Mesothelioma, a rare, aggressive cancer primarily caused by exposure to airborne asbestos fibers, can take up to 50 years to develop after exposure to asbestos has occurred. There is no known cure for the disease.

The fourth leg of the tour which opens February 26th at the Moonah Arts Center in Tasmania, is sponsored by the Australian Workers’ Union (AWU), WorkCover Tasmania and the Tasmanian State Government. The AWU is currently campaigning for the removal of asbestos-containing materials in Australia.

“The scourge of asbestos has taken a heavy enough toll on this country already,” said Paul Howes, AWU’s National Secretary, in a September 2009 speech, and called for “the creation of a federal National Asbestos Taskforce to manage the prioritised recall of all asbestos containing materials in all forms from Australia by 2030.”

The current AWU Secretary, Ian Wakefield, is eager to sponsor such a moving and touching exhibit. The exhibit has been featured throughout New South Wales and Victoria since July 2009.

Sources:
Photographer Gets Word Out
AWU Sponsors Exhibit

The Meso Foundation annually funds the top research projects from around the world, and this year they received 56 grant applications. Included among the top eight projects selected is a study for improved mesothelioma treatments, a study focusing on the role of hormones in malignant mesothelioma, as well as various studies looking at improving the specificity and effectiveness in mesothelioma of drugs already available to cancer patients, while reducing their side effects.

Mesothelioma, an unusual form of cancer which can take up to five decades to be properly diagnosed, is responsible for approximately 3,000 new cases each year in the United States. Although there is no cure for mesothelioma, it can be treated with varying degrees of success through the use of surgical procedures, chemotherapy and radiation.

The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to ending the suffering caused by mesothelioma by funding mesothelioma research, by educating patients, and by advocating for federal mesothelioma funding.

See the full story at Curemeso.org

Janice Malkotsis, who lost her father to mesothelioma, organized the event as “a charitable walk in the memory of our fathers and all others who have succumbed to mesothelioma.”

Mesothelioma is a rare, aggressive form of cancer primarily caused by exposure to airborne asbestos fibers. Close to 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with the cancer yearly. Most cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed 30 years or more after exposure, with the latency period sometimes as long as 50 years. There is no known cure for the disease.

Janice promised her father that she would educate people about the dangers of asbestos and mesothelioma. She has partnered with Erica Iacono, whose father also died from mesothelioma, to raise awareness for the deadly disease. Over the last four years they have raised over $50,000 with a goal of $25,000 for this year’s event. Belluck & Fox , a nationally recognized law firm with attorneys who represent individuals with asbestos and mesothelioma claims, supports the event.

All proceeds from the event will go to the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports awareness and research of mesothelioma. Donations are welcome from those who will not be able to participate but still want to support the cause. Donations can be given online.

With this drug the researchers are trying to cut off the protein, the hedgehog pathway in this case, resulting in increased apoptosis (death of the cancer cells) and decreased proliferation in the cancer cells, thus prohibiting the cells from growing and dividing.

The mesothelioma patient is a 61 year-old male from Derbyshire, England, who had been exposed to asbestos as a joiner. He could not tolerate the chemotherapy treatments, and after only 4 months he had to stop the treatments. His doctors then told him there was nothing else they could do for him.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer typically affecting the lining of the lungs. Primarily caused by exposure to airborne asbestos fibers, most cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed 30 years or more after exposure. While there is no known cure for mesothelioma, it can sometimes be treated through the use of surgical procedures, chemotherapy and radiation.

The participant criteria for this trial is for patients with a confirmed diagnosis of advanced solid tumor (including medulloblastoma and basal cell carcinoma), who are relatively healthy otherwise. The trials are being conducted internationally including sites in the United States, Spain, and England.

Novartis Pharmaceuticals, headquartered in New Jersey, has a mission to discover and develop innovative medicines to fight cancer.

Sources:
Novartis LDE 225
LDE 225 Clinical Trial
Meso Patient in Trial

Mesothelioma is a rare, aggressive form of cancer primarily caused by exposure to airborne asbestos fibers. Close to 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with the cancer yearly. There is no known cure for the disease.

According to an I-Team investigative report on TMJ4 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, thousands of people in the Milwaukee area are at risk of mesothelioma, and the number of cases continues to rise. The Center for Disease Control reports that the yearly death rate in Wisconsin is considered the top tier in the nation with a 25% higher rate than the average.

While asbestos is no longer used in the United States, past employees of companies that used asbestos-containing products are still at risk of developing mesothelioma. With the long latency period, many people do not develop symptoms for 60 years, and with the general life expectancy increasing, more people are susceptible to mesothelioma.

The CDC expects the number of mesothelioma cases in the United States to peak within the next few years.

Wisconsin mesothelioma report

Pleural Mesothelioma is a form of lung cancer that is almost always caused by asbestos exposure and is most commonly found in the outer lining of the lungs called the mesothelium. Peritoneal mesothelioma, also caused by asbestos exposure, affects the lining of the abdomen. Although there is no cure for mesothelioma, it can be treated with varying degrees of success through the use of surgical procedures, chemotherapy and radiation.

Mesothelioma has an extended latency period with symptoms sometimes taking between 20-40 years to appear. By the time the symptoms appear the disease has progressed to an advanced stage, and most patients are unable to work at this point necessitating a need for the early receipt of Social Security benefits.

Daniel E. Smith, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network says “the Social Security Administration’s Compassionate Allowances program will help streamline the disability benefits application process so that benefits are quickly provided to those who need them most.”

The SSA held public hearings to gather information from experts on rare diseases and cancers, enlisted the assistance of the National Institutes of Health, and also held public outreach hearings, and received public comments to develop the initial list of 50 conditions comprised of 25 rare diseases and 25 cancers.

This month the SSA added 38 conditions by holding additional public outreach hearings, working closely with the National Institutes of Health, the Alzheimer’s Association, the National Organization for Rare Disorders, and other groups. They also reviewed information gathered from previous hearings and consulted with their internal expert medical staff.

Compassionate allowances will allow the SSA to quickly identify diseases and other medical conditions that invariably qualify under the Listing of Impairments based on minimal objective medical information. When combined with the agency’s Quick Disability Determination process, close to ten percent of disability claims, or a quarter million cases, could be decided in an average of six to eight days.

Commissioner Astrue said, “I am committed to a process that is as fair and speedy as possible. The launch of Compassionate Allowances is another step to ensuring Americans with disabilities, especially those with certain cancers and rare diseases, get the benefits they need quickly.”

See Compassionate Allowances for a full list of conditions.

The New York Supreme Court ruled that Crane built their products in a manner that required exterior insulation, and as such, asbestos exposure was a foreseeable risk.

Exposure to asbestos fibers is conclusively linked to causing mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare, serious and aggressive cancer that normally occurs in the lungs and typically results from the workplace environment. Families of asbestos workers may also be at increased risk of developing mesothelioma through asbestos fibers brought home on the worker’s hair or clothing.

Asbestos exposure was common in industries such as shipbuilding, construction, automobile repair, mining, textile mills, sheet metal, plumbing and paper mills. For decades, asbestos materials were commonly used in those industries and trades.

Unlike other state courts that ruled that a manufacturer cannot be held liable for products it did not manufacture or supply, the New York trial court ruled, “it is well established in New York law that ‘[a] manufacturer has a duty to warn against latent dangers resulting from foreseeable uses of its products of which it knew or should have known.’”

Crane Co. is being sued over their negligence of warning Elmer Eugene Coon that installing and removing external insulation from Crane Co.’s pumps and valves could result in asbestos-exposure related illness.

The money made through the show will go to the Quids In Appeal that will disburse the funds. The ‘Quids In’ campaign was established in England in 2005 to create greater awareness of the financial services needs of rural people and ensure that policies reflect the real needs of people living and working in rural England.

The Mick Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund was established in memory of Mick Knighton who died in 2001 of mesothelioma. The goal of the fund is to improve diagnosis, treatment and care for mesothelioma sufferers plus provide help for accessing information and support.

Mesothelioma is a serious cancer that occurs in individuals exposed to airborne asbestos fibers. Even small amounts of asbestos and infrequent exposure can create a risk for contracting mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases.

Mick served in the Royal Navy as a young man where asbestos products were widely used.

Dr. Andaz is board certified in both thoracic and general surgery and he specializes in complex chest cancer procedures and minimally invasive thorascopic surgery. The minimally invasive approach that Andaz provides offers patients faster healing and shortened recovery time. Chest wall sarcoma resection and reconstruction, and mesothelioma are several of the areas of Andaz’s expertise.

Dr. Andaz Receives Award

Now years later, Davis is logging 20-25 miles per week and has organized 5K runs to benefit mesothelioma research. Scheduled for Valentine’s Day in Boca Raton, Florida, the Miles for Meso run is planned to raise awareness and funding for research into more effective treatments for mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is a serious cancer that occurs in individuals exposed to airborne asbestos fibers. Even small amounts of asbestos and infrequent exposure can create a risk for contracting mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases. Mesothelioma is highly aggressive and is resistant to many cancer treatments.

Noting that mesothelioma is the cancer that killed singer Warren Zevon and actor Steve McQueen, Davis said “we are going to have a tribute, but we’re not going to be there to mourn, we’re here to get on with life and come up with solutions.”

Miles for Meso