treatment

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    Surgical Treatment Options for Mesothelioma

    ByHolly Zink

    For some patients with mesothelioma, aggressive surgical treatment can help them live longer than other treatment options. This is the finding of a study published in the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. The authors focused on a specific type of surgery called “cytoreductive surgery” that is done in both the chest and belly area. Surgery Provides Hope for Cure Mesothelioma is a deadly cancer caused by asbestos exposure. The type of treatment for mesothelioma depends on many factors. The location of the cancer, the type of mesothelioma, and the health of the patient are some of these key factors. For patients who are healthy enough, surgery provides the best hope for a cure. Cytoreductive surgery is a type of…

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    Marital Status Effects Mesothelioma Outcomes

    ByHolly Zink

    Being married may be a factor in positive mesothelioma outcomes. This is the finding of a study by researchers from a Chinese university published last October. Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. There are about 2,000 cases of mesothelioma diagnosed in the United States every year. The global occurrence of mesothelioma has increased at a steady pace in recent years. Mesothelioma usually has a poor prognosis. This is because symptoms don’t begin to appear until the cancer has become difficult to treat. Some factors that affect prognosis are patient health, the type of treatment, and the type of mesothelioma. Married Mesothelioma Patients Have Lower Risk of Death In other cancers, marital status can affect the outcomes…

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    Immune Checkpoint Therapy for Mesothelioma

    ByHolly Zink

    A new study suggests that immune checkpoint therapy with nivolumab is a promising treatment for a specific type of mesothelioma. The study authors describe three cases of sarcomatoid mesothelioma being treated with nivolumab at Kyoto University Hospital in Japan. A Deadly Form of Mesothelioma There are three types of malignant pleural mesothelioma. They each respond differently to mesothelioma treatments. One of these types is sarcomatoid mesothelioma and it is the rarest type of mesothelioma. Sarcomatoid pleural mesothelioma cells are slender ovals with large or even multiple nuclei. Because these cells are spindle-shaped, this type of mesothelioma is sometimes called spindle-cell mesothelioma. Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is an especially deadly form of the disease. This type grows and spreads faster than the other…

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    Nanoparticles May Offer New Treatment for Peritoneal Mesothelioma

    ByHolly Zink

    American scientists may have found a new way to fight mesothelioma and other cancers from the inside out by targeting cancer cells. A new article published in Biomaterials explores the use of nanoparticles. Peritoneal mesothelioma is an aggressive disease. Patients with peritoneal mesothelioma may survive several or more years after diagnosis. And there are long-term survivors. Peritoneal mesothelioma accounts for 20-25% of all mesothelioma cases. Patients with peritoneal mesothelioma have a longer life expectancy than those with other types of mesothelioma. And some studies report patients live up to 5 years after treatment. Mesothelioma is generally a “chemo-resistant” tumor. Several treatment options are available which include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. But traditional chemotherapy often come with toxicities. New Option…

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    New Enzyme Study Highlights a Potential New Mesothelioma Treatment

    ByHolly Zink

    Maryland researchers say an enzyme in mesothelioma tissues could be key to fighting this deadly cancer. Doctors at the University of Maryland say the enzyme, called Transglutaminase 2 (TG2), plays an important role in the inhibition of RNA synthesis which, in turn, can influence the development and spread of malignant mesothelioma. A New Target for Mesothelioma Therapy? Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lung linings that develops in response to asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma patients have a limited life expectancy. Chemotherapy with or without surgical resection is the standard of care. This poor clinical experience speaks to the need for new treatment strategies. Current mesothelioma treatments do not target cancer stem‐like (MCS) cells. MCS cells are a small part of aggressive…

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    Real-World Mesothelioma Patients Need New Systemic Treatments

    ByAlex Strauss

    The newest study on real-world mesothelioma patients illustrates the need for more ways to treat this devastating cancer.  Many studies focus on a carefully-chosen subset of patients. Patients have to meet specific guidelines to qualify for a mesothelioma clinical trial.  But the authors of a new report in Future Oncology focused on real-world mesothelioma patients in community clinics. The goal was to see what kinds of treatments these patients got and how well they worked.  The results show most people do not have other treatments after first-line therapy. They also suggest that mesothelioma doctors and patients need new first-line alternatives.  First- and Second-Line Mesothelioma Therapies Malignant mesothelioma is the name for cancer on the membranes around internal organs. Pleural mesothelioma…

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    Chemotherapy Resistance in Mesothelioma Patients: New Insights

    ByAlex Strauss

    Canadian cancer researchers have discovered what may be a key cause of chemotherapy resistance in mesothelioma and other types of cancer. The news could lead to more effective ways of treating malignant mesothelioma.  Chemotherapy resistance is a major problem for mesothelioma patients. The FDA has approved two different drug therapies for mesothelioma. But neither approach seems to hold asbestos cancer at bay long term.  Scientists at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto say it may be because cancer cells “hibernate” to escape attack. If doctors can understand this cancer cell defense mechanism, they might be able to undermine it.  The Problem of Chemotherapy Resistance Malignant mesothelioma is the most serious of several illnesses caused by exposure to asbestos. Asbestos fibers…

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    Best Practices for Pleural Mesothelioma: Updated Recommendations from Europe’s Top Doctors

    ByAlex Strauss

    Europe’s top mesothelioma experts have released new best practices for pleural mesothelioma. They include the latest recommendations on diagnosis, staging, monitoring, and treatment. The task force was made up of members from:  European Respiratory Society (ERS) European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS) European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) This is the first time the best practices for pleural mesothelioma were updated since 2009. The group based the new recommendations on mesothelioma data gathered in the last decade.  Mesothelioma Remains a Global Challenge Malignant mesothelioma is one of the world’s most challenging cancers. Doctors know that asbestos exposure causes mesothelioma. But many other things about this disease are a mystery.  Some people with a…

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    Drug May help Mesothelioma Patients Overcome Resistance to Chemotherapy

    ByAlex Strauss

    A newly-identified compound might eventually help mesothelioma patients overcome resistance to chemotherapy.  Chemotherapy resistance is one of the main reasons that mesothelioma treatments fail.  But researchers at Duke University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have identified a compound that combats resistance to chemotherapy with cisplatin.  Cisplatin is one of the primary drugs in first-line chemotherapy for mesothelioma. If mesothelioma cells can be sensitized to it, patients may have better outcomes.   First-Line Treatment for Malignant Mesothelioma Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer that grows on the lining around the lungs. Peritoneal mesothelioma starts on the lining of the abdomen. Both types of mesothelioma are caused by asbestos exposure.  Chemotherapy with cisplatin and pemetrexed (Alimta) is the treatment that doctors usually try…

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    Anti-Inflammatory Treatment for Mesothelioma Shows Long-Term Benefit

    ByAlex Strauss

    Doctors in London are reporting a case of long-term mesothelioma survival with anti-inflammatory treatment for mesothelioma. The 64-year-old pleural mesothelioma patient had been a heating engineer. When he was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma, he elected not to have standard cancer treatments.  His doctors advised him to start on a regimen of aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs. On just the anti-inflammatory treatment for mesothelioma, the man was still alive four years after his diagnosis.  Mesothelioma and Inflammation Pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer of the membrane around the lungs. It is most common in people who have worked or lived around asbestos.  When asbestos fibers get into the lungs, they stay there permanently. Studies suggest that the inflammation caused by these…