How Inflammation, Stress, and Signaling Shape Mesothelioma’s Growth
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How Inflammation, Stress, and Signaling Shape Mesothelioma’s Growth

ByHolly Zink

Scientists are looking at how long-term inflammation, cell stress, and messed-up cell signaling help mesothelioma cancer cells grow and spread. By looking at these processes in mesothelioma patients, the scientists can learn more about new ways to treat this aggressive cancer. Revolutionizing Mesothelioma Treatment Malignant mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops from the thin layer of tissue that covers many of the body’s internal organs. When it grows in the lining of the lungs, it is called pleural mesothelioma. There are about 2,000 cases of pleural mesothelioma in the United States each year. Mesothelioma is linked to exposure to a toxic mineral called asbestos. It can take decades for symptoms of mesothelioma to appear after a person is…

New Tool to Measure Mesothelioma Stress

New Tool to Measure Mesothelioma Stress

ByHolly Zink

Researchers from Italy have created a tool to measure psychological distress in patients with malignant mesothelioma. Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer caused by asbestos exposure. It is unique among cancers because of the combination of medical, psychological, social, and legal factors. The clinical characteristics of mesothelioma can make this disease especially difficult for patients and families. It can take decades for symptoms to appear, and they are often difficult to treat. Because of this, the prognosis usually is not very good for patients. The fact that asbestos exposure typically occurs at work is also difficult for patients to deal with. Unlike other cancers, mesothelioma patients can blame governments or companies for their disease. This can lead to feelings of…

New Tool Measures Stress Levels Among Mesothelioma Caregivers
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New Tool Measures Stress Levels Among Mesothelioma Caregivers

ByAlex Strauss

Preliminary tests of a new tool designed to measure stress levels among mesothelioma caregivers shows that the tool is both reliable and helpful.  The tool was developed by occupational medicine researchers in Rome. Their goal was to create a “short, flexible, and comprehensive tool” to detect psychological distress in carers.  The team recently tested the tool in a group of mesothelioma caregivers. Their results have just been published in the journal Psycho-Oncology.  The Strain of Caring for a Loved One with Mesothelioma Malignant mesothelioma is a highly lethal type of membrane cancer. Most mesothelioma patients lived or worked around asbestos.  Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of mesothelioma. It affects about 2,000 people in the US every year. Another…

Mesothelioma and COVID-19 Have Similar Psychological Challenges
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Mesothelioma and COVID-19 Have Similar Psychological Challenges

ByAlex Strauss

Researchers in Italy say malignant mesothelioma and COVID-19 present patients with similar psychological challenges. In both cases, group therapy may help. Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer of the lung lining. COVID-19 is the respiratory illness caused by the SARS-CoV2 virus. The two illnesses may not seem to have much in common.  But psychology researchers at the University of Turin say there are similarities between mesothelioma and COVID-19. They say understanding how mesothelioma affects patients psychologically could help providers support people with COVID-19.  Coping with Pleural Mesothelioma and COVID-19 Pleural mesothelioma is usually the result of asbestos exposure. Most people who receive a mesothelioma diagnosis either worked with asbestos or lived near it. Many of them had no idea…

Medical Appointments for Advanced Mesothelioma Patients: How Much is Too Much?
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Medical Appointments for Advanced Mesothelioma Patients: How Much is Too Much?

ByAlex Strauss

A pair of researchers in New Zealand say the typical number of in-person medical appointments for people with untreatable pleural mesothelioma may be more stressful than helpful. Their study focused on lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma patients with no active treatment options. They found that what most of these patients really want is reliable information, hope, and a positive relationship with their medical team.  The report suggests that doctors could meet many of these with fewer visits or virtual medical appointments. Coping with Advanced Mesothelioma Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a rare but highly aggressive lung-related cancer. Mesothelioma starts on the lining around the lungs. It can quickly spread into the lungs and to other organs in the chest.  Most patients…

Manipulating “Fight or Flight” Could Impact Effectiveness of Immunotherapy for Mesothelioma
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Manipulating “Fight or Flight” Could Impact Effectiveness of Immunotherapy for Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

Doctors at the University of Connecticut may have found a way to influence the effectiveness of immunotherapy by manipulating the body’s fight or flight response. The finding could have a bearing on the treatment of advanced mesothelioma.   Researchers used mice to confirm the connection between the sympathetic nervous system and the body’s ability to fight off cancer. The sympathetic nervous system regulates the “fight or flight” response to stress.  The report shows that this response impacts the development of natural killer cells. Drugs that alter that response might change the effectiveness of immunotherapy.  What is the Sympathetic Nervous System? When the body is under stress, the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) releases a cascade of hormones and chemicals. These hormones increase…

Financial Stress Could Impact Mesothelioma Quality of Life
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Financial Stress Could Impact Mesothelioma Quality of Life

ByAlex Strauss

Financial stress during treatment is likely to have an impact on both quality of life and outcomes for pleural mesothelioma patients.  That finding comes from a recent Johns Hopkins study of patients with newly-diagnosed lung cancer.  The study found that cancer patients who were under financial strain had decreased quality of life. The report appears in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology. It includes a list of guidelines to help identify patients at risk for “financial toxicity”.  The Financial Burden of Mesothelioma Treatment Cancer treatment is rarely inexpensive. Thanks to advances in mesothelioma therapies, patient outcomes are improving. But the costs of these cutting-edge mesothelioma treatments can be even higher than standard therapies.  John Hopkins researchers wanted to see if…

Mesothelioma Doctors Urged to Sharpen Their Communication Skills
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Mesothelioma Doctors Urged to Sharpen Their Communication Skills

ByAlex Strauss

A Japanese study suggests that some mesothelioma doctors are falling short when it comes to communicating with their patients. The study was based on quality-of-life surveys of seventy-three pleural mesothelioma patients. Patients answered two open-ended questions about their care experience. The researchers say most concerns had to do with communication. Many patients said they wanted clearer explanations and more empathy from their mesothelioma doctors. Unique Challenges of Malignant Mesothelioma Coping with any type of cancer can be stressful and confusing. But mesothelioma presents some special challenges to both patients and mesothelioma doctors.   Pleural mesothelioma is a rare and complex malignancy with a poor prognosis. No single treatment is likely to help. On top of this, mesothelioma symptoms such as…

Stress in Mesothelioma Patients During the Holidays
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Stress in Mesothelioma Patients During the Holidays

ByAlex Strauss

Every mesothelioma sufferer feels it, but there is very little data on emotional stress in mesothelioma patients and asbestos-exposed people. That is the conclusion of a group of Italian researchers earlier this year. The study is important to revisit during the holidays when mesothelioma patients may feel pressured to be cheerful. According to the Italian team, mesothelioma sufferers and asbestos-exposed people have some special emotional needs. The few studies that exist on the subject suggest that denying these problems may make people sicker. Studying the Studies The team found 12 studies published between 1980 and 2016 on stress in mesothelioma patients. The number of papers on the emotional needs of asbestos-exposed people was even lower. There were only nine of…

Antioxidants May Help Fight Mesothelioma
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Antioxidants May Help Fight Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

New research from a Philadelphia cancer center suggests antioxidants may be another important tool in the fight against malignant mesothelioma. Consumers know antioxidants, such as beta carotene, as dietary supplements which can fight oxidative stress at the cellular level. Certain beans, blueberries, apples, cranberries, strawberries, cherries and plums are just some of the foods that are high in antioxidants. But there are also several antioxidant-based drugs that have a similar effect on cells and are currently being used to treat conditions such as lung disease, diabetes and malaria. Now, researchers at Thomas Jefferson Hospital’s Kimmel Cancer Center in Philadelphia have found evidence that these drugs may also be effective against cancers, such as mesothelioma. The team showed that the loss…