Improving Survival in Epithelioid Mesothelioma: Following Treatment Guidelines

Improving Survival in Epithelioid Mesothelioma: Following Treatment Guidelines

ByHolly Zink

When doctors treat epithelioid mesothelioma, they use a mix of treatments. Treatment guidelines often include chemotherapy and surgery. But, a new study looked at whether patients were getting these recommended treatments and how it affected how long they lived. The Role of Guidelines in Prolonging Life A recent study checked data from an extensive database of mesothelioma patients between 2004 and 2016. They wanted to see if doctors followed the guidelines and if that affected how well patients did. They found something surprising. Only about 19% of 3,534 patients got the treatments that doctors usually recommend. Also, certain patients were more likely to get the recommended treatment. These were younger patients or those with insurance. Also, people living in wealthier…

Pandemic-Related Mesothelioma Treatment Delays Could Impact Outcomes
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Pandemic-Related Mesothelioma Treatment Delays Could Impact Outcomes

ByAlex Strauss

Mesothelioma treatment delays that happened because of the COVID-19 pandemic will probably impact survival rates for some patients.  A new study of Canadian lung cancer patients found that more than half of them stopped or delayed treatment because of concerns about the virus this spring. Pleural mesothelioma is a lung-related cancer. Like lung cancer patients, mesothelioma patients face a higher risk of virus-related complications because they already have breathing problems.  But mesothelioma is also a fast-growing cancer. Most patients get several kinds of treatment at the same time. Mesothelioma treatment delays may give tumors a chance to grow unchecked.  A Catch-22 for Mesothelioma Patients Mesothelioma patients and others with lung diseases have had to make some difficult decisions because of…

Managing Mesothelioma During the COVID-19 Pandemic: New Guidelines
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Managing Mesothelioma During the COVID-19 Pandemic: New Guidelines

ByAlex Strauss

New guidance suggests that patients should continue to receive treatment for malignant mesothelioma during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two new reports include recommendations for hospitals to keep vulnerable patients safe. COVID-19 is especially dangerous for people with lung-related cancers like pleural mesothelioma. Their immune systems are not as strong as healthy people and their lungs are already damaged.  But two new reports suggests that it may be even riskier to put off treatment for lung cancers like mesothelioma during the COVID-19 pandemic.  How the Virus Could Impact Lung Cancer Patients Both of the new reports come from researchers in Pennsylvania. They focus on people with lung cancer rather than mesothelioma. But pleural mesothelioma is also a lung-related cancer. It carries many…

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…

New Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Mesothelioma

New Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

Malignant pleural mesothelioma, a virulent form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos, is difficult to diagnose and to treat. Now, a European medical group is hoping to help oncologists streamline the process with a set of newly released clinical practice guidelines. The guidelines from the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) state that most mesothelioma patients first present with shortness of breath (in the early stages of the disease) or chest pain (at a more advanced stage). While X-ray can detect the tell-tale thickening of the chest wall surrounding the lungs, a test of the built-up lung fluid and an occupational history are also necessary to make a diagnosis. If examination of the lung fluid is not conclusive, the…