Radiotherapy, also known as radiation therapy, is a type of cancer treatment that uses ionizing radiation to kill cancer cells by damaging the cell’s DNA. It can be used as either a curative or palliative treatment and is often used alongside chemotherapy, either before, during, or after. Radiotherapy can be especially successful in some cancer
Mesothelioma patients are twice as likely to survive for two years or longer, if they are treated with a high dose of radiation to the affected side of the trunk.
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 is not entirely impossible as
Researchers have found that recurrent rates for mesothelioma can vary widely, with some studies finding recurrence rates after treatment ranging from 10 – 72%. Even patients diagnosed in the earlier stages and who are able to undergo aggressive multimodal treatment have been found to experience recurrence. Because of the rather high likelihood of the cancer recurring, a heavy focus of mesothelioma research is finding optimal second- and third-line treatments for patients who have previously been treated and either experience recurrence or their cancer is unresponsive.
A Phase III clinical trial is now underway in the pivotal study of interferon alfa-2b gene therapy in pleural mesothelioma. After promising results from the Phase II clinical trial, scientists and researchers are hopeful they are just one step away from FDA approval for this cancer treatment that is over 20 years in the making.
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 China have recently discovered what
A California jury reached a $29 million verdict against Johnson & Johnson and Cyprus Mines Corporation, a talc supplier. The jury concluded that the responsible companies must pay Teresa Leavitt over $29 million after she was exposed to asbestos through the long-term use of Johnson & Johnson baby powder. Leavitt claims that the talcum powder is the reason that she has developed mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer caused by asbestos.
Asbestos Awareness Week starts today. The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) is kicking off this global campaign of education and awareness about the risks of asbestos and the need for a ban with a candlelight vigil. Throughout the week, they’ll be presenting information from doctors, activists, and victims of asbestos diseases. Asbestos Awareness Week was
A chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy that targets the protein mesothelin showed no evidence of major toxicity and had antitumor activity in patients with malignant pleural disease from mesothelioma, according to new results.
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced this week that the 2017 reports of Claire’s and Justice makeup containing asbestos particles have been confirmed. The presence of these particles in products, targeted to young children and teens, is concerning as asbestos exposure is the only known cause of mesothelioma cancer and other asbestos-related diseases, including asbestosis and asbestos lung cancer.
Earlier this month, testing for asbestos at McGill Hall at the University of Montana raised concerns about the safety of students, particularly preschoolers who actively attended school in these classrooms. Abatement specialists found concerning levels of asbestos, well above the recommended limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). According to law, permissible amounts of asbestos should not exceed 5,000 fibers per square centimeter. After swiping a table in one of the classrooms, which had been used and cleaned regularly, specialists found over 15,000 fibers per square centimeter. Other areas of the classrooms contained even higher concentrations of asbestos.