Purpose:Malignant mesothelioma is a malignancy arising from the mesothelial cells of the pleura, peritoneum, pericardium, or tunica vaginalis.Mesothelioma accounts for 0.10% of deaths annually in the United States. Malignant pleural mesothelioma is the most common of these, comprising of 80% of the cases with an annual incidence of about 2,500 in the United States.The median survival from diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma is approximately 12 months. The majority of patients present with stage III or IV disease with 85-90% of patients considered unresectable at diagnosis. Peritoneal mesothelioma has a better prognosis than pleural mesothelioma; nevertheless, patients undergoing therapy for peritoneal mesothelioma have few well-studied treatment options due in large part to the rarity of the disease.
Pericardial Mesothelioma
Screening of Alberta Asbestos Exposed Workers for Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma
Purpose:Asbestos defines a group of naturally occurring mineral silicate fibers which are easily inhaled, resulting in a variety of diseases of the respiratory system including lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma. Despite some advances in treatment, there has been little impact on overall survival for both lung cancer and mesothelioma in the past 20 years in great part because patients usually present with disease at an advanced and incurable stage. This study aims to develop and implement a low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening approach for lung cancer and mesothelioma in asbestos-exposed workers in Alberta.
Doxepin Hydrochloride in Treating Esophageal Pain in Patients With Thoracic Cancer Receiving Radiation Therapy to the Thorax With or Without Chemotherapy
Purpose: This pilot randomized clinical trial studies the effects, good and/or bad, of taking doxepin hydrochloride compared to placebo (inactive drug) in treating esophageal pain in patients with thoracic cancer receiving radiation therapy to the thorax with or without chemotherapy. Doxepin hydrochloride is a tricyclic antidepressant drug which was recently shown to be helpful for mouth pain in patients receiving radiation therapy. Part of doxepin hydrochloride’s drug action takes place at the surface of the esophagus, which may be helpful in reducing the pain caused by radiation therapy.
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