Peritoneal mesothelioma is an extremely rare form of mesothelioma that affects the abdominal lining, or peritoneum. Caused by asbestos exposure, peritoneal mesothelioma can be difficult to diagnose because symptoms are not entirely unique to the disease, so a diagnosis has to be more than just what symptoms are observed. Through[…]
Asbestos & Mesothelioma Studies
ONCOS-102 Passes Safety Evaluation in Phase I Clinical Trials, Phase II Clinical Trial Recommended
A new immunotherapy developed by Targovax has recently passed Phase I clinical trials and is set to begin Phase II evaluation of this new treatment that may help those suffering from mesothelioma. ONCOS-102 was used in separate Phase I clinical trials; one in combination with chemotherapy, and one with immunotherapy.[…]
Legitimate Data and Research is Required for Treatment Approval
For cancer patients who have little success with traditional chemotherapy and radiation treatments, immunotherapy treatments are becoming known alternatives – working with the body’s own immune system to become stronger and better able to fight cancer cells and other infections. A mesothelioma diagnosis is often grim, with survival rates at[…]
Pleural Catheter vs. Pleurodesis
Symptoms for pleural mesothelioma are typically centered on lung function breathing, with shortness of breath (dyspnea), pleural effusion (fluid build-up), and pain in the chest being the primary indicators. There is no cure for malignant pleural mesothelioma and while scientists and researchers are continually developing new treatments and therapies, in[…]
Smoking Plus Asbestos Exposure – A Deadly Combination
In 2004, the American Thoracic Society called asbestos “the largest cause of occupational cancer in the United States and a significant cause of disease and disability from nonmalignant disease.” Asbestos is a known carcinogen. It has been found to be the cause of many different cancers in those who were[…]
Autophagy Inhibitors Potentially Make Chemotherapy More Effective in Mesothelioma Patients
Autophagy is a natural and regulated self-degradative process in cells that plays a critical role in balancing sources of energy and removing aggravated proteins, damaged organelles, and pathogens. During autophagy, cells break down and recycle their different parts in order to make new cells. In mesothelioma, autophagy is necessary for[…]
November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month
The National Cancer Institute places lung cancer as the leading cause of death from cancer in the United States. One out of every four cancer deaths is attributable to lung cancer, and in 2016 alone The America Cancer Society an estimated 158,080 people passed away from this disease. Lung cancer[…]
Palliative Care for Mesothelioma Patients
What is Palliative Care? For serious illnesses, some patients may receive palliative care, or palliative treatment. Palliative care treats the symptoms of the disease, not the disease itself, in an attempt to provide relief and make the patient as comfortable as possible during their illness. Palliative treatment can be provided[…]
Misconceptions about Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is lung cancer One of the most common areas of the body where mesothelioma develops is the lung, and because of this, many misunderstand mesothelioma to be a type of lung cancer. In actuality, mesothelioma is cancer of the mesothelium – found in the lining of the heart, lungs,[…]
Pleurectomy and Decortication Improve Survival, but May Impact Quality Of Life
Pleurectomy and Decortication (P/D) is a two-part surgical procedure that removes the pleural lining around the lungs (pleurectomy) and tumors along the surface area of the lung (decortication). To qualify for this surgery, mesothelioma patients must be in overall good health, and in the early stages of the disease. Since[…]
