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Mesothelioma Specialist Urges Continued Screening and Treatment Despite Pandemic
One of the country’s most noted mesothelioma specialists is warning that the pandemic’s disruption will make things much more challenging for those at risk for asbestos-related diseases. According to Dr. R. Taylor Ripley, many mesothelioma patients are delaying seeking treatment and not making appointments until their symptoms are already in a more advanced stage.
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Genes May Play a Role in the Success of Radiation Therapy for Mesothelioma
Almost immediately after diagnosis, many victims of malignant pleural mesothelioma begin a course of treatment that includes radiation therapy in hopes that the treatment will shrink and kill the tumors. But a group of researchers from the University of Bern has learned that the success of this treatment may depend on the individual patient’s genes,
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Mesothelioma Advocates Applaud Reversal of Judge’s Decision Against Johnson & Johnson Cancer Victims
In recent years, people diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma and ovarian cancer have come forward to seek justice against consumer brand Johnson & Johnson’s accusing the company’s talc-based products of causing their asbestos-related diseases. Lawsuits seeking compensation have largely been successful, and the company has decided not to continue their sales of the product in North
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Report Details “Silent Epidemic” of Mesothelioma, Ongoing Threat from Asbestos
As U.S. officials continue to weigh a ban on asbestos, a team of international researchers has published a report on the “silent epidemic” of malignant mesothelioma and a warning about the ongoing global threat posed by the carcinogenic material.
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Scottish Mesothelioma Researcher Explains Pandemic’s Impact on Work
Malignant pleural mesothelioma is one of the most challenging forms of cancer to treat. It is always considered a terminal diagnosis, and will likely remain so until some kind of breakthrough is achieved by researchers. But research into the rare malignancy, which is caused by exposure to asbestos, came to a sudden halt as COVID-19
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Study on Post-Surgical Geriatric Care Provides Roadmap for Mesothelioma Patients
Though malignant mesothelioma can strike any individual who has been exposed to asbestos, the median age of those diagnosed with the rare and fatal form of cancer is 72 years old. Many of these patients will require surgical interventions to either prolong their lives or relieve the significant pain caused by the disease. The results
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Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedure Can Provide Relief for Mesothelioma Patients
Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a particularly cruel disease. The rare, asbestos-related form of cancer is always considered fatal, and once diagnosed most patients have less than two years in which they can put their affairs in order and spend time with those they love. Making matters worse is the significant pain that accompanies the disease
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Can Daily Aspirin Make Mesothelioma Worse?
If you are at risk for malignant mesothelioma and are taking a daily, low dose of aspirin, you may want to learn more about the results of a recent study. Though taking aspirin every day has long been thought to provide protection against cognitive decline, cardiovascular problems and cancer, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital in
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Asbestos Manufacturer Attempts to Escape Liability for Minnesota Man’s Mesothelioma
In an attempt to avoid responsibility for a Minnesota man’s malignant mesothelioma, an asbestos manufacturer has repeatedly argued that because they moved out of the state decades ago, they should no longer have to answer to the state’s justice system. The case involves a Minnesota resident diagnosed with the rare form of cancer after having
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Mesothelioma Lawsuit Against Penn State Exposes Asbestos on U.S. Campuses
A mesothelioma lawsuit filed on behalf of a deceased Penn State University professor is shining a light on the existence of asbestos in university buildings across the United States. According to the family’s representative, “Almost every college and university have older buildings and these older buildings during their construction in the ’40s, in the ’50s,
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Decreases in Cancer Diagnoses During Pandemic Alarms Mesothelioma Specialists
Early diagnosis is the key to longer survival and higher quality of life for patients diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma. But according to a recently conducted study published as a research letter in JAMA Network Open, there has been a decrease of almost 50% in new diagnoses of six types of cancer in the United States. Mesothelioma specialists
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New Cancer Discovery May Help Mesothelioma Patients
In a report published this week, researchers announced the discovery of a new tool that counters immunotherapy resistance in cancer, and there is hope that its benefit will extend to mesothelioma patients. The researchers determined that by blocking a specific protein with an antibody, they were able to boost immune cells’ ability to destroy tumors.
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UK Study Points to Importance of Thorough CT Scan in Diagnosing Mesothelioma
When a patient is suspected of having malignant pleural mesothelioma, it is common for their physician to order a series of tests, including a CT scan of their chest. But researchers from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom have recently concluded that confining the imaging study to just the chest is insufficient, and
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Vienna Researchers’ Mesothelioma Discovery Highlights Use of Precision Medicine
Researchers from MedUniVienna have successfully identified a blockade of compounds that activate a rare mutation found in malignant mesothelioma cells, thus halting their unrestricted growth. This highly specific approach makes clear that the best way to treat this rare and fatal form of cancer is through a highly tailored approach.
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Clinical Results Point to Improved Mesothelioma Survival Through Immunotherapy
Though chemotherapy has long been considered the gold standard treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma, clinical studies are increasingly pointing to a combination of immunotherapy drugs as providing significantly better overall survival.
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Slovenian Researchers Say Usefulness of Diagnostic Biomarker for Mesothelioma Varies
When mesothelioma takes hold in a patient’s body, one of the first things that occurs is a breakdown of proteins in the mesothelial membranes. When that happens, a peptide known as SMRP, which stands for soluble mesothelin-related peptides, is produced. Patients with mesothelioma and other illnesses have higher levels of SMRP in their bloodstream, and
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Covid Lockdowns and Masks May Benefit Mesothelioma Patients
COVID-19 presents a real danger for people who are immunocompromised and otherwise vulnerable, two categories that describe mesothelioma patients. People diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases are at significant risk because of the damage that has already been done to their lungs, and chemotherapy treatments may have diminished their bodies’ ability to protect itself against infections of
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New York Asbestos Litigation Judge Permits Mesothelioma Lawsuit to Move Forward
A mesothelioma lawsuit that saw a longtime employee of an air conditioner contractor sue the manufacturer of commercial cooling towers he worked on will be heard by a jury, despite the efforts of the defendant to stop the case in its tracks. When the case was originally filed by Charles Vincent against Baltimore Aircoil Company
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Pandemic Fears Deepen Mesothelioma Patients’ Struggles
The stress of a mesothelioma diagnosis is all consuming. Patients are suddenly confronted with a very real, very close mortality. They must make difficult, often heartbreaking decisions about their own course of treatment and about their family’s future. The realities of the disease have always been hard, but now – in the midst of a
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Mesothelioma Victims and Asbestos Companies Watching EPA on Asbestos Decision
Exposure to asbestos continues to wreak havoc on the lives of people around the world, causing malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis and other serious and fatal diseases. In the face of pressure from victims and asbestos companies alike, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is considering more than 75 comments regarding their Risk Evaluation for Asbestos.
