Managing Mesothelioma During the COVID-19 Pandemic: New Guidelines
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Managing Mesothelioma During the COVID-19 Pandemic: New Guidelines

ByAlex Strauss

New guidance suggests that patients should continue to receive treatment for malignant mesothelioma during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two new reports include recommendations for hospitals to keep vulnerable patients safe. COVID-19 is especially dangerous for people with lung-related cancers like pleural mesothelioma. Their immune systems are not as strong as healthy people and their lungs are already damaged.  But two new reports suggests that it may be even riskier to put off treatment for lung cancers like mesothelioma during the COVID-19 pandemic.  How the Virus Could Impact Lung Cancer Patients Both of the new reports come from researchers in Pennsylvania. They focus on people with lung cancer rather than mesothelioma. But pleural mesothelioma is also a lung-related cancer. It carries many…

Surgery for Peritoneal Mesothelioma Could Be Limited During Pandemic
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Surgery for Peritoneal Mesothelioma Could Be Limited During Pandemic

ByAlex Strauss

It may be harder this year for patients who need it to get surgery for peritoneal mesothelioma.  An international group called RENAPE keeps track of peritoneal cancers like mesothelioma. The group advises doctors on the best treatment practices. The group is advising hospitals to tighten the criteria for who can get surgery for peritoneal mesothelioma during the pandemic.  “The Covid-19 pandemic is profoundly changing the organization of healthcare access,” say French doctors writing about the RENAPE recommendations. “This is particularly so for peritoneal neoplastic diseases, for which curative treatment mobilizes substantial personnel, operating room and intensive care resources.” Mesothelioma Treatment Options Mesothelioma is a rare cancer associated with asbestos exposure. About a fifth of all mesothelioma cases are the peritoneal…