherapy drugs like Alimta can be powerful weapons against pleural mesothelioma. But they can also damage healthy tissues.  When healthy tissues are damaged by chemotherapy, mesothelioma patients can…

Cancer Centers May Not Manage Mesothelioma Symptoms Adequately, Study Finds
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Cancer Centers May Not Manage Mesothelioma Symptoms Adequately, Study Finds

ByAlex Strauss

UK researchers say the number of patients receiving palliative care to manage mesothelioma symptoms may be lagging behind the need. Nottingham University conducted a needs assessment of more than 700 patients over two years. Seventy percent of patients with pleural mesothelioma or another thoracic cancer completed a questionnaire shortly after diagnosis. Their results revealed a high unmet need for palliation to manage mesothelioma symptoms and those of other thoracic malignancies. How Does Palliative Care Help Manage Mesothelioma Symptoms? Palliative care is any kind of care that helps patients manage mesothelioma symptoms. These can be physical symptoms like breathing difficulty or fatigue. Or they can be psychological symptoms like fear and worry. Palliative care to manage mesothelioma symptoms can include things…