There have been countless mesothelioma victims whose lawsuits against the companies they blame for their illness have run up against the “bare metal defense” – where a manufacturer whose equipment uses an asbestos-containing component denies responsibility because that component was provided by a third party supplier. Those cases have been emotional roller coasters, as some
Though most patients diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma are treated using a multimodality treatment combining surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, it has long been accepted that radiation therapy provides the least benefit of the three. Though the tool can effectively kill cells, its lack of precision has made it unwieldy when treating the challenging landscape of
R. Taylor Ripley M.D. is a board-certified thoracic surgeon specializing in oncology surgery, particularly the surgical treatment of mesothelioma. Fellowships at Sloan-Kettering and the National Cancer Institute helped him discover a passion for thoracic oncologic surgery, robotic surgery, and mesothelioma. Dr. Ripley recently took leadership roles at the Mesothelioma Treatment Center in Texas after the
In the wake of the death of Dr. David Sugarbaker, Baylor College of Medicine has announced that mesothelioma specialist Dr. Taylor Ripley will be joining the Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery in their Division of General Thoracic Surgery as an associate professor of surgery. Dr. Ripley has extensive expertise in thoracic surgical oncology and
Atelectasis is a complete or partial collapse of the lung, which can cause serious complications like pneumonia and respiratory failure, although it is treatable. There are many causes of atelectasis, including tumors in the airways and pleural effusion, a complication of mesothelioma. Asbestos may cause a particular type of atelectasis in which the lung tissue
David J. Sugarbaker, M.D., the internationally-recognized thoracic surgeon specializing in the treatment of mesothelioma and complex thoracic cancers, has died. He was 65. Dr. Sugarbaker’s dedication to surgical expertise and mesothelioma patient care led to his refinement of several groundbreaking surgical techniques, including extrapleural pneumonectomy and the use of intraoperative heated chemotherapy. He is acknowledged
Malignant mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos, generally forms in either the lung cavity (pleural mesothelioma) or the abdominal cavity (peritoneal mesothelioma). The two types of mesothelioma share many characteristics, but are often treated using different protocols. One of the treatment approaches that has proven most successful in peritoneal mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that can be divided by cell type: epithelial, sarcomatoid, and biphasic. Experts further divide these into subtypes. Some mesothelioma subtypes are so rare that little is known about how they progress or respond to treatment. About Mesothelioma Cell Types By using cell type, experts group mesothelioma into three broad categories:
It’s long been known that asbestos is the cause of malignant mesothelioma: the carcinogenic material has been named as the primary source of several diseases. In the case of the rare and deadly form of cancer, it is believed that the mineral’s fibers create genetic changes in the cells in which it becomes embedded. These
Mesothelial hyperplasia and proliferation occur when unusual cell growth occurs in the mesothelium. While it is not malignant, mesothelial hyperplasia may later become cancerous. An accurate diagnosis is important for timely and proper treatment and to avoid a benign proliferation developing into a malignancy. What Is Mesothelial Hyperplasia? Mesothelial hyperplasia, also known as mesothelial proliferation,