Tag Archives: Cancer

Meso Cancer, Meso Treatments, Press Releases, Stories & News

Oncologists, Genetic Testing and How To Target Cancer Tumors

Cancer Research is going in an entirely new direction based on genetic testing where tailored treatments can now focus on and cancer and genetic testingtarget specific cancer tumors.

And to demonstrate this, we will review a recent (2014) success story from a young man (23-years) who submitted by faith and determination to the investigative process of genetic testing with tailored drug treatments for cancer cure.

Original story:  Wall Street Journal: March 28, 2016 

In February 2014, after a lengthy struggle with a head-cold, nosebleeds and body fatigue, Evan Johnson, a senior student at the University of North Dakota, decided to visit the Mayo Clinic when he began to have bruises and chest pain.

Genetic testing at the Mayo Clinic discovered an acute form of Myeloid Leukemia; a cancer disease that forms, grows, and can  spread quickly through out the body.

Fortunate for Mr. Johnson, oncologists today are taking new directions with genetic testing to discover ways to make strong  offensive action against cancer.  The doctors know cancer can evolve to resist treatment(s), and they now use these complications as potential advantages to identify alternate cancer targets they can use different drug treatments on, as the cancer changes.

(Related Science)

The medical team working at the Mayo Clinic on Johnson’s case moved quickly in their investigative research to discover several effective treatments to use against the cancer genetic mutations that were pushing his disease.  While his end story is successful, Evan had to endure a failed stem cell transplant, six various  prescribed courses of medical treatment,  four cancer relapses and other life-threatening problems that occurred when treatment went beyond the desired effect.

For Evan’s mother, Carol Johnson:

We truly felt like we were in a war.  We didn’t know where the [cancer] enemy was at any given moment and what means [the cancer] was going to use to attack us next.

After nine months into his cancer treatment, Evan’s leukemia evolved and developed a new mutation, unexpectedly!  The change allowed the cancer to escape the cure of the treatment being administered.  But, the deviation in the cancer gave his oncologists  a new target that was vulnerable to other cancer fighting drugs.  Mr. Johnson’s doctors modified and fine-tuned their treatment for him and managed to defeat the leukemia; which cleared the way for Evan to receive a second, successful stem cell transplant. Consequently, Evan Johnson has been cancer free for more than a year.

Genetic Testing: Cancer Treatment’s
New Direction

Dr. Pashtoon Kasi, an oncologist at the Rochester,Minn.-based Mayo Clinic, is a team-member that assisted in Evan Johnson’s medical care.  Dr. Kasi says the medical team could see the cancer evolution  happen by regular genetic testing, which allowed Mr. Johnson’s treatment to be customized to his particular need.  “Personalization in real time… This is where oncology is headed down the line,” says Dr. Pashtoon Kasi.

According to Dr. Jose Baselga, chief physician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York:

A decade ago, we were shooting in the dark.  If first-line or second-line treatments failed, we either had nothing to do next, or what we did was totally disconnected with the biology of the disease.

With today’s technology cancer patients with advanced forms of the disease can be treated at major health centers, expecting their tumors to be genetic sequenced.  The genetic testing provides a Genetic Testing Targets Cancer Mutationshope in finding a match to the many new drugs that target exactly and stop the cancer mutations that stimulate the cancer’s growth.  Good matches can produce excellent results with dramatic effect at reducing tumors, but “precision drug treatment” is not always a cure.  Sometimes the treatment is thwarted when a tumor evolves.  This forces oncologists to seek the identity of new mutations that can be stopped with effective treatment.

Oncologists, Genetic Testing and New Cancer Treatments: A Game of Whack-a-Mole

The research process of identifying new mutations and matching the next precision drug treatment to stop cancer growth is.. “like a Whack-a-Mole game,” according to Dr. Baselga.  Each attempt to solve the cancer problem is piece-meal resulting only in temporary or minor improvement.  And as new mutations occur, the medical strategy is to find a new treatment (hammer) to hit it with.

But the real challenge to this approach of medical treatment is finding drugs that treat cancer-causing mutations; there just aren’t that many, yet.  For example, a drug found that works on a patient with melanoma might not be successful on a colon-cancer patient, even if they have the same mutation.  And, sometimes a drug that is not yet approved for the type of cancer being treated is suggested based upon DNA tests that match the tumor mutation, which jeopardizes the possibility of compensation for expensive drugs.

Regarding this method of cancer treatment, Dr. Kasi says:

It’s not for every patient or [form of] cancer.  But as we develop more drugs and understand more [treatment] pathways, it would be a reasonable option for a lot of our patients.

Evan Johnson returned to his home after spending 17 months at the Mayo Clinic enduring medical Whack-a-Mole, being released with a good chance of sustained, durable remission of Myeloid Leukemia and the cancer’s genetic mutations.

An account of Evan’s case has been published by Dr. Pashtoon M. Kasi, Mark R. Litzow, Mrinal M. Patnaik, Shahrukh K. Hashmi, and Naseema Gangat in the journal:

Leukema Research Reports (January 2016)

 

EphB4

Dr. Parkash Gill and Novel Therapeutic Targets (EphB4, Axk, GRP78) in Pancreatic Cancer

English: Gene expression pattern of the EPHB4 ...
Gene expression pattern of the EPHB4 gene

Ephrin type-B receptor 4 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the EPHB4 gene.[1][2]

Ephrin receptors and their ligands, the ephrins, mediate numerous developmental processes, particularly in the nervous system. Based on their structures and sequence relationships, ephrins are divided into the ephrin-A (EFNA) class, which are anchored to the membrane by a glycosylphosphatidylinositol linkage, and the ephrin-B (EFNB) class, which are transmembrane proteins. The Eph family of receptors are divided into 2 groups based on the similarity of their extracellular domain sequences and their affinities for binding ephrin-A and ephrin-B ligands. Ephrin receptors make up the largest subgroup of the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) family. The protein encoded by this gene binds to ephrin-B2 and plays an essential role in vascular development.[2][3]

APA/Hirshberg Symposium: Celebrating 10 Years of the Hirshberg Seed Grant THERAPY Novel Therapeutic Targets (EphB4, Axk, GRP78) in Pancreatic Cancer Dr. Parkash Gill.

  1. Bennett BD, Wang Z, Kuang WJ, Wang A, Groopman JE, Goeddel DV, Scadden DT (Jun 1994). “Cloning and characterization of HTK, a novel transmembrane tyrosine kinase of the EPH subfamily”. J Biol Chem 269 (19): 14211–8. PMID 8188704.
  2.  Jump up to:a b “Entrez Gene: EPHB4 EPH receptor B4”.
  3. Jump up Gerety SS, Wang HU, Chen ZF, Anderson DJ (1999). “Symmetrical mutant phenotypes of the receptor EphB4 and its specific transmembrane ligand ephrin-B2 in cardiovascular development.”. Mol. Cell 4 (3): 403–14. doi:10.1016/S1097-2765(00)80342-1. PMID 10518221.
Meso Cancer, Stories & News

Mesothelioma Cancer – The Latest News

Mesothelioma kills life-long criminal and infamous author

James Fogle stole his first car at the young age of 12 and set a course for the remainder of his life that would consist of an endless string of crimes.  James, who contracted mesothelioma, spent most of his life living in a prison, and eventually died living behind bars at the age of 75 in August, 2012 probably from the malignant mesothelioma he got while working as a pipe fitter.

Fogle described himself as a restless child born in a small town in Wisconsin and lived with an abusive father.  Early in his youth, he decided that stealing cars would be a form of escapism.  Consequently, James would spend much of his life as a youth in juvenile correctional facilities.  According to his autobiographies, it was in these facilities where he learned methods from other criminal detainees on how to pull off various crimes.  As he sustained his life path of criminal behavior, after serving time in jail as an adult and learning from fellow inmates, upon his release he began robbing drugstores.  James Fogle, all his life, was in and out of prison and seldom experienced freedom for more than a year between sentence terms.James Fogle dies of mesothelioma while living in prison

During one of his prison terms, he was trained to be a steam pipe fitter.  It is suspected that during this era of his life he was exposed to asbestos, which later led to his development of mesothelioma.  When one is  exposed to asbestos fibers, some of the fibers floating in the are you breath can become trapped in the lungs when inhaled, and this can cause the deadly diseases known as mesothelioma.  Mesothelioma lung cancer is caused by exposure to floating asbestos particles.  However, with mesothelioma there is usually a latency period of 20 to 50 years from the time of exposure before the development of symptoms can be recognized.

Mesothelioma diagnosis typically begins with a sufferer’s visit to the doctor complaining of chronic chest pain. This pain is caused as a result of a buildup of fluid inside the pleural space; this is called pleural effusion and is the most common presenting symptom of malignant mesothelioma.

Preliminary mesothelioma detection can be achieved through a chest imagery scan (CT scan, x-ray); however, mesothelioma is often misdiagnosed as viral pneumonia at this stage because of certain symptomatic similarities between the two. The only way to definitively verify a suspected case of malignant mesothelioma is through a biopsy.

Because of his mesothelioma cancer condition and toward the end of his life, James was required to use an oxygen tank to breathe.

Mesothelioma kills book writer

While James  only had a sixth-grade education, he became inspired by books he read during his prison time.  From his reading he developed his own writing style, and wrote 11 autobiographical novels while doing his time.   “Drugstore Cowboy,” is the story about drug addicts who teamed up to support their drug addictions by working together to  rob  pharmacies.  This was the only book he wrote that got published.  This novel was used to create a highly-regarded and  successful film by director Gus Van Sant.  The film was made in 1989 with Matt Dillon playing the lead role.  William Burroughs, one of the major faces of the Beat Generation, had a minor role in the movie, and lauded Fogle’s novel.

At the Monroe Correctional Complex in Monroe, Washington, James Fogle was serving out his 16-year sentence for  crimes committed when he died of mesothelioma cancer.

References:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/30/us/james-fogle-author-of-drugstore-cowboy-dies-at-75.html

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/aug/26/local/la-me-james-fogle-20120826

http://seattletimes.com/html/obituaries/2018979541_cowboy24m.html

Meso Treatments, Press Releases, Stories & News

Phase II Clinical Trials of CRS-207 New Cancer Vaccine Begin

CRS-207 Clinical Trials Proceed

The Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America is pleased to announce that Aduro Bio Tech has begun conducting phase II clinical trials on a new cancer vaccine called CRS-207.  Aduro Bio Tech has enlisted the first group of mesothelioma patients that will take the experimental vaccine.CRS-207 mesothelioma vaccination

CRS-207 comes from a relatively new field of study called Immunology that has recently been at the forefront of mesothelioma research.  Immunology is the practice of working with the bodys natural immune system to succor the body and manipulate its ability to ward off cancer cells. CRS-207 is classified as a type of immunotherapy.

CRS-207 Boosting the immune system

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), cancer vaccines stimulate the immune system to attack diseased cells that are marked by specific antigens.  Using CRS-207, scientists also hope that this reaction will cause the immune system to remember the malignancy and prevent it from coming back.

Therapeutic vaccines are typically formulated with cancer cells, parts of cells or antigens, according to the ACS.  Aduro’s candidate treatment CRS-207 uses proprietary attenuated Listeria monocytogenes strains to trigger an immune response against mesothelin tumor-associated antigen. This protein can be found on tumors associated with mesothelioma, non-small-cell lung cancer and malignancies of the ovaries and pancreas.

The new CRS-207 drug is a derivative from a weakened version of Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that is the cause of a food-born illness known as Listeriosis. Scientists have manipulated the bacteria in order to generate an immune response to stop cells from producing mesothelin, a tumor-associated antigen that is produced by various types of cancer cells including those produced by mesothelioma.

Phase I of the CRS-207 vaccine trials was concluded on 17 mesothelioma patients, all of who were in various stages of the mesothelioma disease.  Although mesothelioma patients in the advanced stages face a very short life expectancy of a few months, six out of 17 patients who took the CRS-207 vaccine lived 15 months or longer.

Phase II trials will have newly diagnosed mesothelioma patients begining treatment by receiving two CRS-207 vaccinations in addition to the traditional mesothelioma chemotherapy treatment of cisplatin with pemetrexed. Once chemotherapy has concluded, the patients with receive at least two more doses of CRS-207. A group of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer will also participate in phase two trials.

Dr. Scott Antonia of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida and Dr. Raffit Hassan of the National Cancer Institute are leading the clinical trials. Phase II trials of CRS-207 will center on testing for safety and efficacy in efforts to create the best dosage profile. Patients in the early stages of mesothelioma are currently being enrolled, with trials set to end by December 13th.

The study of Immunotherapy has been an expanding topic among leading mesothelioma researchers, with several recent developments yielding positive results among patients. Asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma have long been plagued with low survival rates.  Several recent developments in Immunology have produced new hope among the mesothelioma community as well as other groups in the fight against mesothelioma cancer.

More Mesothelioma Cancer Press Releases

Other Alternative CRS-207 Treatments for Mesothelioma

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Meso Treatments, Press Releases, Stories & News

Mesothelioma Treatment Options – asbestos causes mesothelioma cancer

Mesothelioma Treatment Option – cancer mesothelioma asbestos

Mesothelioma is a cancer which affects the tissue which surrounds and protects various organs in the body. This tissue is called the Mesothelium, and Mesothelioma causes it to become abnormal, divide without control, and invade and damage nearby organs.

The most common form is pleural mesothelioma which affects the sac that lines the chest cavity and protects the lungs (the pleura). Other forms are peritoneum mesothelioma (which affects the abdominal cavity) and pericardium mesothelioma (affecting the lining around the heart). The tumours can be either benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous) although they are most often malignant.

Mesothelioma Causes

Mesothelioma is caused by the inhalation of asbestos, a fibrous carcinogenic.

These fibres lodge themselves in the lining of the lung affecting the mesothelial cells. Sometimes they cause scarring of the lungs (which is called asbestosis) but this is not cancerous. They can, however, trigger tumour growth between 20 to 50 years after they are inhaled (the average is 35 to 40 years). Asbestos fibres which are swallowed can reach the lining of the abdominal cavity where they play a part in causing peritoneal mesothelioma.

It is generally the case that the longer or more intense the exposure to asbestos the more likely Mesothelioma is to occur. However, there are cases of people getting Mesothelioma years after having worked with it for just a few months. The families of asbestos workers are also at risk as they would possibly have been exposed to asbestos fibres on the clothing of their loved ones.

The dangers of asbestos have not always been as well known as they are today.  Before the 1970s asbestos was a primary insulating material with little or no control in its use or handling. The resulting increase in cases of Mesothelioma is a direct cause of these past practices.

Mesothelioma Symptoms

Mesothelioma is often well advanced before symptoms are recognized.   Consequently, the prognosis for the disease is usually poor with the common survival time for all stages of Malignant Mesothelioma being about one year.  Mesothelioma symptoms resemble pneumonia, which coughs, breathing difficulties and abdominal pain being common.

Mesothelioma Treatments

Mesothelioma can be treated by chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery, or a combination of the three.

  • Mesothelioma Surgery Treatment

Extra pleural pneumonectomy is where the entire lung and a portion of the lining of the chest, the diaphragm, and some or the entire sac which surrounds the heart is removed.

Wide local excision targets and removes the cancer and a limited amount of the healthy tissue surrounding the cancerous region.

Pleurectomy and decortication removes part of the covering of the lungs, as well as the lining of the chest and portions of the outside covering of the lungs.

  • Mesothelioma Chemotherapy Treatment

Pleurodesis uses a blend of chemicals and/or drugs to create an intentional scar between the layers of the pleura. Post surgery, the space created by the scar must be drained, using either a catheter or chest tube, and is then filled with a chemical which inhibits the accumulation of fluid in the pleura cavity.

  • Mesothelioma Radiation Treatment

Radiation therapy is used to treat Mesothelioma patients with the goal of controlling the spread of cancer in combination with surgery and chemotherapy. Radiation emanates from high energy X-rays, photons, neutrons, cobalt, or other radiation sources. Chemotherapy and Radiation treatments are useful ways to combat other types of cancers but, used alone, have not been very helpful for treating Mesothelioma.

Research continues as the medical field looks for a cure.  Different combinations of drugs and surgery, studies of newly developed drugs, gene therapy, and more are being studied, with clinical trials in the United States and abroad.

Prognosis for mesothelioma is difficult to estimate consistently when looking at different research studies because there are often large differences in the time before diagnosis and the rate of disease progression.  Many factors affect a person’s prognosis, including the type of disease, a person’s age and general health, when the disease was found, and a person’s response to treatment.

 Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial.

For some patients, taking part in a mesothelioma clinical trial may be the best treatment choice.  Mesothelioma clinical trials are part of the cancer research process.  Clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment.

Many of today’s standard treatments for mesothelioma cancer are based on previous, earlier clinical trials.  Patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new mesothelioma treatment.

Patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future. Even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments, they often answer important questions and help move research forward.

Learn more about Mesothelioma, Asbestos, Symptoms and Treatments

Meso Cancer

What Are The Stages of Mesothelioma Cancer Development?

Mesothelioma Cancer

One rare form of cancer is called Mesothelioma, a malignant tumor in the mesothelial tissues of the lungs and the abdomen, arising from the inhalation of asbestos. Because it is rare many people are unaware of this fatal disease. There are many people who go undiagnosed and die of Mesothelioma.  While there is a growing awareness of asbestos hazards  to health, too many people have not learned about Mesothelioma and therefore do not understand its cause, nature, signs and treatment. Today,  physicians find it difficult to detect Mesothelioma as its symptoms are similar to other lung diseases such as pneumonia and lung cancer. Moreover, it can take many years, decades, for a person exposed to asbestos to develop Mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma Awareness

Being unaware of Mesothelioma poses higher risks since it deters diagnosis and treatment. A person undergoing treatment must know the different stages of the cancer or the extent of the disease. Chances of recovering from Mesothelioma and the kind of treatment depend on the stage of the illness.

Mesothelioma Staging Systems

There are basically two staging systems used for Pleural Mesothelioma (lungs): TNM system and Brighan system. These staging systems are also used in other kinds of cancers; however, the first is commonly used. There is no established method in determining the stage of the Peritoneal Mesothelioma cancer (abdominal) so the TNM system is used.

The Mesothelioma TNM System

There are three variables in the TNM system: tumor, lymph nodes and metastasis. In the earliest stage of Mesothelioma, stage 1 (one), the malignant Mesothelioma cells start to grow and multiply only one layer of the pleura. The pleura is the membrane that encloses the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. However, there are some instances wherein the pericardium (membrane that covers the heart) and diaphragm cover are already affected. In this case, the cancer patient is still in stage 1 (one) Mesothelioma.

In the second stage, the two layers of the pleura are already affected by Mesothelioma. Take note, however, that in this stage, only one side of the body is affected. Normally, the pleura produces only small amount of lubricating fluid that allows easy expanding and contracting of the lungs. The excess fluid is absorbed by the blood and the lymph vessels so there’s a balance between the amount of fluid produced and removed. During the second stage Mesothelioma, fluid starts to build up between the membrane of the lungs and the membrane of the chest wall, resulting to pleural effusion. The increase in the volume of fluid produced causes shortness of breath and chest pain. Other Mesothelioma cancer patients experience dry and persistent cough. Diagnosis of the pleural effusion is achieved through a chest x-ray.

Stage 3 (three) Mesothelioma means that the malignant cells have already spread to the chest wall, esophagus and the lymph nodes on one part of the chest. The patient may suffer severe pain near the parts affected. When not treated immediately or when the Mesothelioma patient doesn’t respond well to medication, the cancer may advance to the fourth stage.

Stage 4 (four) Mesothelioma is formidable since at this stage the Mesothelioma cells have penetrated into the bloodstream and other organs in the body like the liver, the bones and the brain. The lymph nodes on the other side of the chest may also be affected by Mesothelioma in stage 4 (four).

The Mesotheloma Brighan System

Brighan staging system, on the other hand, determines whether the Mesothelioma can be surgically removed or not and whether the lymph nodes are affected or not.

Stage 1 (one) Mesothelioma, the lymph nodes are not yet affected and the patient can still recover through surgery.

Stage 2 (two) Mesothelioma, surgery can still be executed but some lymph nodes have already been infiltrated by the cancer cells.

Stage 3 (three) Mesothelioma, the heart and chest wall are already affected; thus, surgery is no longer advisable. The lymph nodes in this stage, however, may or may not be affected.

Stage 4 (four) Mesothelioma, the final stage, cancer cells have already gone to the bloodstream and other parts of the body like the heart, brain, bone and liver. In most cases, a patient who has reached stage 4 (four) Mesothelioma only has four to twenty-four months to live.

Meso Cancer, Meso Causes, Meso Treatments, Press Releases, Stories & News

Aggressive Mesothelioma Cancer: Some Characteristics

Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer currently without a cure. Exposure to free-floating asbestos dust particles is the primary cause for getting this disease.  Generally, no amount of asbestos exposure is considered safe, and the disease almost always develops in persons that have had extensive, recurring exposure.   Once the exposure has taken hold with asbestos particles stuck in the lining of the lung(s), the detection of mesothelioma cancer may take 20 to 50 years.  The type of asbestos, fiber particle size as well as the duration of recurring exposure are decisive in the development of the mesothelioma cancer.  Today, asbestos is banned in most countries from all industries, particularly the construction industry, which only a few decades ago used it in many building materials.  Asbestos is still being consumed and used by lesser developed nations, and some nations like Canada still mine the ore and ship it to these user nations.

Mesothelioma is frequently mistaken as a lung cancer, which it is not, simply because it affects the thoracic cavity (pleura) most often as well as other thin membranes that cover the body’s organs.

Body organ membranes where mesothelioma can also develop include the abdominal cavity (the peritoneum);  the fibroserous sac which encloses the heart (the pericardium); and the serous membrane that covers the testis and epididymis (the tunica vaginalis).

Generally, symptoms of having mesothelioma include: a cough, husky voice, shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing, difficult swallowing, chest pain, abdominal swelling with pain, fatigue, anemia, loss of appetite, weight loss, fluid in the chest or abdomen, lack of sleep, and other characteristics.  Obviously, to diagnose mesothelioma is challenging and to connect the symptoms with the cancer because so many of its symptoms are easily mistaken for more common diseases that are not life threatening such as flu, pneumonia or bronchitis.

So, there are three main types of mesothelioma cancers:

  • malignant pleural mesothelioma
  • malignant pericardial mesothelioma
  • malignant peritoneal mesothelioma

And less common types of this disease include:

  • testicular mesothelioma
  • epithelial mesothelioma
  • biphasic mesothelioma
  • cystic mesothelioma
  • liver mesothelioma
  • brain mesothelioma
  • papillary mesothelioma
  • adenocarcinoma mesothelioma
  • sarcomatoid mesothelioma
  • desmoplastic mesothelioma

There are several primary options for the treatment of mesothelioma cancer:

  • mesothelioma surgery
  • mesothelioma chemotherapy
  • mesothelioma radiation

These treatments can be combined for a best-results treatment.  During surgery, the cancer cells are removed and post-surgery mesothelioma doctors usually use radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Treating mesothelioma cancer with these methods will give the patients a possible extension of five years to their lives. Additional treatments used by mesothelioma doctors are anti-angiogenesis drugs, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation therapy, gene therapy, immunotherapy, massage therapy, acupuncture, and intraoperative photodynamic therapy.

Special research and clinical trials are being conducted by the Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America on a cure for mesothelioma with good results on the early Phase I and Phase II trials.  This work is done as a collaborative effort for a mesothelioma cancer patient by a team of general practitioners, epidemiologists, pathologists, thoracic surgeons, radiation therapists, oncologists, rehabilitation specialists and psychotherapists.

Contact a mesothelioma doctor in your area with the help of our support staff.

Find out more about mesothelioma victims.

Press Releases

Cancer Monthly Journal and Database for Mesothelioma Research

Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) March 08, 2012

Cancer Monthly is proud to announce that it now provides treatment results for Non Hodgkins Lymphoma and Bladder Cancer. Cancer Monthly is the only centralized source of cancer treatment results. Founded more than seven years ago, Cancer Monthly now provides information on the actual performance for nearly 1,000 different treatments for Bladder, Brain (anaplastic astrocytoma and glioblastoma), Breast, Colon, Kidney, Liver, Lung (non small cell), Melanoma, Mesothelioma, Non Hodgkins Lymphoma, Ovarian, Prostate, and Rectal Cancer.

For each individual treatment the data includes: actual survival rates, quality of life indicators, drug information, and more. The purpose of the Cancer Monthly is to provide patients with better tools to have more effective discussions with their doctors, explains Michael Horwin the President of Cancer Monthly. Most of the data focuses on cancers in the more advanced stages because in those situations time is at a premium and Cancer Monthly can help patients save research time.

Cancer Monthly has been used by several million patients and doctors over the last seven years. This internet database is free and easy to use. Visitors simply select the kind of cancer they are researching, the types of treatments they are interested in, and where they are located. Treatment types include: Alternative, Biologic therapy, Chemotherapy, Gene Therapy, Hormone, Immunotherapy, Radiation, and Surgery. The database then provides the various treatments that meet these requirements. The data is sorted by the highest survival rate but the user can also sort by hospital, country, date, and toxicity of the treatment. Once a treatment of interest is identified the user can print out an abstract describing the therapy and share it with their doctor. Users can also email the doctor responsible for the therapy if they would like to obtain further details. All of the data comes from the peer reviewed oncology literature medical articles written by physicians and researchers.

Cancer Monthly is just one time-saving tool to help patients perform research on cancer treatments, says Horwin. Because the data comes from the medical journals it can help patients make more informed treatment decisions with their doctors.

To visit Cancer Monthly go to http://www.cancermonthly.com

More Mesothelioma Press Releases

Meso Treatments, Press Releases, Stories & News

Jeff Davis- Lung Cancer Mesothelioma Remission with the use of Marine Phytoplankton

The Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America and our staff are constantly looking for news of recent trials and methods being attempted to find a cure to mesothelioma cancer. During a recent study, we came across these two (2) videos on YouTube regarding mesothelioma treatments. We have not tested or tried these methods, and we do NOT endorse nor do we prescribe these methods, but rather bring them to your attention that you may ask your oncologist and other medical advisers about these options.

Mesothelioma Remission When Using Marine Phytoplankton

Jeff Davis receives a surprise phone call asking him about his use of Marine Phytoplankton (which he refers to as “medicine”). He had Mesothelioma lung cancer to the point of spitting up blood every night and could hardly walk a short distance with out running out of breath.  After eight days of taking Marine Phytoplankton he said he no longer was spitting up blood, could breathe much easier and could work construction all day again without stopping. We too thought this was too good to be true, but the following conversation sounds very real and convincing!

More information on how to Win The Fight Against Cancer Naturally at the website:

www.winthefightagainstcancernaturally.org

Urgent need to identify new drugs to face peak of cases in 10 years

The next video is an interview with Dr. Fortunato Ciardiello, MD, PhD about the use of Vorinostat in patients with advanced pleural mesothelioma (VANTAGE 014).

This interview by the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO).

The Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America was founded in 2001 with a mission: fund research that leads to the quickest and surest cure for mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the lungs caused by asbestos exposure. This cancer disease had few treatment options until this MesoRFA.org and Dr. Parkash Gill’s work created better treatment options. Today, the future looks more hopeful for additional improved treatment options available to those stricken by this cancer.

Submit your mesothelioma questions to Ask Dr. Parkash Gill to receive the oncologist’s Free response and opinion.

 

Meso Cancer, Stories & News

The EPA Mishandles Asbestos And Exposes Employees To Mesothelioma Causing Materials

Environmental Protection Agency
EPA exposes asbestos to employees

 

(PRWEB) January 08, 2012

A recent report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency about its own apparent mishandling of asbestos in demolition projects underscores the pervasive threat this cancer-causing material poses to Americans health.

If the national government department in charge with managing the public’s safety  from environmental hazards fails to protect themselves and their contractors from asbestos exposure, then it becomes a serious concern for everyone about the dangers faced by employees of less-conscientious organizations.

This bad news was recently released in a December 14, 2012  memo from the EPAs inspector general which emphasized concerns about the use of unapproved demolition methods at EPA sites where asbestos was present.

Because inhaling asbestos fibers is known to cause lethal cancers such as mesothelioma, demolition crews are required by law to follow strict protocols to prevent exposure to the deadly material.

The EPA report indicated that unapproved asbestos-handling methods were in use at several sites, including one in Washington state and another in Kentucky. The inspector general also cited videos and photos that showed unprotected government workers and contractors present during experiments with unapproved alternative asbestos control methods in Arkansas and Texas.

Current evidence demonstrates that many people  developed mesothelioma cancer or other asbestos-related diseases after being exposed at work to toxic asbestos decades ago.  And now it is very alarming to discover that workers continue to face exposure to this cancer-causing material even at job sites that are under the control of the government’s environmental watchdog.

Asbestos, which was once extensively used in a wide variety of applications, is the only known cause of mesothelioma. The disease is a rare but very aggressive form of cancer that usually affects the lining of the lungs. There is no known cure. Many victims do not develop mesothelioma until several decades after their exposure.

Because asbestos products remain in many older structures, the EPA has developed specific procedures for safer handling of asbestos during demolitions and renovations. The standards require specialists to remove asbestos-containing materials while minimizing the amount of asbestos dust produced.

Because the standards apparently were not followed at several EPA sites, according to the inspector general, the agency should notify workers and the public in the surrounding areas of the possibility that they were exposed to asbestos.

The Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America encouraged anyone who has developed an asbestos-related disease to seek qualified medical treatment.  People diagnosed with mesothelioma who were exposed to asbestos during work related assignments should also consider how important it is to seek the advice of an experienced asbestos exposure attorney.