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Exposure to Asbestos Blamed for Mesothelioma in Two Brothers
Malignant mesothelioma is an insidious disease that advances invisibly for decades, then suddenly makes itself known and claims the lives of its victims. It is caused by exposure to asbestos but does not manifest symptoms until decades after that exposure, then often kills within months of diagnosis. As painful as the disease is for patients
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Mesothelioma Concerns Move Residents from Asbestos-Contaminated North Carolina Sites
Most fears over mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases come from occupational exposure to the deadly mineral, but for residents of Davidson, North Carolina, the risk is coming from the places where they live and play. In response to finding multiple locations with unsafe asbestos levels, the EPA has announced it will be moving residents into hotels
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Conference Attendees Learn of Nivolumab Success in Relapsed Mesothelioma
Patients diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma generally receive a chemotherapy cocktail of pemetrexed and cisplatin or carboplatin as a first line of treatment. If they are considered good candidates they may also have surgery and/or radiation therapy and then they are followed and maintained on various treatments designed to hold back the disease’s return. Second line
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Can Activity Boost Mesothelioma Survival?
Exercise may be the last thing on your mind after receiving a mesothelioma diagnosis, but you may want to adjust your thinking. A retrospective study has shown that regular physical activity may be a factor in quality of life and survival time in patients with lung disease. Though the study, published in the journal Cancer Nursing,
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Study Reveals Lack of Understanding of Peritoneal Mesothelioma
Malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that affects people exposed to asbestos. The disease strikes the mesothelium, an organ that lines many other organs in the body, allowing them to move freely next to one another without sticking. Though mesothelioma manifests most frequently in the pleural cavity where the lungs are contained, it
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Following Court Victories, Mesothelioma Advocacy Groups Request Invalidation of EPA Asbestos Report
For years, mesothelioma advocacy groups have lobbied for a ban of asbestos, the mineral that causes the rare form of cancer and other diseases. They were disappointed by the shortcomings of the EPA’s recent risk evaluation. Following recent court victories over failures in that report, the groups are now asking the Ninth Circuit to invalidate
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Port Authority’s Appeal of Mesothelioma Decision Fails
It’s been more than five years since Bernd Hildebrand died of malignant mesothelioma, but his family is still fighting for justice on his behalf. Mr. Hildebrand had worked for Pan American Airlines at the Pan Am Unit Terminal Building at JFK Airport. During the time that he was employed, the terminal underwent major renovations that
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Laser Innovation Holds Promise for Removal of Mesothelioma Tumors
Though it has not yet been tested in the treatment of malignant mesothelioma tumors, a new laser system in development at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh may offer patients with the rare, asbestos-related disease another treatment option. The system helps surgeons to identify cancer cells more easily, and to remove them with far greater precision.
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Couple Wins Right to Pursue Mesothelioma Lawsuit in United States
Malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Though the carcinogenic material’s use has largely been abandoned in the United States, it is still present in many products, including automobile brake linings manufactured outside of the United States. In a notable decision, the Court of Appeals of California has reversed
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French Study Shows Nivolumab/Ipilimumab Delivers Better Quality of Life for Mesothelioma Patients
In the face of malignant pleural mesothelioma, patients and physicians have a single goal: To extend survival while maintaining as high a quality of life as possible. Each patient’s treatment options rely on their overall health and how advanced their cancer is, but a recent study by French researchers has shown that for patients with
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Veteran’s Widow Prevails Against Pump Manufacturer in Mesothelioma Suit
Lorraine Allen lost her husband Peter to malignant pleural mesothelioma in October of 2017. The Navy veteran died just 15 months after he was diagnosed with the rare asbestos-related disease, which he blamed on equipment made by Armstrong Pumps Company. After Peter’s death, Lorraine filed a wrongful death claim against the company seeking compensation for
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Researchers Identify Mechanism of Mutated Cancer Gene Found in Mesothelioma
Research into challenging cancers like malignant mesothelioma focus on a wide range of inquiries. Many investigate the impact of a specific treatment protocol, while others try to understand how the cancer’s cells grow and spread in hopes that greater understanding will lend itself to new ways to intervene. Researchers from the University of Helsinki have
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Researchers Identify Disparities in Mesothelioma Treatment for Black and White Patients
Healthcare professionals are grappling with the reality that black patients receive markedly different treatment than do whites, and a recent study conducted by researchers at Mount Sinai Medical Center has confirmed that the problem includes victims of malignant mesothelioma. According to a report published in the Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, there is a significant
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Study Examines Unique Experience and Needs of Military Veterans with Mesothelioma
In the United States, veterans represent a disproportionate share of all diagnosed cases of malignant mesothelioma, and the same is true in the United Kingdom. Both countries have dedicated significant resources and efforts to finding a cure for the rare, asbestos-related disease, and to providing special benefits for those who served. The UK has the
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SMART Approach to Mesothelioma Yields Promising Results
It has been well established that the most effective treatment for malignant mesothelioma is a multi-modality approach that attacks the disease in numerous ways. The challenge for researchers and physicians has been to identify the most effective combination that delivers safety and extended survival. A recent study conducted by researchers at the Princess Margaret Cancer
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Assessing Options for Mesothelioma Patients with Pleural Effusion
Pleural effusion is one of the most common symptoms faced by patients with malignant mesothelioma. It is a painful, difficulty breathing caused by an accumulation of fluid between the layers of organs around the lungs. The more fluid builds up, the harder and more painful it is to inhale. A recent study conducted by researchers
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Mesothelioma Advocates Criticize EPA Asbestos Risk Evaluation
Mesothelioma advocates are saying that the long-awaited final risk evaluation of asbestos released by the EPA does not go far enough in protecting the American public. The first part of the report was released in late December and published last week, and though it concludes that the mineral poses an unreasonable health risk to workers
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Palliative Care Study Has Valuable Lessons for Mesothelioma Patients
Palliative care has been proven extremely effective in the treatment of cancer patients of all types, including those diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma. According to a new study, over the last several years the time between diagnosis and first use has decreased. That has resulted in lowered costs and improved survival in those who have utilized
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Court Rules Veteran with Mesothelioma Provided Sufficient Evidence
A malignant mesothelioma diagnosis comes decades after a person is exposed to asbestos, and this poses significant challenges for pursuing compensation. The passage of time makes it nearly impossible for many to prove that they worked with a specific product, and asbestos companies have used that fact to have personal injury lawsuits dismissed. But when
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Biomarker May Prove Invaluable in Distinguishing Between Lung Cancer and Epithelioid Mesothelioma
There are many important differences between malignant mesothelioma and lung cancer, but when a patient first presents with symptoms it can be very hard to tell one from the other. This is a problem because the two diseases are very different, and time spent trying to tell exactly which disease a patient has is treatment time
