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 mined and processed talc to sell to distributors and product manufacturers. Talc is frequently contaminated with asbestos, the mineral known to cause malignant mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses. Barretts Minerals talc has been cited in numerous personal injury lawsuits, and this resulted in the company filing for bankruptcy in 2023. Barretts Minerals History
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.
Thoracic surgical oncologists play a central role in the diagnosis, staging, and management of malignant pleural mesothelioma. They are integral parts of the multidisciplinary care team.
A medical dosimetrist is an important member of a radiation oncology team. They work closely with the radiation oncologist to design a treatment plan that provides the most effective radiation dose distribution in the safest possible way. For mesothelioma patients, the work that the dosimetrist does is critical to achieving the best outcome with the
The mesothelium is a little-known but important structure found in various areas of the body. Made of two layers, mesothelial structures cover and protect almost every internal organ, including the heart, lungs, and stomach. They are made of mesothelial cells, which are vulnerable to mutation. When mesothelial cells are exposed to the carcinogenic mineral asbestos,
Massachusetts-based biopharmaceutical company RS Oncology used the opportunity of the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting to announce positive data from a Phase 1 clinical trial of RSO-021, its first-in-class therapeutic for malignant pleural mesothelioma.
On March 18th, 2024, advocates for victims of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases praised the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announcement of a final rule banning the use and import of chrysotile asbestos. But even in the face of that victory, the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization and others noted that there was still much work to
Dr. Megan McNally is a surgeon and surgical oncologist who practices at Saint Luke’s Health System in Kansas City, Missouri. Trained in da Vinci Robotic-assisted surgery and skilled in the use of cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, she treats patients diagnosed with peritoneal malignancies including malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. Dr. McNally’s surgeries make extensive use
Dr. Pavan Mukesh Jhaveri is a radiation oncologist who practices at the Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, as well as at Baylor Medicine’s Lung Institute. His expertise in the use of innovative radiation oncology tools and techniques is an invaluable addition to Baylor’s multidisciplinary approach to