Malignant mesothelioma is a rare and fatal form of cancer that is diagnosed in approximately 3,500 people per year. The majority of patients are diagnosed with the pleural type of the disease, which affects the lungs. To provide patients with the most effective treatment, doctors need to identify their mesothelioma subtype, and that analysis has
When it comes to surgery for malignant mesothelioma, patients have few options. The procedure is generally done for either curative purposes – to remove as much cancerous tissue as possible in order to prolong life – or palliative purposes, to remove enough of the disease’s tumors to provide relief from pressure on organs and improve
With the help of advanced imaging techniques and computer modeling, Swiss physicians believe that they’ve found a more effective way of predicting the progression of pleural mesothelioma tumors. Their innovation combines the power of FDG-PET scans and advanced computer programming.
Patients facing the grim outlook of a malignant pleural mesothelioma diagnosis are faced with a series of difficult treatment decision. Among the most challenging is whether to undergo an extremely aggressive form of surgery that sacrifices one of their lungs or a less aggressive-but-easier-to-tolerate procedure that leaves their lung and much of their thoracic tissue
A professor seeking biological markers predictive of mesothelioma response to immunotherapy has been granted a $2.5 million research award to help him pursue his studies. Dr. Bryan Burt, Associate Professor of Surgery and Chief of the Division of General Thoracic Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine was recently notified that he will be receiving a five-year
Recent reports revealed that a combination of Nivolumab and Ipilimumab immunotherapy treatments showed significant success in extending overall survival in patients diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma. But there’s nothing quite like hearing the outcome directly from a patient like 69-year-old Michael Conway, who was part of the clinical trial. Speaking to his local newspaper in Milton
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
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
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
Most patients diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma are treated with a multi-modality protocol that combines surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Each modality’s use is adjusted based upon the specifics of the patient’s condition, and particular care is used with radiation because of its potential for damaging healthy tissue. But a collaborative group of radiology experts