Lung Cancer Survival

Lung cancer patients who developed a rash following treatment with cetuximab (Erbitux) lived longer than those who displayed no such side effects, according to researchers at Hospital Grosshandsdorf in Spain.

While drug side effects are usually seen as a negative outcome of treatment, it would appear that individuals taking Erbitux might come to view skin rash as a positive sign.

Surprisingly, the researchers noted that this sector of patients went on to live much longer than the non-rash sector. On average, those who reported a rash survived for 15 months, while those without a rash survived an average of 8.8 months.

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New Biomarkers For Pancreatic Cancer And Mesothelioma

Using a atypical aptamer-based proteomics arrangement technology, advisers and collaborators accept articular biomarkers and protein signatures that are hallmarks of blight at an aboriginal date for two of the best advancing and baleful forms of blight - pancreatic and mesothelioma. 

This technology would accredit more good analytic analysis at an beforehand date and may accommodate acumen into fresh ameliorative targets, said Rachel Ostroff, Ph.D., analytic analysis administrator of Somalogic Inc.

"Currently these cancers are detected at an avant-garde stage, area the achievability of cure is minimal," said Ostroff. "Detection of these advancing cancers at an beforehand date would analyze patients for aboriginal treatment, which may advance their adaptation and affection of life." 

Ostroff presented after-effects of this advancing abstraction at the Fourth AACR International Conference on Molecular Diagnostics in Blight Ameliorative Development. 

Discovered about 20 years ago, aptamers are nucleic acerbic molecules that bind to specific proteins. SomaLogic has developed the abutting bearing of aptamers, SOMAmers (Slow Off-rate Modified Aptamers), which accept above affection and specificity. SOMAmers accredit a awful multiplexed proteomic belvedere acclimated for accompanying identification and altitude of ambition proteins in circuitous biological samples. 

The ambition of this abstraction was to actuate if this proteomics technology could analyze blood-based biomarkers for pancreatic blight or mesothelioma in bodies diagnosed, but not yet treated, for cancer. 

Participants in the ascendancy accumulation had affection that resembled these cancers, but were amiable (i.e. pancreatitis or lung fibrosis).

Ostroff and colleagues activated claret from participants to ascertain the biomarkers specific to those with cancer, which would again be acclimated to analyze these diseases at an aboriginal stage, area the abeyant for able analysis is abundant college than in ache that has progressed. 

For both forms of cancer, the advisers apparent biomarkers and developed a signature with aerial accurateness for apprehension of anniversary anatomy of cancer. Equally important, they begin aerial specificity, acceptation few bodies after ache will be afield diagnosed and appropriately abstain accidental tests or treatments. 

"Validation studies are underway, which we achievement will advance to the development of analytic tests that authority analytic allowances for patients," Ostroff said. 

Pancreatic blight is the fourth arch account of cancer-related afterlife in the United States. Mesothelioma is an asbestos-related pulmonary blight that causes an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 deaths per year worldwide.

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How do medical professionals diagnose mesothelioma?

If you accept that you may accept mesothelioma, a able medical able will use a array of analytic tests and methods to affirm the attendance of the disease.

The aboriginal footfall that mesothelioma doctors will booty in evaluating an asbestos accompanying ache is to access a abounding medical history to actuate the akin and severity of mesothelioma accident factors and presenting mesothelioma symptoms. This account will accede amid added things, breadth asbestos acknowledgment occurred, the breadth of acknowledgment and the bulk of asbestos that you were apparent to.

In addition, he/she will accomplish a medical assay to attending for signs and affection of assorted types of mesothelioma. For example, if pleural mesothelioma is doubtable the doctor will attending for aqueous in the chest, peritoneal mesothelioma generally shows aqueous in the belly and pericardial mesothelioma presents with aqueous in the breadth of the heart.

Diagnostic Tests

Imaging Scans

Diagnostic angel tests like x-rays, CT scans and MRI's are advantageous in accepting added advice about the blight including how far it is progressed. Each adjustment provides addition allotment of advice for your doctor to abetment him/her in authoritative an authentic diagnosis. Chest x-rays are acclimated to analyze abnormalities in the lungs including abnormal thickening, mineral deposits and aqueous in the chest area. CT scans are able of accouterment images of the aforementioned area from abounding altered angles. MRI technology uses alluring fields rather than x-ray to accommodate added views.

Biopsies

A biopsy is an important analytic action recommended by doctors for patients presenting with signs and affection of mesothelioma that accept a history of asbestos exposure. Fine aggravate aspiration is the beneath invasive blazon of biopsy that can be performed. Added invasive surgical biopsies are recommended if after-effects from a aggravate biopsy are ambiguous or if a aggravate biopsy is not recommended for medical reasons.

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Pericardial Mesothelioma

Malignant mesothelioma is a blazon of blight that originates in the mesothelium, a attenuate bank of beef that beleaguer the body's organs and centralized structures. Pericardial mesothelioma originates in the lining of the heart. Added locales of the ache are cancerous pleural mesothelioma, which occurs in the lining of the lungs and cancerous peritoneal mesothelioma, which occurs in the belly wall. Pericardial mesothelioma is the rarest of these malignancies and accounts for alone an estimated 10 percent of all mesothelioma incidences annually. 

What Causes Pericardial Mesothelioma?

Pericardial mesothelioma is an asbestos cancer, acceptation it's alone accepted account is asbestos exposure. Asbestos is a artlessly occurring, but toxic, mineral that was acclimated in automated capacities. While the absolute avenue by which diminutive asbestos fibers alcove the pericardial lining is not known, mesothelioma doctors assumption that inhaled asbestos fibers are captivated into the bloodstream and become circuitous in the heart's lining as the claret processes through the heart. Cancerous mesothelioma occurring in added genitalia of the body, such as in the pleura or peritoneum, can additionally clarify to the pericardial lining.

How is Pericardial Mesothelioma Treated?

Prognoses are poor in cases of pericardial mesothelioma, aloof as about every mesothelioma cast is. However, several analysis options abide to advice patients administer the ache and advance comfort. Chemotherapy and radiation analysis are the best acceptable mesothelioma analysis options for patients of this disease. Mesothelioma anaplasty is about not an advantage because of the breadth of the ache and the accident of grave accident to the bump area.

How is Pericardial Mesothelioma Diagnosed?

Physicians will generally doubtable pericardial mesothelioma analysis if the accommodating has agitation breathing, conciseness of breath, or chest pain. A absolute analytic and biopsy action will be undergone through use of assorted anatomy imaging scans.

What are a Patient's Options?

Patients of pericardial mesothelioma may be acceptable for banking advantage if they were abominably apparent to asbestos. Anyone who formed with asbestos articles is potentially at-risk and should ample out the abrupt anatomy on this folio to accept added analysis and acknowledged information.

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Mesothelioma Experts

Obtaining the best medical treatment available is a priority for those diagnosed with mesothelioma. Often, the best approach to treating mesothelioma is an interdisciplinary one and can include oncologists, thoracic surgeons, and medical professionals from a variety of other disciplines. To assist you in your search for the best mesothelioma cancer treatment available, we have identified the following top mesothelioma experts in the country.

Dr. David Sugarbaker

Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Dr. David Sugarbaker has long been at the center of malignant mesothelioma research. A graduate of Cornell University Medical Center and a Professor of Surgical Oncology at Harvard University Medical School, Sugarbaker – one of the country’s most renowned mesothelioma experts – is best known for developing and promoting the multi-modal approach to treating mesothelioma. This approach – which includes extrapleural pneumonectomy as well as chemotherapy and radiation – has done much to improve the survival rate for mesothelioma patients.

Dr. Sugarbaker also founded the International Pleural Mesothelioma Program, which is a worldwide research and clinical project that focuses on finding new and better treatments for pleural mesothelioma, the most common form of the disease. As the founder and coordinator of this program, Dr. Sugarbaker lectures extensively about the disease, both at meetings and workshops for medical professionals as well as for gatherings of mesothelioma patients and their families.

Contact Information

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
75 Francis Street
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 732-6824

Dr. Harvey Pass

Director of the Division of Thoracic Surgery at New York University (NYU) Hospital, Dr. Harvey Pass is considered an expert in the treatment of a number of malignant lung diseases, including mesothelioma. Formerly with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Pass continues his relationship with the NCI and NCI-funded research work in his role as director of the Bellevue Hospital Laboratory, which is home to the Mesothelioma Pathogenesis Program Project.

Dr. Pass has also conducted numerous clinical trials investigating the use of intraoperative photodynamic therapy for the treatment of malignant mesothelioma. He was also the first surgeon in the country to contemplate the use of this form of therapy for patients suffering from thoracic cancers. In addition, he lectures extensively about the dangers of asbestos use, is a keynote speaker at mesothelioma awareness events, and has been published in countless peer-related journals.

Contact Information

NYU Medical Center
School of Medicine
530 First Avenue
New York, NY 10016
(212) 731-5414

Dr. Valerie Rusch

Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, Valerie Rusch is considered one of the most notable women in her field and a renowned mesothelioma expert. Formerly on the staff at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas, Rusch focuses her research on the genetics of lung cancers like mesothelioma and centers not only on the treatment of thoracic cancers but also on ways to better detect them at an earlier stage.

In addition, Dr. Rusch has also chaired the Lung, Esophagus and Thoracic Malignancies Task Force and is the past-editor of The Oncologist magazine. As a writer, she has contributed to numerous peer-review journals. She is also co-editor of “Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma”, a book that represents a comprehensive overview on the subject of pleural malignancies, considered a must-read for those assisting patients with this form of mesothelioma.

Contact Information

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
1275 York Avenue
New York, NY 10021
(212) 639-5873

Dr. David Rice

Dr. Rice is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and has joint appointments with the Ben Taub General Hospital and the Houston Veteran Affairs Medical Center.

Dr. Rice earned his medical degree from the University of Dublin, Trinity College School of Medicine and completed his general surgery residency at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. While there he completed a fellowship in tumor immunology and researched the possibilities of stimulating T-cells in the immune system to better treat cancer.

Serving as the director of the Minimally Invasive Surgery Program at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Rice is a strong advocate for the use of less invasive protocols to treat mesothelioma and other types of thoracic tumors.

Contact Information

Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery
The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
1515 Holcombe Blvd., Box 445
Houston, Texas 77030
(713) 745-4530

Dr. Raja M. Flores

Dr. Flores is considered a leading expert in the research and treatment of pleural mesothelioma. Currently Chief of Thoracic Surgery at the Mount Sinai Medical Center, Dr. Flores is a graduate of New York University and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He completed numerous internships and residencies including a Thoracic Oncology Clinical Research Fellowship and residency in cardiothoracic surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Dr. Flores has led many clinical trials involving the study and treatment of mesothelioma. A notable trial recently completed by Dr. Flores studied the use of neoadjuvant gemcitabine and cisplatin followed by extrapleural pneumonectomy and high dose radiation to treat malignant mesothelioma. Another clinical trial led by Flores was profiled in The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery and focused on the largest series of cases comparing extrapleural pneumonectomy to pleurectomy decortication. Dr. Flores is a contributor for many peer-reviewed journals and is active in a number of professional organizations.

Contact Information

Mount Sinai School of Medicine
One Gustave L. Levy Place
New York, NY 10029-6574
(212) 241-9466

Dr. Paul H. Sugarbaker

Dr. Paul Sugarbaker, Director of Surgical Oncology at the Washington Cancer Institute, is an expert in the treatment of peritoneal mesothelioma using a combination of cytoreductive surgery with intraperitoneal and systemic chemotherapy. Dr. Sugarbaker earned his Bachelor’s degree from Wheaton College and attended Cornell University Medical School. He also earned a Master’s degree in Immunology from Harvard University.

Dr. Sugarbaker has published a large number of scientific articles, books and reports and co-authored an article that appeared in The Oncologist entitled "Update on Chemotherapeutic Agents Utilized for Perioperative Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy." He is also board certified and a member of several medical societies.

Contact Information

Director of Surgical Oncology
Washington Cancer Institute
Washington Hospital Center
106 Irving Street NW, Suite 3900
Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-3908

Dr. Claire Verschraegen

A native of Belgium and an Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of the Translational Therapeutics and Phase I Program at the University of New Mexico Cancer Center, Dr. Claire Verschraegen is a leading expert in the treatment of peritoneal mesothelioma. Dr. Verschraegen has expertise in hematology and oncology and has been involved in numerous clinical trials to evaluate the effectiveness of new chemotherapy drugs on this rare type of mesothelioma cancer. She also specializes in gynecological and appendiceal cancer and devotes much of her time researching new and emerging drugs that may be used to treat these diseases as well.

Dr. Verschraegen is board certified in medical oncology and internal medicine in both America and Belgium. As a member of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, she has appeared as a keynote speaker at numerous symposiums and conferences. She is a Fulbright scholar and is the author of many peer-reviewed articles and scientific papers.

Contact Information

Cancer Research and Treatment Center, University of New Mexico
900 Camino De Salud NE
Albuquerque, NM 87131
(505) 272-6760

Dr. David M. Jablons

A renowned expert on lung cancer and a leader in surgical therapies for thoracic cancers such as pleural mesothelioma, Dr. David Jablons is an Ada Distinguished Professor of Thoracic Oncology and Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. He is also Chief of General Thoracic Surgery at the UCSF Medical Center.

After earning his medical degree from Albany Medical College of Union University, Dr. Jablons completed a surgical residency at Tufts-New England Medical Center and a Cardiothoracic Fellowship at Cornell University Medical Center. He has authored numerous articles and research papers and receives many requests to lecture about his lung cancer research at conferences and meetings around the world. Dr. Jablons leads research at the UCSF Thoracic Oncology Laboratory on the molecular biology and genomics of lung cancer.

Contact Information

UCSF Mt. Zion Medical Center
2330 Post St., Suite 420
San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 885-3882

Dr. Lary Robinson

As Director of the Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa, Florida, Dr. Lary Robinson is an expert in the evaluation and treatment of all stages of mesothelioma. Dr. Robinson earned his medical degree from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri and completed an internship at Duke University Medical Center. After serving as a flight surgeon for the U.S. Air Force he completed a Fellowship in Surgery Research and a residency in general and thoracic surgery at Duke University.

Dr. Robinson has served on the Science Advisory Board of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation and works on numerous cancer research programs focused on advanced lung cancer and surgical treatment of mesothelioma. He had also authored and co-authored many books, articles and research papers and has been published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology.

Contact Information

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute
At The University of South Florida
12902 Magnolia Drive
Tampa, FL 33612
(813) 745-8412

Dr. Robert N. Taub

Having received his medical degree from the Yale University School of Medicine and completing an Internship at TUFTS University New England Medical Center and a Fellowship at Yale, Dr. Robert Taub is the Director of the New York-Presbyterian/Columbia Mesothelioma Center. In this capacity he researches and develops chemotherapy and surgical treatment techniques to treat patients diagnosed with mesothelioma.

The Israel Cancer Research Fun, The Mount Sinai Hospital and the American Cancer Society have recognized and awarded his work in the areas of oncology, immunology, hematology and internal medicine. Dr. Taub has also authored numerous articles and research papers and mentors aspiring oncologists in the use of multidisciplinary approaches to treating mesothelioma.

Contact Information

Professor of Clinical Medicine, Program Director
Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital
Atchley Pavilion Room 907
161 Fort Washington Ave.
New York, NY 10032
(212) 305-4076

Dr. Eric Vallieres

Dr. Vallieres is the Surgical Director at the Swedish Cancer Institute in Seattle Washington and specializes in general thoracic surgery, lung cancer and pleural disease. He attended medical school at the Unitersite Laval Medical School in Quebec, Canada and completed a general surgery residency in Ontario at the University of Toronto. Dr. Vallieres also completed a Fellowship in Thoracic Surgery at the University of Bordeaux in France.

Dr. Vallieres participates in a number of professional organizations and leads several clinical research trials. He is also the author of many articles and abstracts related to lung cancer and pleural disease and a strong advocate for a multidisciplinary approach to treating these illnesses.

Contact Information

Swedish Cancer Institute-Surgical Practices
1101 Madison Street
Suite 850
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 215-6800

Dr. Stephen C. Yang

Chief of the Division of Thoracic Surgery, Surgical Director of the Lung Transplantation Program, and Surgical Director of the Thoracic Oncology Program at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Dr. Stephen C. Yang has strong expertise in diagnosing and treating diseases of the lung and chest including mesothelioma and lung cancer. He is also an Associate Professor of Surgery and Oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Dr. Yang earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia, completed his surgical residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, a Fellowship at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and a Cardiothoracic Fellowship at the Medical College of Virginia. He is board certified in thoracic surgery and is a member of the International Association for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery.

Dr. Yang has completed extensive research relating to the early diagnosis of lung cancer and esophageal cancer as well as multi-modal approaches to treating the diseases. He also has expertise with video-assisted thoracic surgery, robotic assisted thoracic surgery and lung volume reduction surgery for those diagnosed with emphysema. He is also the author of a large number of scientific articles and abstracts.

Contact Information

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Division of Thoracic Surgery
600 N. Wolfe Street Blalock 240
Baltimore, MD 21287
(410) 614-3891

Dr. David H. Harpole, Jr.

Dr. Harpole serves as the Director of the Lung Cancer Prognostic Research Laboratory and is the Vice Chair of Faculty Affairs at Duke University Medical Center. He is also an Associate Professor of Surgery and Assistant Professor of Pathology at the center.

Dr. Harpole earned his medical degree from the University of Virginia and completed a General Surgery Internship and a Thoracic Surgical Fellowship at the Duke University Medical Center. He also taught at Harvard Medical School and worked at Brigham and Women’s Hospital as an Associate in Thoracic Surgery. He also served as a consultant in thoracic surgery at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and was a Staff Thoracic Surgeon at West Roxbury Veterans Medical Center.

His clinical research focuses on general thoracic surgery, thoracoscopic surgery and benign and malignant lung disease treatment. Dr. Harpole is board certified in thoracic surgery and is a member of a number of professional and medical societies. He is also the author of numerous articles and publications.

Contact Information

Duke University Medical Center
2424 Erwin Road
Suite 403
Durham, NC 27705
(919) 668-7157

Dr. Robert Brian Cameron

Currently serving as the Director of Thoracic Oncology at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine, Dr. Robert Cameron is also the Assistant Professor of Cardiothoracic and Surgical Oncology. Dr. Cameron earned his medical degree from UCLA where is also completed a General Surgery Residency. In addition, he completed an Oncology Fellowship at the National Cancer Institute as well as a residency in Cardiothoracic Surgery at Cornell-New York Hospital.

Dr. Cameron has conducted extensive research in the areas of thoracic oncology, thoracic pain management, video-assisted surgery, lung volume reduction surgery and immunology. He currently participates in a number of professional associations and serves as Chairman of the UCLA-Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Contact Information

UCLA Medical Center
10833 Le Conte Avenue
P. O. Box 951741
Los Angeles, California 90095
(310) 267-4612

 

 

 

 

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Mesothelioma Treatment

For your convenience, we have consolidated mesothelioma treatment information for your review. This section is updated on a weekly basis.

Conventional Therapies

Conventional therapies include mesothelioma surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. You should keep in mind that if you choose one course of action for mesothelioma treatment, you may preclude other courses. All of your options should be considered as soon as possible.

Stage of the disease at diagnosis, as well as general patient age and health, will determine what type of mesothelioma treatment each patient is eligible for. Surgery is more likely in those diagnosed with stage 1 mesothelioma or similarly early-staged disease. Diagnostic surgeries like mesothelioma biopsy, and palliative surgeries like pleurocentesis, are more common in patients with more advanced disease.

Chemotherapy options include the FDA-approved combination of Alimta and Cisplatin, as well as other drugs which are currently in active clinical trials. Other drugs showing positive results in trial include Gemcitabine and Navelbine. Conjunctive treatments include the approach which combines one conventional therapy with another such as surgery in combination with chemotherapy. Multi-modal mesothelioma treatment includes heated intra-operative chemotherapy which applies a potent dose of chemotherapy to the surface of the actual affected area.

Experimental Therapies

Several forms of mesothelioma treatment such as the drug Alimta®, gene therapy, immunotherapy, photodynamic therapy and multimodality therapy are still in their experimental stages. We invite you to read the following articles on experimental therapies for malignant mesothelioma.

Alternative Treatments

Many of those being treated for serious illness find comfort in different alternative therapies such as massage and acupuncture. These untraditional methods of disease management can complement conventional therapies and allow the patient to be more at peace and comfortable during this difficult time. Meditation and Yoga are common methods used by many to reach a state of relaxation, and release endorphins, our body's natural pain relievers.

The majority of these treatments are based upon patient preference but patients undergoing mesothelioma treatment are encouraged to utilize one or many of these options, which can dramatically improve patient stamina and strength while undergoing treatment for mesothelioma. Nutritional supplements and other health enhancers should also be considered by all patients undergoing mesothelioma treatment, as the disease can deplete strength and general immune health.

Treatment by Stage

This section lists typical treatment strategies based on the stage (using the Butchart staging system) of a pleural mesothelioma. Stage one mesothelioma can be treated with any number of  different methods, depending on the patient's health, including surgical resection of the disease or more advanced procedures like extrapleural pnemonectomy and lung pneumonectomy. Patients diagnosed with advanced-stage disease will likely manage their disease and its symptoms through some combination of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and alternative therapies.

Mesothelioma Doctors

We have become familiar with medical doctors who specialize in aggressively treating mesothelioma cancer. Some of these doctors will review your medical records for free to see if you are a candidate for their mesothelioma treatment protocol.

Some of the more notable mesothelioma doctors include Dr. David Sugarbaker of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Dr. Valerie Rusch of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and Dr. Harvey Pass of the New York University Medical Center Division of Thoracic Surgery. Each of these oncologists have an acute knowledge of the behavior and pathology of malignant mesothelioma and its treatments. It is likely that if you are diagnosed with mesothelioma, you will be referred by your personal physician to a larger scale comprehensive cancer center like those discussed here.

Cancer Centers

Top Cancer Centers for mesothelioma treatment have been listed alphabetically by state for your convenience. Listings include contact information and Web site links where available.

Some of the most exciting and advanced mesothelioma treatment techniques are being researched and explored through the International Mesothelioma Program at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute's Harvard University Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston under the auspices of Dr. Sugarbaker. Multi-modal therapies, including combination therapies including advanced surgical procedures in conjunction with chemotherapy are some of the many exploratory therapies being researched at the IMP. Exciting studies are also arising out of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and the University of California San Francisco under the auspices of Dr. David Jablons.

Clinical Trials

Information about current studies of promising new or experimental mesothelioma treatments. Several clinical trials are actively recruiting patients of malignant mesothelioma. Patients undergoing mesothelioma treatment should strongly consider participating in a clinical trial. Mesothelioma survival rate can be dramatically extended in those who are treated with as-yet unapproved/experimental therapies. Given the lack of a mesothelioma cure, participation in clinical trials among mesothelioma patients is common. A patient's ability to participate in a clinical trial will be dependent on a number of factors including age, general health, and stage of disease at diagnosis.

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Mesothelioma Symptoms

What are the warning signs of mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is difficult to diagnose because the early signs and symptoms of the disease can be subtle at best. Symptoms are all too frequently ignored or dismissed by people who are inclined to attribute them to common every day ailments. Sometimes patients live with symptoms for up to 6 months before being diagnosed but usually the symptoms are present for two to three months prior to a mesothelioma diagnosis.

About 60% of patients diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma experience lower back pain or side chest pain and there are frequent reports of shortness of breath. Lower numbers of people may experience difficulty swallowing, or have a persistent cough, fever, weight loss or fatigue. Additional symptoms that some patients experience are muscle weakness, loss of sensory capability, coughing up blood, facial and arm swelling and hoarseness.
Peritoneal mesothelioma originates in the abdomen and as a result, symptoms often include abdominal pain, weight loss, nausea, and vomiting. In the event that there is a hernia present, fluid buildup may occur in the abdomen as well.
Anyone previously exposed to asbestos displaying any of these symptoms should seek medical attention from mesothelioma doctors who specialize in treating mesothelioma like Dr. David Sugarbaker.

How long does it take for mesothelioma symptoms to appear?

One of the most unique facts about mesothelioma is that the disease is characterized by a long latency period that is very often associated with the disease. The latency period is the amount of time that elapses from the first point of asbestos exposure to the point where symptoms begin to appear so that a diagnosis can be made. In some mesothelioma cases the latency period is reported to be 10 years but the average latency for the majority of cases is between 35 and 40 years. As a result, the cancer often progresses to later stages before a diagnosis is made. When diagnosed in the later stages, mesothelioma treatment options become more limited and are less effective.

Symptoms of Mesothelioma

Provided below is a list of symptoms that mesothelioma patients may experience. Please click on a symptom to learn more about it.

Anemia

Mesothelioma patients diagnosed with anemia have a lower than normal red blood cell count or hemoglobin in the blood which can cause fatigue and if left untreated, result in a loss of bone marrow.

Blood Clotting Disorder

A symptom experienced by many mesothelioma patients that can lead to anemia and other serious complications if not given appropriate medical attention.

Bowel Obstruction

A very painful symptom that can sometimes develop in peritoneal mesothelioma patients due to fluid buildup in the abdomen.

Chest Pain

Often experienced in pleural mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma patients, chest pain can develop as the tumor grows and places strain on the lungs and heart.

Dysphagia

Pleural mesothelioma patients often develop difficulty swallowing (esophageal dyphagia) as the mesothelium continues to grow on the lungs.

Fluid Effusion

An effusion can occur in mesothelioma patients when there is fluid buildup affecting either the pleura or pericardium.

Hemoptysis

Hemoptysis, or the symptom of coughing up blood, can have its origins in the lungs, bronchi or trachea of mesothelioma patients.

Nausea

Nausea is experienced in a number of cancer patients as it is often a side effect of chemotherapy treatment. Those diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma may also experience nausea as a result of increasing abdominal pressure.

Peritoneal Effusion

Peritoneal mesothelioma patients may experience a buildup of fluid in the peritoneum as the tumor continues to grow. This can result in an effusion which can inhibit the function of abdominal organs.

Pleural Effusion

In pleural mesothelioma patients, pleural effusion may develop when there is a large amount of fluid present in the pleura, the lining between the lungs and chest cavity.

Weight Loss

Weight loss can occur in mesothelioma patient as a side effect from cancer treatment or as the result of other symptoms that may also be present such as difficulty swallowing or nausea.

 

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Pleural Mesothelioma

Pleural mesothelioma is often seen in people who have been exposed to high levels of asbestos on the job. It sometimes takes 10 years or more for changes to appear that are indicative of pleural disease which affects the thin membrane layer in the chest. These differences can include a thickening or calcification of the pleural lining and is usually diagnosed as pleural plaques, pleural thickening and pleural calcification.

In most instances, pleural disease is not considered fatal but it does have the ability to impair lung function and it does confirm that a person has sustained significant asbestos exposure and could be at a higher risk for developing more severe asbestos cancer. If you have been diagnosed with pleural disease it is important to preserve your legal rights.
However, pleural plaques can lay the groundwork for pleural mesothelioma, which is an extremely aggressive cancer known only to be caused by asbestos exposure. Pleural mesothelioma originates in the pleura but quickly spreads to the outer chest wall, abdomen, and heart. Pleural mesothelioma is typically fatal within 1 year of diagnosis. However, early recognition of risk factors, like asbestos exposure will typically lead to early detection of the cancer. Those whose disease is discovered early enough will likely be much more eligible for life-sustaining and bettering treatments. Patients who receive an early mesothelioma diagnosis may be eligible for surgical resection of the cancer, which can extend life years beyond that of typical mesothelioma patients.
There are ways for patients to manage the disease through mesothelioma treatment, including traditional mesothelioma radiation and chemotherapy methods which can ease symptoms of the disease and make the cancer much more manageable. In patients where a diagnosis is made of early stage disease, mesothelioma surgery can extend the survival rate far beyond previous levels in untreated disease.

Pleural Mesothelioma Treatment

Nearly all patients diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma are able to receive some form of treatment for their illness. While there is currently no cure for mesothelioma, patients have been able to extend survival rates through advanced mesothelioma treatment regimens currently being developed at mesothelioma clinics and cancer centers across the United States.

Pleural Mesothelioma Surgery

Surgical resection is difficult in pleural mesothelioma patients when the disease is diagnosed in later stages because at that time the tumor has typically metastasized to other areas of the body like the abdominal cavity and lymph nodes. However, in early stage diagnoses, surgery can absolutely be utilized to slow the advance of mesothelioma disease.
Common surgical procedures utilized in the management of malignant mesothelioma are pneumonectomy and extrapleural pneumonectomy. Pneumonectomy is a general procedure utilized not only in patients of malignant mesothelioma, but also those battling lung cancers or related lung conditions. Pleurectomy involves the removal of a portion or the entire affected lung in patients. Extrapleural pneumonectomy is a more comprehensive procedure that is more tailored to mesothelioma patients. Extrapleural pneumonectomy involves the removal of the entire affected lung, the pleura, the diaphragm, and the pericardium, which is the mesothelial lining that surrounds the heart cavity.

Pleural Mesothelioma Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is likely the most prevalent treatment utilized by patients of malignant pleural mesothelioma. While several different chemotherapy drugs have been utilized to varying degrees of effectiveness for the management of malignant pleural mesothelioma, only one has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a prescribed therapy for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma. A combination of Alimta (Pemetrexed) and Cisplatin is currently the only cocktail prescribed en masse for the general treatment of pleural mesothelioma. However, several other clinical trials are currently active attempting to determine the effectiveness of other drugs including Gemcitabine, Navelbine, and Onconase.

Pleural Mesothelioma Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy has been utilized in the treatment of many types of cancer and pleural mesothelioma is no different. Often, radiation is not able to manage cancer by itself so it is combined with either surgery, chemotherapy, or both to augment the treatment plan as a whole. Radiation therapy for pleural mesothelioma utilizes external beam radiation to mutate tumor cells within the body and slow their growth and spread.

Alternative Therapy for Pleural Mesothelioma

A growing school in cancer care is integrative approaches in the treatment of cancer. Integrative oncology utilizes not only the conventional therapies discussed above, but also untraditional therapies such as acupuncture, massage, and reflexology to assist the patient in managing pain, anxiety, and restlessness. Patients battling pleural mesothelioma have effectively utilized alternative therapies such as these to increase the effectiveness of their treatment program overall. Generally, patients who are able to withstand the difficult side-effects of more potent chemotherapy and radiation treatments will be best able to extend their mesothelioma prognosis. Patients of pleural mesothelioma who have utilized alternative therapies have been able to do just that. However, most of these therapies are preferential and will depend on the health of the patient as to whether or not they will be able to engage in them. As will anything, patients should seek the consultation of their physician or cancer specialist before engaging in any alternative therapy.

What Causes Pleural Mesothelioma?

Pleural mesothelioma is known only be caused by exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is a naturally occurring and microscopic mineral that was used for hundreds of years in a number of different industrial compounds. Asbestos fibers are extremely durable, but also extremely difficult to expel from the body once introduced to the internal tissue.

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