Examining the Hype: Lackluster Performance of New Mesothelioma Treatment
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Examining the Hype: Lackluster Performance of New Mesothelioma Treatment

ByHolly Zink

Researchers have found that povidone-iodine treatment does not improve survival in mesothelioma patients. The study comes from King’s College and Guy’s Hospital in the United Kingdom. Survival in Mesothelioma Patients Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is rare and hard to treat. It is caused by exposure to asbestos and usually occurs in the lungs or abdomen. The prognosis for mesothelioma patients is poor, but survival can be improved with a treatment plan that includes surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. Researchers have been looking for decades for different ways to improve the survival of people with mesothelioma. One idea that is promising is using a solution called povidone-iodine during surgery. It is used to remove mesothelioma tissue from a patient….

Mesothelioma Care: Why Academic Centers Hold the Key to Improved Survival
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Mesothelioma Care: Why Academic Centers Hold the Key to Improved Survival

ByHolly Zink

Researchers from the Mayo Clinic found out that people with mesothelioma who were treated at academic centers had a better chance of living longer than those treated at community centers. They shared their discoveries at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is tough to treat, and there aren’t many options for therapy. It happens when someone is exposed to a harmful mineral called asbestos. Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy are common treatments. The Difference Between Academic and Community Centers Medical centers with expert doctors and more resources are called academic centers. They often see more cases of rare cancers like mesothelioma. But until now, we didn’t know if getting…

High Mesothelin Rates May Be Good for Mesothelioma Patients
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High Mesothelin Rates May Be Good for Mesothelioma Patients

ByHolly Zink

Mesothelioma patients who have higher levels of mesothelin have better survival rates. This is the finding of a new study out of Australia. Mesothelin Proteins Mesothelin is a type of protein found in mesothelioma cancer cells. Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that develops from cells of the mesothelium, the lining that covers many of the internal organs of the body. It is caused by exposure to a toxic mineral called asbestos. Typically, mesothelioma requires aggressive treatments to stop the cancer from growing and spreading. Such treatments may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or some combination. Scientists aren’t sure what mesothelin does in cancer cells. But since mesothelin is only found in cancer cells, it could be a target…

Finding Patterns in Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma
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Finding Patterns in Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

Researchers from the United States looked at malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM) data over eighteen years for patterns in incidence and survival. They found that the incidence of MPM cases was steady while survival rates have increased. More cancer-directed surgeries and better identification of cell types in MPM patients may be behind the improved survival rates. Second Most Common Site MPM is an aggressive disease caused by asbestos. The peritoneum is the space in your abdomen that contains the intestines, the stomach, and the liver. The abdomen (peritoneum) is the second most common site of mesothelioma after the pleural area (lungs and chest). Most doctors believe MPM is caused by the ingestion of asbestos fibers. Microscopic asbestos fibers become embedded in…

Treatment Protocol of an 8-Year Survivor of Mesothelioma
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Treatment Protocol of an 8-Year Survivor of Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

A new article in Scholars Journal of Medical Case Reports outlines the treatment protocol of an 8-year survivor of mesothelioma. Malignant pleural mesothelioma is difficult to treat. This aggressive cancer is caused by asbestos exposure and is resistant to most standard cancer therapies, including radiotherapy. Many people diagnosed with mesothelioma die within a few months to a year. Paul Kraus is considered the longest documented survivor of mesothelioma in the world. He was diagnosed in 1997 and was given little hope of survival. Not willing to give up, he worked with a team of doctors to create his own tailored treatment protocol. This protocol included dramatic lifestyle changes, experimental therapies, dietary changes, mind-body medicine, and other modalities. Paul was fortunate….

Treatment Options Improving in the ‘New Era’ for Mesothelioma
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Treatment Options Improving in the ‘New Era’ for Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

Calling it a “new era” for malignant pleural mesothelioma, doctors from four of the nation’s top cancer centers have just published an update on treatment options for this rare disease.  The article was prepared by mesothelioma experts at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas, NYU Langone Medical Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.  The article in the Journal of Clinical Oncology highlights the recent FDA approvals of a new medical device and a new immunotherapy combination for pleural mesothelioma. The authors say these and other advances are “generating momentum” to find better mesothelioma therapies.  Tumor Treating Fields Changing the Game Pleural mesothelioma is fast-growing and difficult to treat. Mesothelioma rarely responds…

Lung-Sparing Surgery and Mesothelioma Survival

Lung-Sparing Surgery and Mesothelioma Survival

ByAlex Strauss

Italian researchers say lung-sparing surgery can lead to long-term mesothelioma survival, even if surgeons take a more conservative approach.  Lung-sparing surgery for mesothelioma is also known as pleurectomy with decortication (P/D). P/D surgery is less extensive than the other main surgical approach for mesothelioma but it is also less risky. Now, doctors at Venice-Mestre Hospital say that, as long as it is performed early enough and combined with other treatments, lung-sparing surgery saves lives. Their report in the Journal of Thoracic Disease details the outcomes of 155 mesothelioma surgery patients tracked for a median of a year-and-a-half.  Extrapleural Pneumonectomy & Lung-Sparing Surgery Extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) is the most radical operation for pleural mesothelioma. In addition to removing the mesothelioma tumor…

Second-Line Treatment with Ramucirumab Improves Mesothelioma Survival
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Second-Line Treatment with Ramucirumab Improves Mesothelioma Survival

ByAlex Strauss

New evidence suggests that second-line treatment with ramucirumab after first-line chemotherapy may lead to longer survival in people with pleural mesothelioma.  Researchers in Italy recently published results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of the drug. Ramucirumab inhibits a protein mesothelioma tumors need to form new blood vessels.  The study included 161 pleural mesothelioma patients from across Italy. Researchers gave half of them second-line treatment with ramucirumab and another drug called gemcitabine. The other half had second-line treatment with gemcitabine alone.  Results showed the ramucirumab group lived more than six months longer than those who got only gemcitabine.  Few Options for Recurrent Mesothelioma Pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer with few good treatment options. Most patients start with chemotherapy with Alimta….

Academic Medical Centers Extend Peritoneal Mesothelioma Survival
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Academic Medical Centers Extend Peritoneal Mesothelioma Survival

ByAlex Strauss

A new published study suggests that peritoneal mesothelioma patients treated at academic medical centers survive much longer than those who get their care at community hospitals. The study was conducted by Harvard Medical School researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.  Peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer of abdominal membranes. There is no known cure. The new study compared outcomes and survival among more than 2,600 mesothelioma patients. Patients were treated at high-volume academic hospitals or community cancer centers.  The results suggest that academic medical centers consistently provide more advanced and potentially life-extending care for this complex cancer.  Experience is Critical for Mesothelioma Care Malignant mesothelioma is the name for cancers that occur on internal membranes. It…

Does Pleural Fluid Exposure Affect Mesothelioma Survival?
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Does Pleural Fluid Exposure Affect Mesothelioma Survival?

ByAlex Strauss

A recent study found no link between mesothelioma survival and exposure to pleural fluid. But that does not necessarily mean the link doesn’t exist.  Pleural fluid is also called pleural effusions or “water on the lungs”. It is extra fluid that builds up around the lungs. It is common in people with heart failure, kidney or liver disease, pleural mesothelioma and some other kinds of cancer.  Pleural effusions are usually treated as an uncomfortable mesothelioma symptom. Draining the fluid can help patients breathe easier.  But researchers at Oxford University wondered whether the pleural fluid itself could shorten mesothelioma survival. In this study, the answer appears to be no. But the researchers warn this may not be the final word on…