Recurring Collapsed Lung as an Early Indicator of Malignant Mesothelioma
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The Lungs: Asbestos, Smoking, and Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

Scientists in Japan published a study about how asbestos fibers interact with the lungs when they are inhaled by someone. This study, published in Particle and Fibre Toxicology, explored “asbestos ferruginous bodies” (AFBs). When asbestos fibers are inhaled into the lungs, the body forms an iron-rich coat around the fibers. These coated asbestos fibers become AFBs. Mesothelioma after Asbestos Exposure When people inhale asbestos fibers, they can develop an aggressive cancer called malignant pleural mesothelioma. This cancer grows in the lining of the lungs and chest wall. It can often take around 40 years for malignant pleural mesothelioma to begin to grow after asbestos exposure. Imaging studies such as X-rays or CT scans may help in the diagnosis, but the…

age and smoking
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Best Services to Quit Smoking for Mesothelioma Patients

ByHolly Zink

A new study shows that a multifaceted approach to quitting smoking can help patients diagnosed with cancer. One rare type of cancer is mesothelioma. This cancer is caused by exposure to asbestos. It occurs in the lining of different parts of your body, usually in the abdomen or the lungs. Mesothelioma often takes decades to develop after being exposed to asbestos. The symptoms can be hard to diagnose because they look like other, more common diseases. This makes treating mesothelioma more difficult, too. The cancer has more time to spread while doctors are struggling to make a diagnosis. There are other factors that make cancers like mesothelioma difficult to treat. Smoking after a cancer diagnosis can lead to worse survival…

age and smoking
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Age and Smoking Less Important Than Other Factors for Mesothelioma Outcomes

ByAlex Strauss

A newly published study suggests that a mesothelioma patient’s age and smoking history is less important to prognosis than certain biomarkers or what treatment they choose. The study comes from scientists at the National Institute of Respiratory Diseases in Mexico City.  They performed a retrospective analysis of 136 patients with pleural mesothelioma. The goal was to see which factors played the biggest role in outcomes. Age and smoking were among seven factors evaluated. It turns out they were not the most important ones.  Who Gets Pleural Mesothelioma? Malignant mesothelioma is the cancer most closely associated with asbestos exposure. Most people who get it have lived or worked around asbestos. Mesothelioma can take decades to develop. Most patients are over 65. …

asbestos and lung cancer
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Asbestos and Lung Cancer: Study Highlights the Link

ByAlex Strauss

A new report on asbestos and lung cancer says asbestos could be to blame for the cancer, even if the patient is a heavy smoker.  In smokers, lung cancer is usually attributed to tobacco use. But cancer researchers in Australia and Finland say that is not always right, especially if the patient has been exposed to asbestos. They propose new criteria for establishing the cause of lung cancer in asbestos-exposed people. The criteria would apply to both smokers and non-smokers. Mesothelioma is Not the Only Cancer Linked to Exposure Malignant mesothelioma is the cancer most often associated with asbestos exposure.  Mesothelioma is a rare but fast-growing and treatment-resistant cancer. Asbestos exposure is the only known cause of mesothelioma. Smoking increases…