Saving Lives and Lung Tissue: The Ideal Surgical Approach for Mesothelioma
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Saving Lives and Lung Tissue: The Ideal Surgical Approach for Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

New research has outlined the ideal approach to surgery for treating mesothelioma. The news comes from Hyogo Medical University in Japan. Since surgery is just one part of the treatment plan, it is important to focus on saving the lung tissue as much as possible. After the surgery, the patient’s quality of life should be the top priority, especially when they need other treatments. Improving Mesothelioma Treatment Outcomes Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. When asbestos fibers get into the lining of the lungs, it can cause the tissue to become inflamed and grow tumors. The usual treatment strategy for mesothelioma includes multiple types of therapies. The treatment plans usually include surgery, chemotherapy,…

New Surgery Gives Better Odds of Surviving Mesothelioma
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New Surgery Gives Better Odds of Surviving Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

A surgery that removes the lining around the lung may give patients better odds of surviving mesothelioma. The surgery is known as pleurectomy decortication (PD). And it may give better odds than extrapleural pneumonectomy (EP). These two surgical procedures are the most used procedures for resectable malignant mesothelioma. A new article in the Journal of Clinical Medicine describes an analysis of mesothelioma survival after surgery. Surgical Treatment for Mesothelioma Malignant mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer that rarely responds to a single cancer therapy. Malignant mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos. Usually, that happens in the workplace. Pleurectomy decortication is a two-part surgical procedure to treat mesothelioma. The first stage removes the membrane surrounding the lung. The second…

Non-Incisional Pleurectomy/Decortication for Mesothelioma
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Non-Incisional Pleurectomy/Decortication for Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

Non-incisional pleurectomy/decortication could be the wave of the future for malignant mesothelioma treatment.  Environmental health experts in Japan say it is possible to remove the diseased pleural lining in a person with mesothelioma without making incisions that could spread their cancer.  The procedure is called non-incisional pleurectomy/decortication. It is a new way to perform mesothelioma surgery that may be safer, faster, and more effective.  Japanese researchers recently published a report on their experience with the technique. The report appears in the newest issue of General Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. Surgical Treatment of Pleural Mesothelioma Pleural mesothelioma is the most common form of asbestos cancer. It occurs on the pleura, a thin membrane surrounding the lungs. From there, pleural mesothelioma can…

Mesothelioma Surgeries Carry Similar Mortality Risk, Study Finds
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Mesothelioma Surgeries Carry Similar Mortality Risk, Study Finds

ByAlex Strauss

The two major types of mesothelioma surgeries carry similar risk of death, according to a new study from cancer researchers in Japan.  One surgery involves removing the diseased pleural lining and one of the lungs. The other surgery removes many of the same tissues but leaves the lungs intact.  Surgeons around the world are divided as to which of these mesothelioma surgeries is best. Mesothelioma patients have more complications with lung-removing surgery. But some studies suggest it could lead to longer survival.  The 4-year Japanese study included more than 600 patients. It suggests that the likelihood of dying is similar with either of these mesothelioma surgeries.  Surgical Treatment of Pleural Mesothelioma Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of asbestos…

Mesothelioma Recurrence After PD Surgery
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Mesothelioma Recurrence After PD Surgery

ByAlex Strauss

A new study finds that mesothelioma recurrence after PD surgery is common but most patients still live for more than a year afterwards. More than a third were still alive three years after recurrence. The study included 90 Japanese patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.  Those who lived for at least a year without mesothelioma recurrence after PD surgery had the best chance of longer term survival. A good performance status and undergoing additional treatment were also key to better outcomes.  Understanding Pleurectomy with Decortication (PD) Surgery Pleural mesothelioma is a virulent cancer that occurs on the membrane around the lungs. There is no cure for mesothelioma. Even with the best treatment, the cancer usually comes back. The goal of most…

Biphasic Mesothelioma Survival Possible in Select Patients
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Biphasic Mesothelioma Survival Possible in Select Patients

ByAlex Strauss

A new report contains some hopeful news about biphasic mesothelioma survival.  Biphasic mesothelioma is the rarest subtype of a rare cancer. It is also the subtype that is hardest to treat.  Biphasic mesothelioma survival is typically shorter than other subtypes. But Italian researchers say, with the right combination of mesothelioma treatments, patients with this subtype can achieve long-term survival. Subtypes and their Impact on Biphasic Mesothelioma Survival All pleural mesothelioma tumors grow on the membrane that surrounds the lungs. When this membrane is healthy, it is flexible and expands naturally with each breath.  When a mesothelioma tumor grows on this membrane, it can restrict the lungs and make it hard to breathe. As tumors grow, mesothelioma can spread to other…

P/D for Mesothelioma: Are the Studies Accurate?
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P/D for Mesothelioma: Are the Studies Accurate?

ByAlex Strauss

A new analysis of pleurectomy/decortication suggests that the most radical form of the surgery produces the best results for mesothelioma patients, but also carries the greatest risk. Pleurectomy/decortication or P/D involves the removal of the pleural lining where malignant mesothelioma grows. Removing all or part of the lining frees up the lungs to expand again, relieving life-limited mesothelioma symptoms such as shortness of breath. But, as the Australian researchers found in their mesothelioma analysis, the varying degrees of P/D can make it difficult to accurately compare the method to the more extensive lung-removing surgery or even to get an accurate picture of P/D outcomes. Extended or ‘radical’ P/D involves removing the entire pleural lining, while partial P/D involves removing only part…

Multi-Modality Mesothelioma Treatment Well Tolerated
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Multi-Modality Mesothelioma Treatment Well Tolerated

ByAlex Strauss

The combination of pleurectomy/decortication, hyperthermic pleural lavage and adjuvant chemotherapy is an effective alternative to more traditional mesothelioma treatment combinations. So say the London scientists who tested the method on 36 mesothelioma patients over a five-and-a-half year period. The mesothelioma patients were all treated at a London hospital between October 2004 and May 2010. Each patient first underwent pleurectomy/decortication, a surgical method for removing as many malignant mesothelioma tumor cells as possible. The method is considered by many to be a safer alternative to the more extensive surgery called extrapleural pneumonectomy, which involves removing a lung and part of the diaphragm. Before their surgical wounds were closed, each patient’s chest cavity was rinsed with a warmed povidone-iodine solution, designed to…