Researchers Argue Against Surgery for Mesothelioma
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Researchers Argue Against Surgery for Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

A pair of California surgeons say surgery for mesothelioma is rarely worthwhile. They point to what they say are flawed studies on surgical treatment. One trial they believe was well-conducted seems to show reduced mesothelioma survival after surgery. Writing in the journal Translational Lung Cancer Research, the doctors argue that most patients should choose non-surgical treatment for mesothelioma.  Some Background on Surgery for Mesothelioma Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining around the lungs. It is an aggressive cancer with no known cure. There are two primary approaches to surgery for mesothelioma. Both types are controversial and the subject of much debate among surgeons.  Extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) is a surgical approach that involves removing the pleural membrane, one lung,…

Surgery Extends Survival for Patients with Pleural Mesothelioma
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Surgery Extends Survival for Patients with Pleural Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

Patients with pleural mesothelioma who choose to have surgery live longer than those who do not. This applies no matter which kind of surgery they have.  That is the conclusion of a Mexican study published in the Annals of Oncology. Doctors with the country’s National Institute for Respiratory Diseases conducted the study. It included 122 pleural mesothelioma patients.  The researchers analyzed a wide range of variables like age, sex, asbestos exposure, and overall health. They discovered that the decision to have surgery was one of the most important survival factors in patients with pleural mesothelioma. Treatment Options for Patients with Pleural Mesothelioma Pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer with no known cure. It usually occurs in people who have been…

Predicting Unresectable Mesothelioma Prior to Surgery
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Predicting Unresectable Mesothelioma Prior to Surgery

ByAlex Strauss

Cancer researchers at Baylor have found an effective way to identify certain cases of unresectable mesothelioma without making an incision. They focused on a common reason a surgeon might decide not to operate, even after the patient is on the table. The condition, called DCWI, is hard to identify without opening the patient up.  But the Baylor team says there is a non-invasive way to identify DCWI and predict cases of unresectable mesothelioma. If it works, it could save patients the pain of surgery. It could also save lives by allowing doctors to start other mesothelioma treatments sooner.  Diffuse Chest Wall Invasion in Mesothelioma Diffuse chest wall invasion (DCWI) is a condition that can make it impossible to perform effective…

Deep Vein Thrombosis After Pleurectomy for Mesothelioma
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Deep Vein Thrombosis After Pleurectomy for Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

The authors of a new study on deep vein thrombosis after pleurectomy say mesothelioma patients may be at special risk. They say routine screening after pleural mesothelioma surgery could save lives. The study comes from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a leader in cancer research. The research team followed a series of mesothelioma patients who agreed to be part of a DVT surveillance program.  Nearly 30 percent of the patients experienced deep vein thrombosis after pleurectomy. A third of those patients had no symptoms. Understanding DVT  Deep vein thrombosis or DVT is when a blood clot forms in the deep veins of the arm, leg, or groin. If the clot goes unnoticed, it can travel through the circulation and lodge in…

Radical Surgery for Peritoneal Mesothelioma Boosts Survival
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Radical Surgery for Peritoneal Mesothelioma Boosts Survival

ByAlex Strauss

Patients who have radical surgery for peritoneal mesothelioma live longer than those who have non-surgical treatments.  That is the conclusion of a team of Virginia researchers. The study is based on peritoneal mesothelioma cases in the National Cancer Database. It spans more than a decade and includes over 2,000 patients.  Not everyone is a candidate for radical surgery for peritoneal mesothelioma. But the research shows that those who have surgery live an average of five times longer than those who do not.  Surgical Treatment of Peritoneal Mesothelioma Peritoneal mesothelioma is sometimes called diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. It is an aggressive cancer in the abdomen. It grows on the membrane around organs. Because mesothelioma tumors lie so close to these organs,…

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…

Repeated Mesothelioma Surgeries Credited with Japanese Man’s Survival
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Repeated Mesothelioma Surgeries Credited with Japanese Man’s Survival

ByAlex Strauss

Can repeated mesothelioma surgeries extend peritoneal mesothelioma survival? A new case report out of Japan suggests the answer may be yes.  The article recounts the case of a patient with peritoneal mesothelioma. Each time surgeons removed a mesothelioma tumor, a new one would occur in a different location.  The man had four separate mesothelioma surgeries over the course of five years.  Repeated mesothelioma surgeries are not the norm. But this treatment approach may be the reason for the man’s unusually long mesothelioma survival.  Surgical Treatment of Peritoneal Mesothelioma Peritoneal mesothelioma accounts for about 20 percent of mesothelioma cases in the US each year. It occurs on the membrane that surrounds the abdominal organs. Because it sits so close to these…

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…

Minimally Invasive Lymph Node Staging May Prevent Unnecessary Mesothelioma Surgery
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Minimally Invasive Lymph Node Staging May Prevent Unnecessary Mesothelioma Surgery

ByAlex Strauss

A minimally invasive procedure for lymph node staging may help some pleural mesothelioma patients avoid the pain and risk of surgery. That is the conclusion of a recent study on endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA).  EBUS-TBNA is a minimally invasive method for testing the lymph nodes deep in the chest (mediastinal lymph nodes). If lymph node staging shows evidence of pleural mesothelioma, surgery is less likely to be effective.  Mediastinal Lymph Node Staging and Mesothelioma Pleural mesothelioma is a rare cancer that starts on the membrane around the lungs. It can spread to the lungs and other organs and is usually fatal.  The mediastinal lymph nodes are located in the area between the lungs. When the body is fighting…

Large Study Finds Treatment Combination Leads to Long-Term Mesothelioma Survival
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Large Study Finds Treatment Combination Leads to Long-Term Mesothelioma Survival

ByAlex Strauss

There is more evidence that surgery and intraperitoneal chemotherapy can lead to long-term mesothelioma survival. The news comes from an Australian study of more than 1,200 cancer patients. The study finds that one in five peritoneal mesothelioma patients who had this treatment combination were still alive 10 years later.  Peritoneal Cancer Survival with Surgery  Peritoneal cancers occur on the lining of the abdomen. Peritoneal mesothelioma starts on this peritoneal membrane. Some other peritoneal cancers start elsewhere in the body and spread to the peritoneum. The new Australian study analyzed the cases of peritoneal cancer patients who had cytoreductive surgery between 1996 and 2018. Cytoreductive surgery aims to remove as much of the cancer as possible. Past studies have found that…