Lower-Volume Centers Less Likely to Follow Mesothelioma Treatment Guidelines
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Lower-Volume Centers Less Likely to Follow Mesothelioma Treatment Guidelines

ByAlex Strauss

Mesothelioma patients need to beware of low-volume centers that are less likely to follow mesothelioma treatment guidelines. That is the message from a new study based on data from the National Cancer Institute. The study was run by doctors at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. It shows that treatment centers that do not see a lot of mesothelioma cases are less likely to follow the life-saving mesothelioma treatment guidelines. As a result, patients treated in these lower-volume facilities tend to have shorter mesothelioma survival. What are the Mesothelioma Treatment Guidelines? Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a cancer that occurs on the membrane that surrounds the lungs. It is extremely rare and difficult to treat. Many hospitals and doctors never see…

Metastatic Mesothelioma: Does Chemotherapy Work?
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Metastatic Mesothelioma: Does Chemotherapy Work?

ByAlex Strauss

New research out of Pennsylvania suggested that not all people with metastatic mesothelioma will live longer with chemotherapy. Although chemotherapy is the primary treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma, some types of metastatic mesothelioma appear to be less responsive than others. In some cases, the researchers say best supportive care may be a better option for preserving a patient’s quality of life. Three Mesothelioma Subtypes There are three histological subtypes of malignant pleural mesothelioma. The categories are based on how the cells look under a microscope. Cell type appears to influence how aggressive they are as metastatic mesothelioma. Cell type also factors into mesothelioma prognosis. Epithelioid mesothelioma is the most common cell type. Epithelioid cells tend to lack uniformity and may…

Study Highlights How Genes Impact Mesothelioma Survival
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Study Highlights How Genes Impact Mesothelioma Survival

ByAlex Strauss

A new National Cancer Institute study shines a light on some of the ways genes impact mesothelioma survival. It could have important implications for mesothelioma treatment. The study was led by prominent mesothelioma researcher Raffit Hassan, MD. It focused on genetic mutations that may make certain mesothelioma patients more sensitive to chemotherapy. Genes, Genotype, and Mesothelioma Treatment A mesothelioma patient’s unique collection of genes, including genetic mutations, is known as their genotype. Genes impact mesothelioma survival in a variety of ways. Tumor suppressor genes are supposed to help keep tumors from forming. People with mutations on these genes may be more likely to get malignant mesothelioma. Other genes influence the cancer’s ability to “hide” from detection by the immune system….

New Tool Could Replace TNM for Predicting Pleural Mesothelioma Survival
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New Tool Could Replace TNM for Predicting Pleural Mesothelioma Survival

ByAlex Strauss

A new visual tool could offer a better way to predict pleural mesothelioma survival after surgery than the current TNM staging system. That is the message from cancer researchers at China’s Peking University. The group conducted a study using a large US government database of information on pleural mesothelioma survival and treatment. They used the data to create a visual representation of pleural mesothelioma survival called a nomogram. Testing of the nomogram showed it was more accurate at predicting survival in patients who have mesothelioma surgery than the tool doctors normally use. Pleural Mesothelioma Survival and TNM The most popular method for “staging” cancer is called the TNM staging system. TNM stands for tumor node metastasis. With TNM, the further…

Study Reveals Mesothelioma Chemotherapy May Be Underused in Older Patients
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Study Reveals Mesothelioma Chemotherapy May Be Underused in Older Patients

ByAlex Strauss

The older a mesothelioma patient is, the less likely he or she may be to receive mesothelioma chemotherapy. A new study says many older mesothelioma sufferers may be paying the price in shorter lifespans. Chemotherapy with pemetrexed (Alimta) and cisplatin is the gold standard for mesothelioma treatment. Many studies have linked it with longer mesothelioma survival. But an Australian study suggests that not enough older people are receiving mesothelioma chemotherapy. In fact, the older they are, the less likely they are to have chemotherapy for their mesothelioma. As a result, their chances of dying from malignant mesothelioma are higher. Mesothelioma Chemotherapy is Standard of Care Malignant mesothelioma is a hard-to-treat cancer with a poor prognosis. Mesothelioma chemotherapy is the primary…

Longer Mesothelioma Survival Possible with Long-Term Local Chemotherapy
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Longer Mesothelioma Survival Possible with Long-Term Local Chemotherapy

ByAlex Strauss

There is evidence that repeatedly rinsing the abdomen with medicine might lead to longer mesothelioma survival after surgery. A rinse of heated chemotherapy drugs during surgery has become standard of care for peritoneal mesothelioma. Unfortunately, mesothelioma usually comes back. But a top mesothelioma doctor says longer mesothelioma survival might be possible if patients got regular chemotherapy “rinses” through a catheter. Studies show the drugs may not even have to be heated to work. Longer Mesothelioma Survival After Surgery Peritoneal mesothelioma is a type of asbestos cancer. It starts on the lining around the abdomen and can spread to other parts of the body. About a fifth of mesothelioma patients have this type. Heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has led to longer…

Conservative Surgery Leads to Better Mesothelioma Survival After Recurrence
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Conservative Surgery Leads to Better Mesothelioma Survival After Recurrence

ByAlex Strauss

Mesothelioma survival after recurrence may be better with lung-preserving P/D surgery than with more radical EPP. Japanese researchers recently analyzed the cases of 44 mesothelioma patients who underwent either EPP or P/D. It took about the same amount of time for mesothelioma tumors to start growing again, no matter what type of surgery the patient had. The difference was in survival. Both overall survival and mesothelioma survival after recurrence were longer in the P/D patients. EPP vs. P/D: The Ongoing Debate Mesothelioma surgeons around the world are still divided about which type of mesothelioma surgery is best. On one hand, extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) removes more diseased tissue, including a lung. Some say this improves the odds of long term mesothelioma…

Mesothelioma Survival Factors Revealed by New Study
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Mesothelioma Survival Factors Revealed by New Study

ByAlex Strauss

New research from the University of Pittsburgh reveals six primary mesothelioma survival factors. These characteristics appear to separate those who die of mesothelioma within just a few months from those who live much longer. The research focused on 888 cases of pleural or peritoneal mesothelioma listed in a national database. Patients received their mesothelioma diagnosis between 1990 and 2017. The study shows that most mesothelioma survival factors are out of patients’ control. Calculating Mesothelioma Survival Factors Not many people survive mesothelioma long term. It is one of the most aggressive and hard-to-treat types of cancer. By the time mesothelioma patients develop their first symptoms, the asbestos cancer is usually already at an advanced stage. Deciding the best way to treat…

Adjuvant Radiotherapy for Mesothelioma Extends Survival
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Adjuvant Radiotherapy for Mesothelioma Extends Survival

ByAlex Strauss

The largest study ever conducted on adjuvant radiotherapy for mesothelioma shows that it can help patients live longer. Pleural mesothelioma is a rare cancer that tends to be highly resistant to standard treatments. Doctors usually have to use a combination of treatments to attack it. These may include chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, and/or immunotherapy. But there are still many questions about what combination of therapies to use and in what order. Adjuvant radiotherapy for mesothelioma is radiation delivered after surgery. Now, radiation oncology researchers in Texas say this approach can extend mesothelioma survival. Killing Mesothelioma Cells with Radiation Mesothelioma cells are hard to kill. Chemotherapy with Alimta (pemetrexed) and cisplatin is the most common treatment. But mesothelioma tumors usually start to…

Who Survives Mesothelioma and Why?
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Who Survives Mesothelioma and Why?

ByAlex Strauss

A new study of National Cancer Institute data aims to better understand who survives mesothelioma and why. Malignant mesothelioma is a highly aggressive cancer of internal membranes. Very few people diagnosed with mesothelioma live longer than 18 months. But researchers around the world are working to change those odds. One important step is to look at the characteristics of those who live longest with the asbestos cancer. NCI Data Shows Who Survives Mesothelioma Scientists at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York turned to the National Cancer Institute database to get a better picture of who survives mesothelioma. The database contains information reported by mesothelioma doctors from around the country. It includes information about the ages, gender, lifestyle, mesothelioma type,…