Malignant mesothelioma is a rare and deadly form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. The disease can appear in the pleural cavity, the peritoneal cavity, and extremely rarely in the pericardial cavity. Administering heated chemotherapy after tumor removal surgery has proven to be extremely effective in patients with peritoneal mesothelioma, and now researchers say
Weeks after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved pembrolizumab (Keytruda) plus pemetrexed and platinum-based chemotherapy for the frontline treatment of patients with unresectable advanced or metastatic malignant pleural mesothelioma, the European Medicine Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) issued a similar endorsement, signaling its approval of the drug for use
Medical professionals in the United Kingdom are investigating whether mesothelioma patients’ intestinal ecosystem of mesothelioma patients plays a role in their response to immunotherapy. In preliminary investigations, researchers from the University of Leicester sequenced the genetic code of patients’ gut bacteria to determine whether there was a relationship between the two.
Harry Chirdon was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma after a lifetime of having worked as a boilermaker. He and his wife filed a personal injury lawsuit against his former employer, Foster Wheeler, charging the company with neglecting to protect its employees from being exposed to asbestos. An Allegheny County jury agreed and awarded the company to
A New Jersey-based medical supply company has issued a recall on 62 cases of asbestos-contaminated baby powder sent to distributors in 12 states, raising concerns over exposure that can lead to malignant mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. The contamination was discovered during a sample testing conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has officially approved the use of Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) plus Pemetrexed and platinum chemotherapy as the frontline treatment for patients diagnosed with unresectable advanced or metastatic malignant pleural mesothelioma. The decision was based on data from a study that showed the combination provided significant improvement in overall survival versus chemotherapy
Talc pleurodesis is a medical procedure that is used to prevent the build-up of fluid or air in the pleural lining. It provides relief to patients suffering from several lung conditions, including malignant pleural mesothelioma, but in the case of Salt Lake City, Utah resident Bryce Zundel, the talc used in the procedures he underwent
Barretts Minerals mines and processes talc and then sells it to distributors and product manufacturers. These companies then use it to make dozens of products in a variety of sectors, including coatings, rubber, paper, polymers, cosmetics, food, and pharmaceuticals. Talc is frequently contaminated with asbestos, the mineral known to cause malignant mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses,
A mesothelioma study presented at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Annual Meeting suggests that treatment with neoadjuvant nivolumab, pemetrexed, and platinum may allow more patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma to choose lung-sparing surgery as an option.
Radiation oncologists are integral members of multidisciplinary oncology teams that treat mesothelioma. Working in coordination with thoracic surgical oncologists and medical oncologists, these highly skilled specialists create sophisticated therapeutic plans that target and regulate doses of high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells. Radiation oncologists who treat mesothelioma have deep knowledge of the cancer’s biology and