Malignant pleural mesothelioma affects men and women differently. One group of scientists now thinks there are many factors to explain this distinction, not just a few. The researchers believe this understanding will be important to unlocking more of the mysteries of mesothelioma at the molecular level. And that’s important because it is at the molecular
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Mesothelioma research usually takes a backseat to other cancer research because mesothelioma is so rare. The fact that there are far fewer cases of mesothelioma than other cancers, such as breast cancer, means fewer dollars are designated to fund research into mesothelioma. But comparatively fewer cases of mesothelioma also means there are fewer mesothelioma tumor
Not knowing quickly whether a mesothelioma treatment is working can be bad for you. Being in the dark causes delays in getting you switched to a treatment that might be more effective. And the longer the delay in making such a switch, the more time there is for mesothelioma to grow. Ultimately, that makes it
In a victory-snatched-from-the-jaws-of-defeat moment, Congress voted in mid-December to reauthorize the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act to benefit mesothelioma patients and others who had their health affected. Just months earlier, the Zadroga Act seemed like a sure bet for reauthorization. It turned out not to be, much to the disappointment — and frustration — of
Endoscopic ultrasound-guided tissue acquisition is an easier and more reliable way to diagnose peritoneal mesothelioma than are invasive procedures such as laparoscopy, say researchers in Japan. In a letter to the editor of the journal Endoscopic Ultrasound, the researchers described their success at acquiring suspect abdominal cavity tissues by use of endoscopic ultrasound. This was
The big question you and your doctors have after you complete mesothelioma chemotherapy is whether it did the trick. And, if it did, you want to know by how much it will extend your mesothelioma survival. One way to predict how many extra months or years the treatment bought you is to take measurements of
A late-stage cancer immunotherapy vaccine that targets the WT1 antigen appears to have worked well for mesothelioma patients enrolled in a Phase 2 clinical trial. They experienced a median overall survival rate of 21.4 months. This WT1 cancer vaccine also allowed the enrolled mesothelioma patients to enjoy a median progression-free survival of 11.4 months — double
Intensity-modulated radiation therapy has been shown to extend mesothelioma survival for many patients who undergo an extrapleural pneumonectomy. However, radiation has a drawback — it can result in pulmonary toxicity. The consequences of this toxicity can be serious, death being the most serious. The risk of pulmonary toxicity causes many mesothelioma doctors who perform extrapleural pneumonectomies
Mesothelioma surgery is usually quite effective. Unfortunately, the viciously aggressive asbestos cancer often returns — and often in the same spot. However, going under the knife a second time may increase your chances for longer survival, scientists now say. Researchers from University Hospital Zurich in Switzerland assert that surgical removal of a mesothelioma tumor that returned
The experimental mesothelioma cell killer known as CRS-207 has received orphan drug status in Europe. This will help researchers speed up development of the Listeria monocytogenes-based immunotherapy. Orphan drug status in Europe gives therapy developers there access to protocol assistance and invaluable scientific advice. It also gives the company involved in a drug’s development important
