Tag Archives: Mesothelioma

Meso Cancer, Meso Facts

Study Shows Asbestos Bans are Slow to Reduce Malignant Mesothelioma Rates

It has been more than 32 years since Denmark began in 1972 a ban on the use of asbestos insulation. In the late 1980s, Denmark also extended its ban to include other products containing asbestos.  And now, Denmark is one of 55 countries who have completely banned asbestos  products.  

But according to the new study of mesothelioma in Denmark, a steady rise in cases of this asbestos-linked cancer that began in the 1950s is still going on.

Mesothelioma and Asbestos

Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer of the membranes around internal organs, most often the lungs or abdomen of the patient. It is a deadly disease that comes from exposure to the mineral asbestos.

Asbestos was made into a popular insulator and component in building materials worldwide back in the 1930s because it was readily available, cost little, and its very resistant to fire and corrosion.  The use of Asbestos in the building materials has put hundreds of thousands of workers at risk for mesothelioma.

Many countries, including Denmark, began in the 1950s and 60s to reduce their use of Asbestos products after it was linked to mesothelioma cancer as well as other unhealthy conditions.Pleural Mesothelioma Asbestos Lung Cancer

In a Danish study, the research team used data from the years 1943 through 2009 about mesothelioma stored at the Danish Cancer Registry. The researchers discovered the total incidence of mesothelioma continued to rise throughout the study period showing a peak of 1.76 cases per 100,000 people during the years 2008-2009.

The study also identified more cases in the Region of Northern Jutland in comparison to Southern Denmark.  While mesothelioma survival rate has improved slightly, the researchers noted that the  prognosis for getting mesothelioma continues to remain poor based on a median rate of 12.5 months survival for men and 13.3 months survival for women in the years 2008 through 2009.

In the Danish Medical Journal, the authors conclude:

“The national malignant mesothelioma incidence for men continues to increase, perhaps showing a slight tendency towards deceleration in the most recent decade,”

But they go on to say that:

“A clear long-term effect of the Danish asbestos ban has not yet occurred.”

Lag Time between Asbestos Exposure and Mesothelioma Diagnosis

With mesothelioma, the lag time  (latency period) between exposure to asbestos  and the development of the disease can be many decades.   It is during the latency period that the disease is very difficult to detect and diagnose, much less tracing its source.  Frequently mesothelioma cancer is diagnosed late in its development, and it tends to progress quickly.  Estimates from the World Health Organization show that since 1994, more than 92,000 people have died from mesothelioma cancer.

RESULTS:

In Denmark, the national incidence of malignant mesothelioma cancer for men has been rising during the study period, reaching its total maximum of 1.76 in 2008-2009.  The incidence rate has remained relatively steady for women with a maximum of 0.5 in 1973 through 1977.

Northern Jutland and the surrounding region records the highest male incidence rate of mesothelioma since the late 1980s. The difference in relative risk for men in the Region of Southern Denmark and the Region of Northern Jutland was 1.53 during the period of 2008-2009.  The relative risk of developing mesothelioma cancer in the Region of Northern Jutland for the entire study period when collectively compared to the whole of Denmark was 1.38.  The study showed there are no notable regional differences for women at risk of developing mesothelioma.  Therefore, survival has slightly improved for both genders, but still remains poor with a median survival of 12.5 months for men and 13.3 months for women in the period of 2008 through 2009.

CONCLUSION:

Within Denmark the national malignant mesothelioma incidence for men continues to increase, perhaps showing a slight tendency towards deceleration in the most recent decade. A measurable long-term mitigating effect of the Danish ban on asbestos products  has not yet occurred.

The original Danish study appeared in the Danish Medical Journal. (Skammeritz, E, et al, “Regional difference in incidence of malignant mesothelioma in Denmark“, March 2013, Danish Medical Journal.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23484611

The Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America has brought readers the most important and ground-breaking news on the causes, diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma. All Surviving Mesothelioma news is gathered and reported directly from the peer-reviewed medical literature. Written for patients and their loved ones, Surviving Mesothelioma news helps families make more informed decisions.

Related Mesothelioma Cancer Press Releases

Meso Cancer

Computed Tomography Screening for Mesothelioma Finds Asbestos-Related Lung Disease, According to Surviving Mesothelioma

Recent Tomography Research for Mesothelioma

The original study is published in the Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography (Carrillo, MC, et al, Low-Dose Computed Tomography (LDCT) in Workers Previously Exposed to Asbestos: Detection of parenchymal Lung Disease, July-August, 2013, Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography, pp. 626-630).

Recent research study reports that a lower dose of the same technology often used to diagnose mesothelioma may be able to help identify other asbestos-related lung diseases in people at risk for the deadly cancer.Tomography and Mesothelioma

Tomography in Canada for Mesothelioma

A study in Canada states that it tested the value of Low-Dose Computed Tomography (LDCT) for lung disease in asbestos-exposed workers.  The individuals were being screened for lung cancer or mesothelioma.  The Canadian research study focused on 315 baseline LDCT examinations of the chests of participants with at least 20 years of exposure to asbestos. Also included in the analysis were people who were found to have pleural plaques on X-ray (these are areas of calcification on the lung lining caused by asbestos).

The average age of the study participants was just under 62. All had been exposed to asbestos in an occupational setting for an average of 26.9 years. Forty-four percent of participants (140 people) had what were called parenchymal findings, or evidence of abnormalities in their lung tissue. Although such parenchymal findings do not necessarily indicate the presence of lung cancer or mesothelioma, they can be early evidence of a developing problem.

Study participants with parenchymal findings were like patients with mesothelioma in that they tended to be older (average age of 65.3) and have longer-than-average asbestos exposure (average of 29.73 years).  While many participants were also smokers, there was no statistical difference in parenchymal findings between those who smoked and those who did not.

The study concluded that LDCT can be a valuable way to detect early signs of lung disease in people who have no symptoms but are considered at high risk. Like lung cancer and mesothelioma, parenchymal lung diseases are most treatable when detected early. Unfortunately, mesothelioma is almost never found early because it tends not to produce any noticeable symptoms until it is in its later stages.

Because asbestos is the only known cause of mesothelioma, some have suggested the LDCT should be a regular part of health maintenance for all asbestos workers. The current study is further evidence of the value of the technology. Although mesothelioma is often treatment-resistant, it is more responsive to therapy before it has spread beyond the pleural lining and invaded the lungs or lymph nodes.

More Mesothelioma Cancer Press Releases

Meso Cancer

Second Round of Chemotherapy May Not Help

According to a study by Turkish researchers, a second round of chemotherapy may not do much good for mesothelioma patients whose cancer returns after first-line treatment.

Chemotherapy CRS-207 mesothelioma vaccinationTheir findings are based on an analysis of 51 pleural mesothelioma patients from a Turkish hospital. All patients in the study were initially treated with chemotherapy, the standard first-line treatment for mesothelioma. But, when their mesothelioma tumors began to grow again several months later, some patients were treated with second-line chemotherapy (SLCT) while others had best supportive care (BSC), which includes symptom management only.

Chemotherapy Standard Is Tough

While chemotherapy is a standard first-line treatment for mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer of the mesothelial membranes, there is disagreement within the medical community as to whether or not second-line chemotherapy is effective. While it can sometimes slow the progression of mesothelioma, chemotherapy is also hard on the body and causes a range of dangerous side effects. For this reason, only the healthiest patients are even considered candidates for second-line chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy Survival Rates

In the Turkish study, patients who had chemotherapy as both a first- and second-line treatment had a median overall survival of 20.3 months. These patients had a median survival of 5.9 months after the end of their first-line chemotherapy. Patients who had only BSC when their mesothelioma began to grow again had a median overall survival of 14.7 months. The median overall survival for these patients from the end of their first-line chemotherapy treatment was 4.7 months.

While the figures seem to show that the second-line chemotherapy patients had better outcomes than those receiving BSC, the authors of the study say the differences between the two are not statistically significant. In addition, the fact that second-line chemotherapy is usually reserved for select patients may also contribute to the apparent skew of the results. They conclude, Our results do not support the proposal that second-line chemotherapy could be effective in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.”

While such studies can help guide mesothelioma treatment planning, treatment decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, based on a range of criteria. The original study appears in the Asian Pacific Journal for Cancer Prevention. (Mutlu, H, et al,
Secondline chemotherapy versus best supportive care in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma: a retrospective study
2013
Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
pp. 3887-3889
http://www.apocpcontrol.org/page/apjcp_issues_view.php?no=4654&gubun=p&s_search=mesothelioma&s_paper_vol=14&s_number33=6

Related articles
Meso Cancer

Useful Mesothelioma Information To Know

Mesothelioma is a rare form tumor cancer.  It refers to the cancerous tumor which primarily involves the mesothelial cells of the human organs, usually abdominal organs or lungs. Since most mesothelioma cancer cases are unsuccessful, it is just important to know some mesothelioma information to make sure you are not afflicted with this threatening disease.

Pleural mesothelioma is the common type of mesothelioma disease . This mesothelioma cancer strikes the pleura which is the membrane between the lungs and the chest cavity.  A lubricated surface to prevent the lungs from chaffing against the chest walls is provided by the membrane.  So, a pleural mesothelioma attack is also known as lung cancer.

Another form of mesothelioma cancer that frequently occurs is called  peritoneal mesothelioma. This cancer afflicts the peritoneum membrane which  encloses the abdomen organs.  Although peritoneal mesothelioma does not  occur as commonly as Pleural mesothelioma, it does tends to be more threatening and invasive.  Therefore, this may result in a shorter life period for the patient.

Mesothelioma Information – Brief History

Where does mesothelioma come from?  This is the most common question asked by persons diagnosed with mesothelioma.  The most common short  answer: exposure to airborne asbestos particles.  When a person is diagnosed this disease,  the cancer’s onset is usually found to be related to a history of asbestos exposure. Asbestos is a mineral, mined and used for many decades as a main thermal insulation material.  Since the 1920’s, it has been widely known that asbestos is a carcinogen, which can cause cancer. Still, asbestos continued to be used in many products until the early part of 1970, and consequently is found currently in many buildings today.60,000 die of asbestos mesothelioma

A unique feature of various asbestos caused diseases is that they have a long latency period.  In other words, from the day of exposure to asbestos fibers and breathing the asbestos dust and the noticeable onset of the cancerous disease can take many years.  A common latency period for mesothelioma cancer can be 20 to 50 years, and sometimes more time.  Therefore, a person can be exposed to asbestos many years ago and only now begin to show the development and signs of mesothelioma.

Clinical Signs and Symptoms of Mesothelioma

With mesothelioma, the signs and symptoms for this cancer can be very general, and unfortunately doctors have misdiagnosed and often neglected and ignored the signs.  In many cases, the signs and symptoms for this cancer type arise between 2 and 3 months before the cancer is fully diagnosed.

Making decisions about what to do with mesothelioma cancer is greatly dependent upon which stage the tumor is at upon discovery.  When you have an early diagnosis of mesothelioma than surgical intervention can sometimes prolong life expectancy.  Depending on the patient’s physical condition and age, the option for surgery may not be possible.  In addition to the option for surgery, then chemotherapy and radiation treatment may be useful in the treatment of mesothelioma.  Finally, home care and pain reduction options are common alternatives and considerations during the later stages of mesothelioma cancer before death.

Where To Go After A Diagnosis with Mesothelioma?

When a person has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, it becomes most important to understand and know the medical treatment options available for the patient.  Always contact and ask questions with an oncologist, or at least your personal doctor so they can provide you with information about mesothelioma as well as some treatment options to choose from.

If you need to speak with an oncologist, Dr. Gill with the Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America welcomes your questions and will gladly provide answers for free.  Simply click on this link and use this contact form to send the doctor your concern.

Related articles
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

Stories & News

Mesothelioma Awareness Gets A Boost On Rare Disease Day 2013

Mesothelioma awareness fits the focus of  Rare Disease Day 2013

The fifth annual U.S. Rare Disease Day was held on February 28th.  Organized and supported by the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), this event has been created to direct public attention on approximately 7,000 rare diseases that affect almost 30 million people in America.  And among the rare “orphaned” disorders is Mesothelioma, the  asbestos-related cancer disease which affects one-tenth of the American population.

Mesothelioma, NORD and Rare Disease DayOrphan disease status is assigned to any disease or disorder that fewer than 200,000 people in the United States.    Mesothelioma cancer, for example, has about 3,000 people in American that are diagnosed each year with the disease.   Rare Disease Day is an international advocacy day designated to raise public awareness of rare diseases, such as Mesothelioma,  and increase recognition globally with a concern solving rare disease effects.

According to NORD president and CEO, Peter Saltonsall, “There are nearly 30 million Americans—and millions more around the world—affected by rare diseases”

“Everyone knows someone with a rare disease. But, while many of these diseases are serious and lifelong, most have no treatment and many are not even being studied by researchers. This leaves patients and families without hope for a better future.”

Because mesothelioma is relative rare, as are other orphan diseases, managing this cancer and attempting to discover  appropriate treatment is sometimes overwhelming to the patient and their family.  And based on government statistics, orphan diseases are serious or life-threatening to  85-90 percent of patients, and still as few as 200 of theses diseases  like mesothelioma have any effective treatments currently.

Mesothelioma Cancer and the National Organization for Rare Disorders

This years conference theme for 2013 is global in focus, called  “Rare Disorders Without Borders.”   The day will have special significance for the United States since this year 2013 is the 30th anniversary of the congressional Orphan Drug Act.  Therefore, there are additional incentives that should encourage U.S. companies to develop treatments for rare diseases, as well as for  N.O.R.D. which was established in 1983 by advocates of patients with rare disorders like mesothelioma cancer.

N.O.R.D. set the 2013 program for Rare Disease Day to include activities in the U.S. that place a spotlight on awareness events at many  State Houses, a Rare Disease Research Hall of Fame, a Handprints Across America photo gallery, and an event at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD.

Even after the passing of this special day, we still need your support and advocacy, so you still can get more information about Rare Disease Day activities for the United States at: www.rarediseaseday.us.  And additional information about global activities can be found at:  www.rarediseaseday.org.

MESOTHELIOMA DIAGNOSIS

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.malignant mesothelioma xray

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.

A biopsy is a relatively minor procedure (dependent on the location of the tumor) during which a small section of suspect tissue is removed. The removed section is examined by a histopathologist, an expert in the study of diseased tissue. Histopathological examination can confirm a case of malignant mesothelioma while also typing and staging it. Understanding the type and stage can help doctors suggest the best of treatment.

You can also have your questions about malignant mesothelioma and clinical trials for new cures, answered for free by Dr. Gill at the Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America by clicking here: Ask Dr. Gill

Related articles
Meso Cancer

How Mesothelioma Might Impact Long Term Health

Mesothelioma Diagnosis

While it might seem that a diagnosis is the most important part of mesothelioma and handling your health, this is far from the case. The diagnosis is merely the starting point from which you need to begin treatment. And though your health might be something you consider to be priceless, it is also something which can be very expensive when it comes to managing mesothelioma. This is why those with mesothelioma seek legal restitution for their injuries. Though your initial diagnosis can be traumatic, the bills which come from your long term care can be catastrophic without the financial help you deserve from an employer.

Mesothelioma is a Cancer

malignant mesothelioma xrayAs one of the rarest forms of cancer, mesothelioma is a condition which impacts not only the lungs, but the entire body as well. A cancer is a condition in which cells are damaged at the DNA level and then when they replicate, the cells are then damaged, causing pain, illness, and tumors. If the cells can be destroyed via radiation, chemotherapy, or other treatments, the cancer can be cured. But as mesothelioma tends to spread in the body before it is detected, it can be difficult to cure this cancer without using a combination of treatments, all of which may not completely remove the cancer from the body.

Radiation and Chemotherapy for Mesothelioma

In order to stop the spread of mesothelioma in the body, most doctors will prescribe radiation and chemotherapy treatments. While these can be wildly successful, they can also be very difficult to manage in some patients. As every patient is different and every cancer is different, you may find that your mesothelioma doesn’t respond to one treatment, but does respond to another – and of course that is the treatment which is not covered by your insurance policy. Each radiation and chemotherapy treatment can cost thousands of dollars and they need to be given regularly in order to provide the results you and your mesothelioma need.

Surgery and Combination Treatments

Sometimes, the only thing which can be done to help mesothelioma is to remove the tumors which are spreading in the body. This is painful, extensive, and possibly even debilitating if there are enough tumors which need to be removed. With the proper financial compensation for mesothelioma, you will be able to not only pay for the surgeries and their related costs, but you will also be able to pay for the pre- and post- care needs. You will be able to also have follow-up surgeries if the mesothelioma proves to be difficult to manage.

More Mesothelioma Articles

Related articles
Meso Causes

What Causes Mesothelioma (part 2 of 2)?

mesothelioma lung cancerMesothelioma cancer affects many former workers who were employed at factory, military, shipyard and construction projects.  Mesothelioma has been proven to be primarily caused by exposure to asbestos, even though there are other aggravating factors that also worsen a mesothelioma condition.

What is Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma are tumors that affect the lining surrounding many of the body’s internal organs.  The tumors can cause symptoms such as severe chest pain, fatigue, anemia, low blood sugar levels, lung collapse, and shortness of breath.  Mesothelioma can also spread as tumors all over the body except for the brain, the skeletal system and the adrenal glands.  Mesothelioma symptoms will usually have a long latency time before they manifest as much as 15 to 30 years.  The cancer is difficult to treat or prevent because in most cases it is not diagnosed until decades after the patient had their initial exposure to asbestos which caused the mesothelioma tumors.

How Does Asbestos Exposure Occur?

Asbestos is the common word given to a wide range of minerals that have been used for many years of history being most recently processed for use in several industrial applications.  Asbestos is efficient as an inexpensive insulator which made it popular for use in the construction of homes created before the 1970s.  It was also applied a lot to military ships during World War II.   Asbestos in its raw mineral form has small particles which can easily become airborne, and when they are inhaled can cause a great risk to health.   Once the asbestos particles get inside the body, their abrasive dust fragments lead to the development of mesothelioma tumor cancer.  Unfortunately, there have been shipyard workers and factory people that have been exposed to the inhalation of asbestos particles long before the correlation between asbestos and mesothelioma became recognized.

What Can Be Done About Mesothelioma

Contemporary construction workers involved with the renovation of older buildings are much at risk for exposure to asbestos which induces mesothelioma.  Because mesothelioma has many symptoms that are similar to many other common diseases, its early diagnosis is very complicated to do.  A detailed review of a patient’s medical history and occupational experience is necessary to obtain an accurate diagnosis of mesothelioma.  A thorough patient medical history review is usually followed by thorough physical examinations that include chest X-rays, lung function tests and CT scans or MRIs.

Mesothelioma can be resistant to surgery, so there are few other treatments that might provide some form of cancer relief.  Chemotherapy is a common treatment administered as a recourse, and immunotherapy treatments have shown promise to provide various results of success.

More Mesothelioma Articles

Related articles
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

Related articles

Meso Cancer

REVIEW: WHAT IS MESOTHELIOMA?

MESOTHELIOMA: What is it?

Mesothelioma is a rare kind of malignant cancer that arises from the cells, lining the sacs of the chest (the pleura) or the abdomen (the peritoneum). Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type usually creating symptoms within the chest space. Peritoneal mesothelioma is not common which affects the organs within the abdomen with symptoms that are associated with this body space including abdominal swelling, nausea, vomiting, and bowel obstruction. The rarest form of mesothelioma cancer is pericardial mesothelioma which involves the sac surrounding the guts.  Based on the shape of the mesothelioma cells, the specific type of mesothelioma can be diagnosed.  There are three kinds of mesothelioma cells:  epithelioid, sarcomatoid and biphasic.mesothelioma-symptoms

MESOTHELIOMA: What Are The Causes?

Exposure to asbestos particles is the primary cause for mesothelioma cancer.  A person can get exposed by inhaling or ingesting asbestos fibers, which usually become airborne when asbestos-containing materials are disturbed as in broken for removal.  When microscopic fibers are inhaled, they’ll become lodged within the lining of the lungs and these stuck fibers fester for 15-40 years until they become recognized as pleural mesothelioma.  When asbestos is ingested, the fibers will become lodged within the lining of the abdomen and eventually cause  peritoneal mesothelioma.

MESOTHELIOMA: What Are The Symptoms?

The symptoms for mesothelioma cancer vary depending on the type and the cancer’s location.   Because the various forms of the cancer are similarity, several symptoms are common and overlapping. Many patients with mesothelioma will experience shortness of breath and general fatigue.  Additionally, acute pain can occur within the chest for patients with pleural and pericardial mesothelioma, and within the abdominal region for patients with peritoneal mesothelioma.

MESOTHELIOMA: What Are The Treatments?

There are several kinds of treatment for patients with malignant mesothelioma, and sometimes they are used in combinations of two or a lot of of those are combined within the course of treatment.

  • Surgery: a pleurectomy is the surgical removal of part of the chest or abdomen lining and some of the tissues around it.  Sometimes when the mesothelioma cancer has consumed too much tissue, a lung may also be removed in an operation known as a pneumonectomy.
  • Radiation Therapy: using high-dose X-rays or alternative high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Two types of radiation therapy include: external radiation where a machine outside the body is used, and internal radiation using radioisotopes where putting materials that turn out radiation through skinny tubes inserted into the body space where the cancer cells are located.
  • Chemotherapy:  using chemotherapeutic agents as medication to fight the cancer.  These drugs are administered in one of two ways; 1)systemically through the bloodstream or 2)intrapleurally in the pleural cavity.  When it’s administered intrapleurally, the treatment is localized at the location of the tumor. Some of these medication are very toxic, so you must discuss their use thoroughly with your doctor.
  • Clinical Trials of new treatments, some non-chemotherapy.

To learn more about mesothelioma cure research and discuss clinical trial options with Dr. Gill.

Related Mesothelioma Articles