Mesothelioma is not easy to diagnose. Symptoms often mimic other ailments and patients often do not make the connection between asbestos exposure and their illness. Once mesothelioma is diagnosed, patients are often given a poor prognosis – typically less than one year. However, with recent advancements in treatments and immunotherapies,[…]
From the blog
Screening for Mesothelioma: Detecting Mesothelioma Before Symptoms
Diagnosing mesothelioma in the early stages has proven to be difficult. Biomarkers and diagnostic procedures are the most common way of determining this cancer’s existence, but if mesothelioma could be identified through cancer screenings, the chances of survival could increase. Cancer screenings intend to identify cancer before symptoms appear, and[…]
Risk Factors From Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy Could Be Determined By Early Biomarker
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[…]
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[…]
Funding Needed for Lung Cancer Awareness and Research – How You Can Help
As November draws to a close, so does Lung Cancer Awareness Month, but that doesn’t mean we should forget about this devastating cancer that affects hundreds of thousands of people annually. For a cancer than claims more lives than breast, colon, and prostate cancer combined, it is severely underfunded, leaving[…]
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[…]
Bevacizumab – A Positive Treatment with Serious Side Effects
Bevacizumab (Avastin) is commonly viewed as chemotherapy treatment because when administered intravenously, it is particularly effective in controlling such illnesses such as lung cancer and colon cancer. However, it is a bit different than traditional chemotherapy treatments, which directly attack cancer cells. Bevacizumab fights cancer cells by cutting off oxygen[…]