Mesothelioma Treatment Roadmap: Connecting Chemotherapy Response and Surgical Outcomes
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Mesothelioma Treatment Roadmap: Connecting Chemotherapy Response and Surgical Outcomes

ByHolly Zink

Mesothelioma patients who do not respond well to chemotherapy before surgery are likely to have poor outcomes after the procedure. This is the finding of a group of researchers from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. How Chemotherapy Response Shapes Mesothelioma Surgery Outcomes Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that is hard to diagnose and treat. It develops from the thin layer of tissue that covers many of the body’s internal organs. Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to a toxic mineral called asbestos. In most cases, doctors will use more than one type of treatment to remove as many cancer cells as possible from a patient’s body. The standard therapies include chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. Of all…

Physical Function Predicts Mesothelioma Surgery Outcomes
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Physical Function Predicts Mesothelioma Surgery Outcomes

ByAlex Strauss

A patient’s level of physical function prior to mesothelioma surgery is a strong predictor of how well they will do after surgery. That is the conclusion of a new University of Maryland study. Researchers analyzed the cases of 54 pleural mesothelioma patients before and after lung-sparing P/D surgery.  The goal was to see what factors had the biggest impact on their post-surgical outcomes. Patients underwent lung function and physical function tests both before and after their operations.  It turns out that a mesothelioma patient’s ability to be physically active is even more important than their lung function in predicting their recovery. Lung-Sparing Pleural Mesothelioma Surgery Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer of the multi-layer membrane (pleura) that surrounds the lungs. As…