In June 2016, former President Obama signed the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act as an amendment to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), and since then, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been moving forward in naming asbestos – as well as nine other chemicals[…]
Asbestos & Mesothelioma Studies
Updated Modified RECIST to Better Evaluate Treatment Response in Mesothelioma
The Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) was established nearly two decades ago by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer and the National Cancer Institute of the United States. The purpose of these published rules was to universally define when cancerous tumors stabilize, progress, or just[…]
Immunotherapy – What Side Effects Can You Expect?
As the success of immunotherapy treatments in improving survival and symptom management for cancer patients have started to become known, those suffering from cancer such as mesothelioma and lung cancer may now be given options in terms of the best course of treatment. Immunotherapy works with the body’s own natural[…]
ONCOS-102 Update: Mesothelioma Patients Responded after Phase II Clinical Trial
Advancement in mesothelioma treatments over the past decade has been relativity stagnant, according to Targovax – a Norwegian immune-cology company dedicated to the study and research of immunotherapy treatments. However, those suffering from mesothelioma have hope, as continuing phases of clinical trials are showing positive results; the latest being ONCOS-12,[…]
Aerosol Chemotherapy – Targeting Peritoneal Mesothelioma Through Pressurized Medicine
Peritoneal mesothelioma is an incredibly rare form of cancer that affects the peritoneum, or abdominal lining. It is not entirely understood how exposure to asbestos causes this type of cancer, but scientists and researchers theorize that ingested asbestos fibers work themselves into the peritoneal cavity, or if inhaled, are transported[…]
New Surgical Technique Could Be Ideal for Patients with Advanced Pleural Mesothelioma
Pleural mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer that has been notoriously difficult to treat. Caused by asbestos exposure, the latency period between the time of initial exposure and disease spans decades and generally by the time the cancer is detected, it is highly advanced. Surgical treatments for those with[…]
Immunotherapy May Help Extend the Lives of Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma Patients
Immunotherapy is revolutionizing the health care industry by adding extra years of life to people with lung cancer. A few years ago it was rare for patients with an advanced stage of this disease to live past two years but today it has become more common to do so. Immunotherapy[…]
Understanding Asbestos Exposure and Mesothelioma
Exposure to asbestos does not always mean that the individual exposed will develop an asbestos-caused disease or cancer. However, there is no safe level of asbestos exposure, and if you have encountered friable asbestos fibers unprotected, you are at risk of developing lung cancer, asbestosis, or mesothelioma. While we know[…]
Epithelioid Mesothelioma And Reactive Mesothelial Hyperplasia
The type of mesothelioma can be based upon where the cancer is located in the body, but it can also be based upon cell type – meaning, which cell has turned cancerous. The body has many different types of cells including epithelial, which make up the lining of the mesothelium[…]
Asbestos Cancer Risk Measured by Fiber Length
Since asbestos was used for decades in thousands of products ranging from attic insulation to woven oven mitts, it is hard to imagine that this versatile material is actually a naturally occurring mineral, composed of chemical compounds bundled into fibers. Found in serpentine, mafic, and altered ultramafic rocks, asbestos is divided into[…]
