Peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare condition with only 400 cases diagnosed every year. Patients diagnosed with the cancer are not living as long as they could because of the underutilization of surgery. Surgery is only performed on a third of patients even though there are people that would benefit and[…]
Surgery
Extrapleural Pneumonectomy vs Pleurectomy and Decortication
There are different procedures to help those suffering from mesothelioma, including the extrapleural pneumonectomy and the combination of pleurectomy and decortication. Both procedures have their benefits and drawbacks, but doctors have not tested to see which procedure has a better outcome for patients. Both surgeries remove tumors from the patients’[…]
New Clinical Trial Testing Effectiveness of Immunotherapy and Chemotherapy Before Surgery
Mesothelioma, the cancer of the linings of different organs, but primarily the lungs, has a poor prognosis and survival rate for those who are diagnosed. Since there is no cure, treatments helping to extend people’s lives need to be tested. Clinical trials help doctors find new ways to treat mesothelioma[…]
MicroRNA Could be used to Quickly Diagnose Mesothelioma
Biomarkers are measureable substances that indicate if someone has a disease. Doctors and researchers are able to find different substances within a person’s body and deduce that the person has a specific type of cancer. Researchers have found a relatively new biomarker called microRNA, which could possibly be used to[…]
Potential New Treatment Acts as a Sealant for Pleural Mesothelioma Tumors
Pleural mesothelioma, caused by exposure to asbestos is a rare cancer – only 3,000 cases are diagnosed in the U.S. each year – but it is highly aggressive. There is no cure for plural mesothelioma but findings published in the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery reveal that a new[…]
Mesothelioma Patients Not Receiving Treatment Impacts Guidelines and Overall Survival
A mesothelioma diagnosis can be grim and have life-long impact on the patients and family. The aggressive nature and the late diagnosis of the disease make it difficult to treat. The average life expectancy after initial diagnosis is on average one year, but with treatment – especially multimodality treatments –[…]
Survival Factors for Mesothelioma Highlighted by University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
According to GLOBOCAN 2018 statistics, each year there are 30,443 mesothelioma cases worldwide, and of those 30,443, 25,576 pass away. With close to 85 percent of those diagnosed succumbing to the disease, mesothelioma remains one of the most deadly cancers as there is no cure. However, surviving a mesothelioma diagnosis[…]
Nomogram May More Accurately Predict Mesothelioma Survival
Predicting pleural mesothelioma survival is a difficult task, as a number of factors are needed to make an accurate calculation. Currently, the TNM Staging system in place as one of the ways to predict life-expectancy and survival after a mesothelioma patient has had surgery. However, researchers from Peking University in[…]
Less Invasive Surgery Produces Longer Median Survival in Mesothelioma Patients
Surgical techniques for those suffering from mesothelioma depend on how far the cancer has spread and if the patient is healthy enough to withstand such an invasive procedure. In many cases, the cancer has already spread too far and quickly, so surgery is not an option. For those able to[…]
Quality of Life After Pleurectomy/Decortication vs. Extra Pleural Pneumonectomy
On the rare instance that mesothelioma is diagnosed in the early stages of the disease, patients have the option for surgery. There are several surgical procedures used to treat mesothelioma. Some mesothelioma surgeries aim to provide a curative effect, while others are performed for palliative purposes. Pleurectomy/decortication (P/D) and extra[…]