Mesothelioma and Asbestos Blog

New Findings for Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Lauren — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 23:39:20 +0000

According to recent research conducted at Columbia University, resection, intraperitoneal, chemotherapy, and whole abdominal radiation therapy are effective to treat malignant peritoneal mesothelioma when they are combined.
Hopeful Findings
Reports show that peritoneal mesothelioma is less common that pleural mesothelioma, making up only 20 percent of all cases.
However, this is still great news for researchers, patients and families of patients suffering from this potentially fatal illness.
Looking for Effective Treatments
The latency period for abdominal mesothelioma is reportedly 20 to 30 years.
Since this type of cancer is so rare, controlled trails of involving different treatments are not readily available.
Though, the most common treatment for peritoneal mesothelioma is surgery, followed by systematic and/or intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

Study Conducted
A study was recently conducted which analyzed 27 patients with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma.
The regime given to the patients involved surgical debulking, four intraperitoneal courses of cisplatin combined with four intraperitoneal courses of doxorubicin, four doses of intraperitoneal gamma interferon, and a whole abdominal radiation therapy.
Researchers found that there was a median survival rate of 70 months among the patients in addition to a three year survival rate in 67 percent of the patients.

Asbestos Awareness Week

Lauren — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 22:55:14 +0000

The senate has announced that beginning this year, the first week of April will be dedicated to informing Americans about asbestos and the risks associated with the material.

They have decided to designate this time of the year as â€œNational Asbestos Awareness Week.â€?

The week has been specifically set aside as a public health warning and the government hopes that people will become better educated on the dangers of asbestos and the risks that are associated with this carcinogenic substance.

ADAO Conference
The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) is a nonprofit organization that focuses on aiding asbestos victims and their families.
The organization is going to be holding their fourth annual Asbestos Awareness Day Conference the first week of April.
At this conference, those who have become victims of asbestos exposure will be honored and attendees will be informed of the latest news and advances being made in terms of asbestos and diseases linked to asbestos.
Conference Details
At the conference, Lisa Reinstein, the co-founder of the organization, is going to be joined by world renowned experts on asbestos.
The conference is going to be at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, Michigan, and will take place at the beginning of Asbestos Awareness Week.

$250M Settlement Reached

Lauren — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 18:34:30 +0000

A settlement was recently reached in the case against W.R. Grace for the asbestos issues that have been plaguing the town of Libby, Montana.
The chemical company filed for bankruptcy in 2001 because of asbestos claims and has reportedly agreed to pay the government $250 million.
Highest Asbestos Settlement in History
The Department of Justice claims that the settlement is the highest in the Superfund programs history.
The money from the settlement is meant to reimburse the federal government accrued costs from the investigation and the cleanup that has been ongoing at the contaminated mining sites in Libby.
Community Faces Asbestos Problems
Since 2000, the DOJ has been working to remove soil is infested with asbestos in the small mining town.
According to reports, the federal government filed a suit against W.R. Grace in 2001 to help cover the cleanup costs under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
In 2003, the district court gave the EPA over $54 million for the cleanup costs needed for that year.
During this time, the company went bankrupt and those costs never got paid.
As a result, officials hope that this weekâ€™s settlement will cover cleanup costs for the future of the contaminated schools, homes and businesses in the town.

Research Continues for Iron Range Mine Workers

Lauren — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 19:33:38 +0000

Recent studies are exploring the cause of mesothelioma among Iron Range miners and more lawmakers are inquiring as to just how much financial backing should go to this research.

Earlier this week, officials from the University of Minnesota informed a House panel that they are planning to conduct four studies associated with mesothelioma cases.

High Rate of Mesothelioma in Workers

The studies are being conducted following the discovery of data indicating a high rate of this form of cancer, which is caused by asbestos exposure, amongst mine workers.

Lawmakers have reported that the completion of the multiyear research project regarding mesothelioma is important since the efforts to find the cause of the health effects on workers never reached a conclusion.

â€œWhat weâ€™re trying to do is get to the bottom of this once and for all,â€? says Rep. Tom Rukavina.

Seeking Funding

Rukavina and Iron Range legislators are reportedly seeking $4.9 million for their research and the studies are being conducted by the universityâ€™s School of Public Health and Natural Resources Research Institute.

The growing number of mesothelioma cases in the Iron Range mine workers has been under investigation throughout the past few years and health officials, research teams and the families of these workers are eager to reach some conclusions.

New Treatment for Mesothelioma

Lauren — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:05:28 +0000

According to recent reports, a drug known as Thalidomide, is proving to be beneficial to mesothelioma patients when given in combination with immune therapy.
The medication was reportedly used in the 1950â€™s and 1960â€™s before its use was discontinued due to the fact that it was found to cause birth defects in newborns.
However, itâ€™s proving to have positive effects on those who have been exposed to asbestos and as a result have developed the fatal form of cancer known as mesothelioma.

Medication Becomes Focus of Studies
Recent studies have shown that after patients endure chemotherapy, Thalidomide can be administered and will help to prevent tumors from coming back.
In phase two studies, patients who are treated with Thalidomide in conjunction with other Mesothelioma medications have had a 44 percent overall improvement in their disease.

Side Effects of the Medication
Although researchers say that Thalidomide has showed to be well received by many patients, as with most medications, there are some common side effects that have been discovered, such as:
â€¢Â Â Â Dry mouth
â€¢Â Â Â Paresthesias
â€¢Â Â Â Constipation

Additional Promising Treatments
Aside from Thalidomide, other new immune therapies have also recently revealed that they can have a positive influence on those fighting diseases like mesothelioma.
Researchers believe that treating mesothelioma as a bacteria or virus can help the body to use its immune system to prevent further tumor growth.

Meso Foundation Starts New Program

Lauren — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 00:07:03 +0000

The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation recently announced that they are going to establish the Mary and Bob Cosentino Travel Grant Program.
The new program will cater those who are newly-diagnosed mesothelioma patients and need to consult with an expert in the field of asbestos-related cancers.
The Fatal Effects of Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a malignant tumor that, once the body becomes infected with, can painfully invade the stomach, heart or stomach and destroys the organs.
In the past decade, researchers have just started to put more focus on this particular type of cancer, but have yet to find an effective preventative or treatment.
A Costly Illness
Since many treatments for mesothelioma are just in the experimental phase, medications for the illness are often expensive and doctors are selective in using various drugs, since they are unsure of the effects they may have on the patient.
â€œMesothelioma patients and their families typically face huge financial losses,â€? says Chris Hahn, the Executive Director of the Meso Foundation. â€œThey lose employment income due to disability and the need for the caregiver to stay at home with the patient.â€?
Foundation Honors Long-Time Supporter
The program was started by the foundation in honor of Mary Cosentino who served on the Board of Directors of the Meso Foundation until mesotheloma took her life in January.
Mary and her husband Bob had reportedly been long-time supporters of the foundation and the non-profit organization thought it only suiting that they show their appreciation.

Research on Immune System to Prevent Cancer

Lauren — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 00:00:53 +0000

Scientists are currently researching if thereâ€™s a preventative that can be enforced to disable cancerous tumors from invading the body.
Researchers in Australia have reportedly discovered that by injecting substances into tumors, they can assist the immune system in targeting these harmful tumors for destruction.
In doing so, they believe that they may be able to prevent fatal forms of cancer, such as the asbestos induced, mesothelioma, from effecting more people in the future.

Tests Conducted on Mice
Researchers reportedly injected toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists, which mimic the response that would occur if an infection existed, into the mesothelioma cells of a mouse.
According to documents, the tumors were completely gone in 40 percent of the mice and the rest of the mice showed a slowing in the progression of the cancer.
â€œThere appears to be multiple layers of suppression used by any given tumor,â€? explains Andrew Currie, a researcher at the School of Medicine & Pharmacology in Western Australia. â€œNot only that, the tumors are not passive suppressors, but rather astute manipulators of the immune system.â€?
The Effects of Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a fatal form of cancer that typically affects those who have been exposed to asbestos through inhalation, ingestion or the handling of products containing the substance.
The effects of mesothelioma usually donâ€™t show up for between 15 and 50 years so oftentimes when people are exposed they are not aware of the harm that has been done.

Scientists have yet to find a cure for the illness; however, treatments have been discovered in the last couple of decades that are enabling those who have mesothelioma to live a bit longer.

Mesothelioma Statistics

Lauren — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 00:20:45 +0000

According to recent statistics, the numbers of mesothelioma cases that are reported in the U.S. annually are somewhat rare, but data shows that the illness has affected more people than ever in the past few decades.

Men are typically more likely to get mesothelioma than women since they are employed at places where there is a potential for asbestos exposure. Â

The Survival Rate

The illness is typically caused by asbestos and many people are unaware that they are sick until 15-50 years after their exposure.

After being diagnosed, patients are usually given a five-year survival rate, a prediction that depends on the severity of the case.

This survival rate given by doctors refers to the percent of patients who have been recorded as having lived at least five years after their diagnosis.

However, since more research is being done on the illness, many more patients are proving this five-year survival rate to be only specific to certain cases and not the norm.

Statistics on the Disease

Research shows that each year between 2, 500 and 4,000 Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma.

This number is expected to rise in the next 10 years since so many people have been exposed while at work, school and in their daily routines in the past.

Alimta Approved for Mesothelioma

Lauren — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 00:11:05 +0000

Britainâ€™s healthcare â€œwatchdogâ€? NICE, recently gave doctors clearance to use Eli Lily and Coâ€™s medication Alimta to help treat mesothelioma.
Thus far, a cure for mesothelioma has not been found but using medications such as Alimta has proven to be beneficial for those suffering from the illness, according to
researchers.
Reversal of Decision Regarding Medication
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence was finally issued final clearance for the National Health Service to provide the medication after much debate surrounding the drug.
Alimta has been approved to be used on patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma and arenâ€™t eligible for surgery.
The approval is a reversal of a 2006 NICE decision that the drug, also known as pemetrexed disodium, wasnâ€™t cost-effective for the illness.
Mesothelioma Becoming More Common
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is associated with asbestos exposure and can take from 20-50 years to detect in patients.
People are often exposed to asbestos through the handling of products containing the substance or the inhalation or ingestion of the fibers.

Researching Mesothelioma

Lauren — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 19:23:43 +0000

The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, also known as the Meso Foundation, recently announced that it will give $1 million to researchers working at some of the top universities in the country.
The award is intended to help these researchers find a cure for mesothelioma, the rare form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure.
Raising Money to Find a Cure
Yearly, the Meso Foundation funds top research programs around the world through its grant process that helps raise money for mesothelioma research.
The recent donation brings total funding at the foundation to $5 million.
â€œThe areas funded are targeted therapies that might halt the development of mesothelioma cells, immunotherapy, novel transport systems to assist chemotherapy drug entry into the cell membrane and gene therapy,â€? explains Mary Hersdorffer, who works for the Meso Foundationâ€™s Medical Liaison.
The Truth Behind the Disease
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that can painfully invade the lining of the lungs or heart and is caused by exposure to asbestos.
Research for the illness has taken a backseat to other forms of cancer and as a result, for those with the disease, it has been difficult to determine and treatments have been delayed.
Asbestos Exposure Remains a Problem
According to reports, asbestos exposure is still common in schools, homes and the workplace despite the known harm the substance can cause.
â€œFor all those battling the disease today, the need is urgent,â€? says Chris Hahn, the Executive Director at the Meso Foundation.