New G8 Screening Questionnaire for Mesothelioma Treatments
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New G8 Screening Questionnaire for Mesothelioma Treatments

ByHolly Zink

A screening questionnaire for lung cancer patients could improve treatment plans and clinical outcomes. This is the conclusion of a team of researchers from the United Kingdom. Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that often forms in the lungs of affected patients. It is caused by exposure to asbestos, usually in the work environment. It takes a long time for mesothelioma symptoms for appear. Because of this, most mesothelioma patients are elderly. Introducing the G8 Questionnaire The G8 questionnaire is a geriatric screening tool for doctors to use when choosing treatment options for patients with cancer. It takes up to five minutes for a doctor to complete the questionnaire. It includes eight questions and provides a score between zero…

COVID-19 Fears May Lead to Delayed Mesothelioma Diagnosis
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COVID-19 Fears May Lead to Delayed Mesothelioma Diagnosis

ByAlex Strauss

Cancer experts are warning that the fear of contracting COVID-19 may result in delayed mesothelioma diagnosis and worse outcomes for some patients.  A study from the Epic Health Research Network shows that many patients delayed cancer screenings and other preventative health appointments during the pandemic.  Although the numbers have started to increase, the trend may mean that some patients have already faced a delayed mesothelioma diagnosis.  Understanding Pleural Mesothelioma Pleural mesothelioma is a fast-growing cancer on the tissue that surrounds the lungs and lines the chest wall. It is most common in people who lived or worked around asbestos.  Even in the best of times, mesothelioma is extremely difficult to diagnose. Most mesothelioma patients have very few symptoms until the…

New Lung Cancer Screening Guidelines Could Catch Some Mesotheliomas Earlier
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New Lung Cancer Screening Guidelines Could Catch Some Mesotheliomas Earlier

ByAlex Strauss

New lung cancer screening guidelines for smokers might have an unexpected benefit for people who have also been exposed to asbestos: They may catch mesothelioma earlier.  Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a lung-related cancer caused by asbestos. It develops over many years. Many mesothelioma patients do not show any symptoms until the disease is very advanced. There is currently no routine screening for mesothelioma. The new lung cancer screening guidelines apply to people ages 50 to 80. They suggest that those who have smoked the equivalent of a pack a day for 20 years should have annual low-dose CT scans.  If screening shows a tumor, doctors can dig further to determine its type. Both lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma are more…

Low-Dose CT Screening May Delay Mesothelioma Deaths
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Low-Dose CT Screening May Delay Mesothelioma Deaths

ByAlex Strauss

The results of a long-term national study suggest that low-dose CT screening might prevent – or at least delay – deaths from pleural mesothelioma.  The National Lung Screening Trial included more than 53,000 lung cancer patients. Researchers released the first results in 2011 after more than six years of study. The recent follow-up results reflect more than 12 years of data on low-dose CT screening. They show that, in many cases, screening lung cancer patients for at least three years delayed their deaths for more than a decade.  Pleural Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer Pleural mesothelioma is not the same thing as lung cancer. Mesothelioma starts on the lining around the lungs (pleura), rather than in the lung tissue itself.  But…

Mesothelioma and Early Lung Cancer Identified by Screening
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Mesothelioma and Early Lung Cancer Identified by Screening

ByAlex Strauss

Using computed tomography scans to screen former asbestos workers can detect both early and late-stage lung cancer and late-stage mesothelioma, according to a study in the May Journal of Thoracic Oncology. However, it’s still not clear whether screening for these cancers might improve patients’ prognoses. Exposure to asbestos fibers is a known risk factor for lung cancer and the cause of mesothelioma. Although asbestos is still not completely banned in the U.S., it was phased out of American industry to a large degree beginning in the 1970s.  However because asbestos-related diseases can take 20 to 40 years to emerge after people have been exposed, former asbestos workers and those exposed to products containing this carcinogen continue to be diagnosed with asbestos…