Mesothelioma | Mesothelioma Treatment

Mesothelioma treatment depends on various factors including the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient’s age and health.  Mesothelioma is a rare cancer linked to asbestos exposure that attacks the lining of the organs – lung, heart and abdomen.  The most common is malignant pleural mesothelioma or cancer of the lining of the lungs.  Mesothelioma has a long latency period and symptoms are non-specific, so in most cases diagnosis is difficult before the advanced stages of the disease.  Typical mesothelioma treatment includes chemotherapy, surgery and radiation in an effort to extend the patient’s life.

Surgery:  Surgery is a common treatment for mesothelioma wherein the doctor removes part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and the surrounding tissue.  For pleural mesothelioma or cancer of the lining of the lung, a lung may be removed.  This surgery is called a pneumonectomy.  Sometimes part of the diaphragm is also removed during this procedure.

Radiation: Radiation or radiotherapy involves the use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy affects the cancer cells only in the treated area. The radiation may come from a machine (external radiation) or from putting materials that produce radiation through thin plastic tubes into the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).

Chemotherapy:  Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Most drugs used to treat mesothelioma are given by injection into a vein (intravenous, or IV). Doctors are also studying the effectiveness of putting chemotherapy directly into the chest or abdomen (intracavitary chemotherapy).

To relieve symptoms and control pain, the doctor may use a needle or a thin tube to drain fluid that has built up in the chest or abdomen. The procedure for removing fluid from the chest is called thoracentesis. Removal of fluid from the abdomen is called paracentesis. Drugs may be given through a tube in the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating. Radiation therapy and surgery may also be helpful in relieving symptoms.

Source:            National Cancer Institute

                       WebMD

Mesothelioma | UCLA Mesothelioma Lung-Sparing Seminar

The Pacific Meso Center (PMC) at the Pacific Heart, Lung & Blood Institute (PHLBI) will sponsor a UCLA symposium on Lung-Sparing Technologies for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma.  The conference will be the first of its kind focusing on cancer treatments that preserve the victim’s lungs.  The symposium will take place on Saturday, May 21^st at the Sheraton Delfina in Santa Monica.

Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma is an asbestos-related disease that attacks the lining of the chest or the pleura. Mesothelioma also attacks the lining of either the heart, abdomen, or testicles.  Symptoms of mesothelioma generally occur approximately 20 to 30 years after the asbestos exposure and include shortness of breath, chest pain and a persistent cough.  In most instances, mesothelioma is diagnosed in the advanced stages leaving the victim as short as 6 months to live.

The conference will be led by Dr. Robert B Cameron, Director of the Mesothelioma Research Program at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a long time advocate for lung-sparing technology.  The conference will feature Mr. Tom Treasure, MD and Mr. David A. Waller, MD from England who will discuss the recent results of the Mesothelioma and Radical Surgery Trial conducted in the UK.  The program will also feature experts in the fields of surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and pulmonary medicine.  The conference is designed for physicians but mesothelioma victims, their families, students and other interested parties may attend.

See Mesothelioma Lung-Sparing Seminar

Mesothelioma | Finding Clinical Studies for New Mesothelioma Treatments

Mesothelioma or cancer of the mesothelium is a rare disease that invades the lining of tissue surrounding vital organs.  The cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order and can attack nearby tissues and organs.  Cancer cells can also metastasize or spread from their original site to other parts of the body.   Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum.

Mesothelioma is very hard to diagnose and treat.  Because of the aggressive nature of mesothelioma and the difficulty to control, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) sponsors clinical trials or research studies with people designed to find new mesothelioma treatments.  The clinical trials also try to find better ways to use current treatments.  Generally speaking, doctors conduct clinical trials to find out whether the treatment is safe for patients and effective against the disease.  The clinical trials are done before the treatment is ready for general use.  Participation in clinical trials is an important consideration for treatment options for patients diagnosed with mesothelioma.

 The first inquiry in taking part in a clinical trial for a mesothelioma patient should be with their doctor.  Another resource for finding more information about mesothelioma clinical trials is the Cancer Information Service (CIS) with the NCI.  The CIS maintains a cancer information database to identify and provide detailed information about specific ongoing clinical trials.  The CIS can be contacted by calling 1-800-4-CANCER.  Another resource is NCI's clinical trial web page located on the Cancer.gov Web site, located at http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials.  This web page provides general information about clinical trials.  To find a detailed list of mesothelioma clinical trials go to ClinicalTrials.gov.  Patients, of course, also have the option of searching for clinical trials on their own.   

Mesothelioma | Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Clinical Trial Expands into U.S.

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The Italian biotechnology company, MolMed S.p.A, announced the expansion of its anticancer drug NGR-hTNF for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma into the United States, Canada and the European Union. 

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer linked to asbestos exposure that attacks the lining of the organs – lung, heart and abdomen.  The most common is malignant pleural mesothelioma or cancer of the lining of the lungs.  Mesothelioma has a long latency period and symptoms are non-specific, so in most cases diagnosis is difficult before the advanced stages of the disease.  Typical mesothelioma treatment includes chemotherapy, surgery and radiation in an effort to extend the patient’s life.

MolMed’s NGR-hTNF is an anti-tumor therapy developed for malignant mesothelioma.  In more detail, it is a vascular targeting agent with unique mode of action with a first-in-class compound in the class of peptide/cytokine complexes able to selectively target tumor vasculature.  NGR-hTNF contains a tumor homing peptide (NGR) that selectively binds tumor blood vessels attached to the human cytokine TNF.  Clinical development of NGR-hTNF is ongoing as the sole treatment as well as combined with other treatments of mesothelioma. 

Malignant mesothelioma treatment using conventional therapies has not proven to be successful often leaving the affected patients with a poor prognosis and limited survival time.  Clinical trials for mesothelioma may offer the best available treatment but participants should be fully aware of the risks. The clinical trial is one of the final stages of the cancer research process and is important in developing new treatments for cancers.

Source:  “MolMed Expands Phase III Trial of NGR-hTNF for the Treatment of Mesothelioma….”, February 28, 2011

Mesothelioma | Asbestos Awareness Conference April 1-3, Atlanta, GA

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The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) will hold its 7^th Annual Asbestos Awareness Conference in Atlanta, Georgia on April 1-3.  The conference titled Asbestos:  Impact on Public Health, Environment, and the Economy will have presentations on asbestos exposure issues, asbestos detection and treatment, environmental and economic impact, national and global policy.  Asbestos exposure causes mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis and other asbestos-related diseases.

Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer linked to asbestos exposure.  Mesothelioma cancer invades the mesothelium – the lining of tissue that surround vital organs.  The most common is pleural mesothelioma or cancer of the lining of the lungs.  Mesothelioma also attacks the lining of either the heart, abdomen, or testicles.  Symptoms of mesothelioma generally occur approximately 20 to 30 years after the asbestos exposure and include shortness of breath, chest pain and a persistent cough.  In most instances, mesothelioma is diagnosed in the advanced stages leaving the victim with 8 months to 18 months to live.  Mesothelioma is treated with chemotherapy, surgery and radiation in an effort to extend the patient’s life.

The ADAO conference brings will feature presentations on advanced medical, occupational and environmental asbestos exposure as well as disease prevention and treatment.  Speakers include physicians, safety professionals, public health advocates, patients and families.

The 2011 ADAO Asbestos Awareness Day Keynote Speakers include Dr. Linda Murray, President of American Public Health Association and Jordan Zevon, ADAO National Spokesperson.  The 2011 ADAO Honorees include:

• U.S. Sen. Baucus of Montana will be presented with the Tribute of Hope Award for his steadfast commitment and determination to ban asbestos.
• Ron Cyrus will be honored posthumously with the Warren Zevon “Keep me in Your Heart” Memorial Tribute for his countless years of public service as a legislator, labor leader, and public servant.
• Guadalupe Aguilar Madrid, M.D. will be recognized with the Dr. Irving Selikoff Lifetime Achievement Award in honor of her dedicated research on the social and medical impact of asbestos on humankind in Mexico and around the world.
• Sugio Furuya will be presented with the Tribute of Inspiration Award for being a bridge of hope and strength to victims of asbestos exposure in Asia and across the globe.
• Julie Gundlach, a mesothelioma patient, will be recognized with the Alan Reinstein Award for her commitment to education, advocacy, and support to countless patients and families.

The ADAO was created by asbestos victims and their families in 2004 and seeks to give asbestos victims and concerned citizens a united voice to raise public awareness about the dangers of asbestos exposure.  The ADAO is the largest independent organization dedicated to preventing asbestos-related diseases through education and legislation.

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Mesothelioma | Mesothelioma Awareness Week

Mesothelioma Awareness Week has been designated for the first week in April in an effort to raise awareness for mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.  The Mesothelioma Awareness Week resolution makes the point that individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma are expected to survive 6 to 24 months after the diagnosis.  The resolution also urges the Surgeon General to warn the public about asbestos-related health issues.

Montana Senator Baucus proposed Mesothelioma Awareness Week to remember the asbestos-related tragedies of the past and to look to the future in helping those victims and families who are affected by asbestos-related diseases.  Senator Baucus went on to say that the resolution for the Mesothelioma Awareness week was a “rallying cry to keep the tragedy of Libby from happening again” and was proposed in an effort to “remind people that much more work lies ahead to help victims of asbestos-related diseases.”  Additional cosponsors and key supporters include:  Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL), Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), and Senator Jon Tester (D-MT).

Senator Baucus represents the Libby, Montana residents where it is estimated that sixty percent of the people living in Libby has some asbestos-related disease due to the Libby Mines nearby.  The Libby Mines operated from 1919 to 1990 when W.R. Grace halted operations.  During its operations, this was one of the most productive asbestos vermiculite mines.  Those affected by the Libby Mines include miners, mill workers, families and neighbors of the Libby Mine site.

Asbestos is a known cause for cancer and exposure can lead to mesothelioma, lung cancer or other asbestos-related diseases.  Mesothelioma is described as localized if the cancer is found only on the membrane surface where it originated. It is classified as advanced if it has spread beyond the original membrane surface to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, lungs, chest wall, or abdominal organs.