Mesothelioma Cancer Resources Blog

Mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer typically affecting the lining of the lungs, is highly aggressive and is resistant to many standard cancer treatments making it a difficult disease to treat effectively.  Mesothelioma is currently an incurable disease diagnosed in close to 3,000 Americans each year. However, ongoing research is being conducted to find a cure …

Richard Mosca received a diagnosis of mesothelioma at the age of 54, but instead of focusing only on his wellness he has taken to advocating for others with the deadly disease and is supporting the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) acting as a medical peer reviewer.  Mosca was nominated by the Mesothelioma Applied Research …

Researchers reported in the December 20th issue of The Lancet Oncology that they have linked a skin rash to longer survival in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving a cisplatin/vinorelbine combination of chemotherapy followed by cetuximab (Erbitux).  This finding may be significant for mesothelioma patients as ongoing clinical trials for both vinorelbine and cetuximab …

by Nancy Meredith The Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA), a national non-profit organization devoted solely to support and advocacy for all those living with or at risk for lung cancer, has declared 2010 “a watershed year” for lung cancer.  In addition, physicians and advocates for mesothelioma, a rare cancer primarily caused by exposure to asbestos, have …

As Congress struggles to pass the 9/11 health care bill designed to bring financial relief from the medical bills owed by first responders and New Yorkers exposed to the noxious dust cloud from the terrorist attacks, first responder and New York police detective Kevin Czartyoryski died of lung cancer.  The NY Police Department medical board presumed …

Physicians at the University of Virginia reported in Rare Tumors that a man with pericardial mesothelioma, an extremely rare form of mesothelioma, has survived more than 7 years since being diagnosed with the deadly disease.   In addition, the patient has minimal symptoms with no baseline shortness of breath.  The doctors attribute the stability of the …

The Senate approved the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act after severe cuts and compromises were made to the original proposal.   The $7.5 billion that had been earmarked for the first responders was cut to $4.3 billion.  This bill provides health benefits and compensation to many of the rescue workers that are at risk …

In this age of email, texting, Facebook and Twitter, many people miss the personal touch of their friends and loved ones – especially mesothelioma and other cancer patients that are not able to get out as much as they did prior to their sickness.  During the holiday season, feelings of sadness, loneliness and anxiety about …

Jon Stewart, host of Comedy Central’s Daily Show, took a serious tone on his show on December 16th by chastising Congress for blocking passage of the 9/11 health bill.  The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act offers $7.1 billion to establish a monitoring and treatment program, including mental health services, for first responders and …

According to researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, the presence of two nuclear receptor genes in lung tumor tissue has proven to be a predictor of the survival of cancer patients and of possible new treatments for the patients.  This study is an important step towards personalized medicine for lung cancer patients, …