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- Mesothelin Finding Could Lead to Early Detection of Mesothelioma
- New York Attorney Calls for International Ban on Mesothelioma-Causing Asbestos
- Protein Can be Reliable for Diagnosing Malignant Mesothelioma
- Biomarker Successes Remain Elusive For Mesothelioma and Cancer Researchers
- Avastin May Not be Effective for Breast Cancer, But is Still an Option for Mesothelioma
- Options for Funding Mesothelioma Research
- Golf Outing to Raise Funds for Mesothelioma Research
- 3 Year Mesothelioma Survivor Stays Busy Raising Awareness of the Disease
- MesotheliomaHelp Website Offers Mesothelioma-Related FAQs
- CDMRP System Offers Funding Opportunity to Help Military Mesothelioma Sufferers
Thursday, November 5, 2009
The National Lung Cancer Partnership is comprised of a group of leading doctors, researchers, patient advocates, and lung cancer survivors who are working together to improve treatments for lung cancer patients. They are dedicated to raising the public awareness of the disease and generating funding for lung cancer research.
In support of educating the public they have declared November as Lung Cancer Awareness Month. The organization is offering the “Free to Breathe” series of fitness events throughout the country for individuals, families, and companies to show their support. Upcoming events are being held in Raleigh, NC, Athens, GA, Jacksonville, FL, Columbia, SC, Dayton, OH, and Seattle, WA. See the website for a full list of events.
Over the past four years, National Lung Cancer Partnership has funded over $1.1 million in cancer research dollars. Their partners include Lilly, Pfizer, OSI Pharmaceuticals, Merck, Novartis as well as the Lance Armstrong Foundation, Oncology Nursing Society Foundation (ONS), and the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC).
Labels: LungCancer
posted by Nancy Meredith at 9:45 AM
Monday, June 15, 2009
A study of lung cancer patients in Japan has revealed that more of these patients show signs of asbestos exposure than has traditionally been recognized. 60,000 people die from lung cancer every year in Japan, but only a tiny percentage of them are regularly recognized as asbestos-related, and therefore, eligible for government aid. In 2007, less than 700 cases were deemed eligible. The results of this recent study suggest that the number of people with asbestos-related lung cancer is actually in the thousands.
The researchers derived this figure by examining 471 patients with primary (non-metastatic) lung cancer to see if they discovered any evidence of pleural plagues, which are a thickening of the lung membrane that is only caused by asbestos. They found that 28 (5%) patients showed evidence of pleural plaques on traditional chest x-ray, but that the number rose to 58 patients (12%) when they used CT scanning to make their diagnosis.
To learn more about this study, please see:
http://www.physorg.com/news163091089.html
Labels: asbestos, LungCancer
posted by Joseph DiCastro at 2:27 PM
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Source: Google News
UK Researchers have recently published the results of the largest study yet completed on the incidence rates of asbestos-caused cancers among certain classes of British workers. The article, which appeared in the prestigious British Journal of Cancer, has concluded that the lifetime risk of mesothelioma among British men born in the 1940s is about 1 in 170. Within these numbers, the article states that 1 in 17 carpenters, 1 in 50 electricians, plumbers, and decorators, and one in 125 construction workers will die from mesothelioma. The study also suggests that for every case of mesothelioma, there’s also one case of lung cancer caused by asbestos exposure, so the total incidence rate of asbestos-caused cancers rises to 1 in 10 in some cases.
The researchers concluded that the highest rate of disease onset was found among people who were exposed to asbestos regularly before they were 30.
Labels: asbestos, LungCancer, mesothelioma
posted by Joseph DiCastro at 4:51 PM
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Source: CNN
A report in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute has shown that—for the first time—rates of both cancer deaths and new cancer diagnoses are falling for men and women in America. The report aggregates data from a number of the country’s top medical organizations to show that the battle against cancer is slowly turning in the favor of people and science.
The report states that while deaths from cancer have been falling for a number of years now, this is the first time that a study has shown a similar decrease in the total number of new diagnoses. From 1999 to 2005, the overall rate of new diagnoses dropped 0.8 percent per year. Within the aggregate numbers, the drop was also seen when analyzed in terms of gender. Among men, rates of death and new cases were seen falling for colon cancer, lung cancer and prostate cancer—which are the most common forms of the disease in men—and in women a similar drop was seen in their most common cancers, breast cancer and colon cancer.
However, when the numbers were analyzed in terms of geography, a more complex picture emerged. Even as the overall national numbers showed a decline, the report states that in 18 Southern and Midwestern states, lung cancer incidences and deaths were still increasing. The lead author of the study, Dr. Ahmedin Jemal, attributes this to the higher rate of smoking in these states. Cigarette smoking is involved in upwards of 80% of lung cancer cases and has been implicated in a number of other cancers as well. Overall, cigarette smoking has been declining across the country, but a number of Southern states, especially, have not implemented smoking cessation programs as effectively as have states in the Northeast or the West, so these states still feature higher rates of smoking as compared to the national average.
The full report provides a much more complete overview of the relationship between Americans and cancer deaths and diagnoses than this summary allows, but the report’s authors, as well as those who’ve reviewed its findings, attribute the positive trend lines identified to improvements in the available treatments as well as to stepped-up prevention efforts.
Labels: cancer, LungCancer
posted by Joseph DiCastro at 3:24 PM
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Source: Washington Post
A number of interesting findings on lung cancer were recently presented at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting in Washington, D.C. In one presentation, researchers announced the results of a very small scale study that looked at the ability of particular genetic markers to predict the onset of lung cancer in current and former cigarette smokers. That cigarettes directly cause lung cancer has been well-documented for decades now, but scientists are still looking for markers to indicate which smokers will develop cancer and which will not. In this study, the researchers were investigating if they could test for particular types of DNA damage in smokers that were indicative of increased likelihood of carcinogenesis. Although their work is still quite preliminary, their results were strong enough to justify another round of study. The researchers are hopeful that a simple mouth swab will one day be available for this purpose.
In another presentation at the meeting, a different set of researchers presented results that showed that current and former smokers who consumed raw cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, collard greens and some Chinese vegetables, were much less likely to develop lung cancer than those who did not.
Labels: LungCancer
posted by Belluck & Fox at 11:04 AM
Monday, November 24, 2008
Source: CNN
The Lancet has recently published the results of a large scale study which demonstrated that the anti-cancer pill Iressa was just as effective as a second-line treatment against lung cancer as the chemotherapy agent Taxotere. Patients on Iressa had a median survival of 7.6 months and 32 percent of patients survived one year, while patients who received Taxotere demonstrated median survival of 8 months and 34 percent of patients survived one year. The real difference between the therapies was seen in the side effects associated with each of them: Iressa patients mainly experienced skin rashes and mild diarrhea, while Taxotore patients experienced a number of severe side effects, such as hair loss and numbness. In many cases, patients who start on Taxotore do not complete the full chemotherapy course because of these side effects.
The FDA fast-tracked Iressa for lung cancer treatment in 2003, but since 2005 has not allowed its use in new patients. Currently, only people who were already on it or those who were taking part in a clinical trial that had prior approval for the study of Iressa are able to receive it. Whether the results of this study will cause a change in the FDA’s approval structure is still unknown.
Labels: chemotherapy, LungCancer
posted by Joseph DiCastro at 11:32 AM
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Source: Bio Med Central
One of the primary goals of contemporary asbestos research is a better understanding of the underlying biological changes that lead from exposure to asbestos to the development of mesothelioma or lung cancer. Medical science has known for decades that exposure to the mineral is a primary causative agent of lung cancer and is the only known cause of mesothelioma, but an understanding of the precise cellular activity that leads to carcinogenesis has, thus far, eluded research scientists. A number of important studies have been conducted on this topic and their results have certainly led to a greater understanding of these processes, but much more research is needed before we can truly grasp the totality of biological events responsible for these malignancies.
In an effort to learn more about these processes, a team of Finnish and German researchers conducted a study that investigated the signaling pathways involved with asbestos-inducted lung cancer. Their paper describing this research has recently been published.
The researchers conducted gene expression analysis on 28 patients with lung cancer: 14 with a history of asbestos exposure and 14 who were not exposed to the mineral. They found significant differences in the normal and malignant tissues between the two groups and concluded that asbestos-induced lung cancer is mediated by different signaling pathways and molecular activity than is non-asbestos-induced lung cancer. The researchers specifically note “up-regulation of the pathways associated with ion transport and down-regulation of the functions related to protein ubiquitination” between the two populations.
It is hoped that the information learned from this study, as well as similar ones, will lead to better treatment options for people with asbestos-induced lung cancer.
Labels: asbestos, LungCancer
posted by Belluck & Fox at 11:23 AM
Friday, November 7, 2008
Source: Vermont Public Radio
The State of Vermont is warning residents to stay clear of an abandoned asbestos mine in the Eden/Lowell area after a state-sponsored study showed a statistically significant increase in asbestosis and lung cancer among residents within 10 miles of the mine. State Health Commissioner Wendy Davis, MD, recently gave an interview on Vermont Public Radio where she discussed that the implications of the study and the guidance the State is providing residents.
The study examined health records and death certificates among people who lived, or lived, within 10 miles of the mine and they found that the odds of dying from asbestosis were 12 times higher among those who lived close to the mine than were those who lived far from it. Although the radio program didn’t mention the specific ratio, it also noted that that the study found incidences of lung cancer to be higher in this population as well.
The State is recommending people to stay away from the mine as they complete more testing in the area surrounding.
Labels: asbestos, LungCancer
posted by Joseph DiCastro at 10:25 AM
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Source: UPI.com
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has released its anticipated report on asbestos-contaminated vermiculite from Libby, Montana. The Agency found that the vermiculite from Libby contaminated 28 exfoliation sites and may have exposed workers at these sites, their families and people living close to the plants to amphibole asbestos, which is the most carcinogenic family of asbestos fibers.
ATSDR reports that the asbestos was released from the vermiculite during exfoliation, which is a process where the vermiculite is heated and expands. Vermiculite is generally a safe and commonly used mineral, but because Libby’s ore was contaminated with asbestos, the dust from these fibers were released into the air during exfoliation. ATSDR recommends that workers from these plants and people living around them speak with a medical provider about their possible exposures. Asbestos is a highly dangerous mineral and is associated with the development of mesothelioma and lung cancer.
Labels: asbestos, LungCancer, mesothelioma
posted by Joseph DiCastro at 3:16 PM
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Source: CNNMoney.com
Eli Lilly has announced that its cancer drug Alimta, when used in combination with cisplatin, has received FDA approval for the first-line treatment of “locally-advanced and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), for patients with nonsquamous histology.” The FDA’s new approval is the third overall approval that Alimta has received, and the second for its use in first-line therapy. The drug is most well known for the first-line treatment of pleural mesothelioma where it—again in combination with cisplatin—represents the chemotherapy standard of care for the treatment of the disease. It has also received approvals in single-agent use for the second-line treatment of NSCLC after prior chemotherapy treatment.
Labels: chemotherapy, LungCancer, mesothelioma, treatments
posted by Belluck & Fox at 4:58 PM
Monday, April 14, 2008
Source: Yahoo News
Researchers from the MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas at Houston recently announced the results of a study they conducted which showed that damage to particular cells that line the mouth is often indicative of damage to similar cells in the lungs and is potentially predictive of the development of tobacco-induced lung cancer, as well as other forms of cancer that tobacco is involved in. The research team enrolled 125 long-time smokers in their study and they looked at two genes that have previously been implicated in the development of cancer: p16 and FHIT. Long before any cancer actually develops, the genes that cause its later emergence have already sustained significant damage to their proper function, so the development of tests that can investigate and diagnose present gene damage are potentially very helpful in monitoring overall health and determining the likelihood of cancer development in at-risk populations.
In the present study, the research team investigated the status of p16 and FHIT in both the mouth and lungs of their sample population. They found that p16 was shut down in the lungs of 23 percent of the sample and in the mouth in 19 percent. FHIT was shut down in the lungs in 17 percent of the sample and in the mouth in 15 percent. Overall, the researchers found that in 95 percent of people whose genes were affected, the genes were affected in both the mouth and the lungs.
These are important findings because the researchers hope these results will lead to the development of easier screening tests, such as a simple mouth swab, for lung cancer and other cancers, such as mesothelioma. The development of more effective screening tests could save many lives, as most cases of lung cancer or pleural mesothelioma are only diagnosed when the diseases are in their later stages and are more difficult to treat effectively.
Labels: LungCancer, mesothelioma
posted by Belluck & Fox at 10:43 AM
Friday, February 15, 2008
Source: The Oncologist
Advances in imaging technologies have had a lasting impact on medical science. Better imaging techniques let doctors diagnose disease in a much more efficient manner and higher resolution scans can often be the difference between life and death. These advances are important to cancer research, especially to research in lung cancer and mesothelioma, as the ability to accurately diagnose these cancers at an early stage can dramatically improve a patient’s prognosis. An active area of research involving these two cancers involves the study of the diagnostic value of the various computed tomography (CT) modalities. Researchers from Italy have recently released the results of a study they conducted that looked at the efficacy of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) scans for the diagnosis of lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma. The following is a summary of their findings.
Introduction to the Study
The researchers enrolled 1045 patients with a history of asbestos exposure into their study. Their aim was to evaluate the use of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) scans for the early diagnosis of lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma. Because the link between asbestos exposure and these malignancies is well established, they expected to find a certain subset of related illnesses in some of these patients. The patients enrolled had to meet the following criteria: 40-70 years of age, no prior cancers or other severe conditions, no initial suspicion of lung cancer and no other CT scans during the previous two years.
All of the patients underwent both LDCT and chest x-ray (CXR) and the major analysis the researchers undertook was to look at how LDCT compared to CXR for the diagnosis of a thoracic malignancy.
Their results were revealing.
In nearly every way it could be, LDCT was more effective at diagnosis of lung cancer than CXR was. The researchers report detecting noncalcified nodules (early phases of lung cancer) with LDCT 19 times more frequently than with CXR. LDCT also identified 10 more full-on malignant events than CXR did.
As regards pleural mesothelioma, none of the study population at the time had developed mesothelioma, but because of its extreme latency period, this does not necessarily discount its use for the diagnosis of mesothelioma. LDCT did, however, detect a much higher percentage of pleural abnormalities than did CXR.
Conclusion
The results of this study certainly point to LDCT’s greater diagnostic efficacy for the various forms of lung cancer. The jury is still out, however, on the use of this imaging modality for the diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma, but its greater accuracy in diagnosing other pleural abnormalities is certainly a positive sign.
Labels: LungCancer, mesothelioma
posted by Belluck & Fox at 4:35 PM
Friday, January 11, 2008
The first step in a diagnosis of cancer is the definitive conclusion of the presence of malignant tissue. However, this tissue may not identify the particular form of cancer at work, so further analysis is often necessary. One of the techniques used for this latter diagnosis is immunostaining, where a tissue sample is treated with a reactive dye that becomes activated when it binds to a marker indicative of a certain form of cancer. The binding process then “stains” the tissue—providing a visual indication of the marker’s presence and, therefore, a determination of the type of cancer at hand.
One of the most difficult differentials to make is between malignant mesothelioma and poorly differentiated forms of adenocarcinoma of the lung and squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. Morphology analysis of the fluid from an effusion is not able to differentiate between these cancers, so scientists are searching for protein markers that can differentiate between them. Researchers from the University of Michigan School of Medicine have recently released a study that identifies possible markers.
Introduction to the Study
The search for biomarkers for mesothelioma and other cancers is an especially active form of research. The need for accurate differential diagnoses has driven researchers to experiment with a number of substances as possible markers, such as calretinin, CEA, BerEP4, CD15 and cytokeratins, but many of these do not have the high specificity required for such important decision-making. Some recent studies have recently identified a few more substances as possible makers—WE-1, p63, MOC31 and mesothelin—and it is these agents that the authors of the present study looked at. They also looked at the ability of cytokeratin staining to differentiate between the cancers.
The authors studied 43 samples of malignant effusions. 10 were adenocarcinoma (ADC), 15 were squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and 18 were malignant mesothelioma, mainly pleural mesothelioma. Immunostaining for each of the four markers identified above (WE-1, p63, MOC31 and mesothelin) was performed on each sample.
WT-1
The authors found that WT-1 was perfect for determining a malignant mesothelioma diagnosis, as it stained in 100% of the mesothelioma cases and none of the ADC or SCC cases. Calretinin had previously been identified as the best positive marker for differentiating mesothelioma, but the authors recommended further study and greater use of WT-1 because of their excellent results.
P63
Antibody-staining against P63 showed significant staining for SCC, a lower threshold for ADC and none for mesothelioma. The authors support using a combination of P63-negative status and WT-1-positive status to differentiate mesothelioma from both SCC and ADC.
MOC31
The authors conclude that MOC31 wasn’t an effective marker by itself. It stained for ADC 100% of the time, 67% of the time for SCC and 35% for mesothelioma, so it could not differentiate between the malignancies enough on its own. However, when used in a panel with other antibody staining, the authors felt it could be used to differentiate between ADC/SCC and mesothelioma.
Mesothelin
Mesothelin is a marker that is under active investigation, but there are conflicting results returned from different studies regarding its efficacy. Some studies have come back with a 100% success rating for determining a mesothelioma diagnosis, but the authors of this study expressed disappointment at the results they obtained when staining for it. Their figures returned the following results: 100% ADC and 60% SCC, but only a figure of 47% for mesothelioma. The authors do not recommend mesothelin because of these results.
Cytokeratin Staining
The results for K903 and CK5/6 showed that ADC and SCC can be differentiated using cytokeratin staining, but it is only recommended if mesothelioma has been conclusively ruled out before the investigation.
Conclusion
The identification of new markers in cancer diagnosis is an important advancement on our knowledge. Early identification allows the patient to receive earlier treatment, which can be greatly beneficial. With a malignancy such as malignant mesothelioma, which has generally resisted long term treatment, early diagnosis is essential to maximizing patient response.
Labels: LungCancer, mesothelioma
posted by Belluck & Fox at 3:35 PM
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Source: Australasian Radiology
One of the most difficult aspects of treating cancer is the distinct number of forms it can take. While most cancers follow particular biological patterns, the literature is full of examples that do not follow these general trends. For example, in patients who present with a number of different tumors, metastasis is most often suspected as it is very rare for a single person to have multiple primary tumors at one time. Another relative rarity is for one form of cancer to mimic an entirely different form. Imaging tests and morphology analysis can usually identify the type of cancer present in any one patient, but in some cases, these techniques may not return the proper diagnosis, so immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis may be necessary to properly identify the cancer at hand.
In a recent case study from Japan, doctors describe a man whose presentation violated both of the principles just described. The patient was diagnosed with pseudomesotheliomatous adenocarcinoma of the lung, which is a rare lung cancer that morphologically mimics pleural mesothelioma, as well as squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus and adenocarcinoma of the stomach.
Case Study
The patient presented as a 78 year-old man with shortness of breath and right chest pain. He was a smoker without known asbestos exposure and while his previous medical history was generally insignificant, his presentation was quite remarkable. A CT scan revealed diffuse pleural thickening in the right thorax and PET showed significant pleural involvement. A biopsy of the pleural mass was performed by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Pictures from VATS also showed pleural thickening with diffuse spread. All signs pointed to malignant mesothelioma. However, IHC analysis of the biopsy sample revealed adenocarcinoma of the lung, not mesothelioma. The final diagnosis given was pseudomesotheliomatous adenocarcinoma of the lung. This rare form of lung cancer has a similar growth pattern to diffuse malignant mesothelioma and typically shares its poor prognosis as well, with a median survival figure of eight months from diagnosis.
Along with the tests that revealed the pseudomesotheliomatous adenocarcinoma, the patient also underwent an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, which is a procedure that allows a doctor to view and biopsy the interior lining of the esophagus, the stomach, and the duodenum (the first part of the small intestine). The procedure revealed tumors in the esophagus and the antrum, which is the cavity in the stomach where food collects prior to its passage into the small intestine. Biopsy of each tumor revealed they were separate, primary sites: the esophageal tumor was a squamous cell carcinoma, while the stomach tumor was an adenocarcinoma. Analysis of the stomach tumor and the pleural malignancy showed they, too, were separate primary sites, so metastasis was not involved in any manner with the patient’s presentation.
As there are no treatment guidelines for this combination of cancers, the doctors treated the man in a palliative manner. He died six months after diagnosis, due primarily to heavy tumor growth in the pleural areas.
Conclusion
This patient’s presentation was remarkable for having multiple primary cancers, as well as for one of them being pseudomesotheliomatous adenocarcinoma. When multiple tumors are present, metastasis is nearly always at work. The authors report on a previous study of 5456 autopsy cases that described 285 cases of double primary cancer (5.2%) and only 58 cases of triple primary cancer (1.1%). Immunohistochemical analysis clearly showed three primary cancers in this man, placing him within the 1.1% figure from the previous study. It should be no real surprise then that the authors also state this is the first case in the literature of pseudomesotheliomatous adenocarcinoma concurrent with esophageal cancer and stomach cancer. Pseudomesotheliomatous adenocarcinoma is itself a rare cancer. Morphologically it resembles pleural mesothelioma and its diffuse nature is unlike the majority of other forms of lung cancer, so it’s easy to mistake the one for the other. Immunohistochemical analysis is an effective means of differentiating the two cancers, as each presents with specific markers that IHC can identify. The authors recommend IHC in the diagnosis of any pleural malignancy because of its ability to accurately diagnose the particular cancer involved.
Labels: LungCancer, mesothelioma
posted by Belluck & Fox at 2:54 PM
Monday, October 15, 2007
Source: Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Asbestos exposure is a constant concern for workers in shipyards. There is evidence to suggest that these workers are much more likely to come down with an asbestos-related disease than other professions. A study looking at the health patterns of a group of 4702 workers of a Coast Guard shipyard was recently completed and the results did show a greater mortality figure that is most likely caused by asbestos. The study examined workers employed from January 1, 1950 through December 31, 1964 and followed them through December 31, 2001. The findings showed an excess mortality rate for a variety of causes, most notably respiratory cancers, lung cancer, mesothelioma and emphysema. While length of employment wasn’t a factor for most of the other problems, mesothelioma incidence showed a definite increase if the person had worked at the shipyard for longer than 10 years. The study concluded that the greater morality rate was most likely due to asbestos exposure.
Labels: asbestos, LungCancer, mesothelioma
posted by Belluck & Fox at 1:34 PM
Friday, September 21, 2007
Source: Eli Lilly
Eli Lilly has submitted an application with the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) for the approval of Alimta®, in combination with cisplatin, as a first-line treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The EMEA has previously approved Alimta as a single agent, second-line therapy for advanced NSCLC.
The submission is based on the results of a recently-completed study that compared Alimta plus cisplatin to Gemzar>® plus cisplatin and showed that the Alimta treatment regimen had similar efficacy to the Gemzar-based one, but had a better toxicity profile and greater convenience for the patient.
Gemzar is a leading first-line treatment for NSCLC.
Aside from its previously-approved use for NSCLC, Alimta has also been approved, when used with cisplatin, for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma.
Labels: LungCancer, mesothelioma
posted by Belluck & Fox at 10:20 AM
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Source: Wall Street Journal
In a supplement published in the medical journal Chest, the American College of Chest Physicians offered the first comprehensive analysis on the use of alternative and complementary medicine in the treatment of lung cancer. The researchers examined over 100 published studies regarding alternative or complementary medicine in an attempt to quantify the benefits and to identify the problems regarding these modalities. Federal studies have shown that more than half of all Americans have used some type of alternative therapy in their lives and that number increases when cancer is involved. Historically, most doctors have not had the knowledge of these treatments to discuss them with their patients, so the publication of these guidelines represents a genuine advancement in the knowledge of cancer treatment.
The report showed that herbal supplements are, at best, generally not very effective and, at worst, possibly a real problem as some of them will interfere with chemotherapy, radiation or other standard cancer treatments. A notable exception to this warning is the use of vitamin B12 and folic-acid supplements for people being treated with the chemotherapy drug pemetrexed, which is marketed as Alimta® and is the standard chemo drug for people with malignant mesothelioma. The report indicates that the published research on supplements isn’t especially deep, so it does not say that all supplements should be stopped—it merely indicates that supplements need to be evaluated for potential side effects and interactions with other agents.
The report treats acupuncture and other “mind-body” modalities more favorably than supplements and recommends many of them for particular conditions. Acupuncture is recommended for pain relief and to control the nausea and vomiting that is associated with chemotherapy. However, patients who are prone to excessive bleeding should be cautious about the use of acupuncture and should only be treated by a professional with experience in treating cancer patients. Meditation is recommended to reduce stress, while yoga and other relaxation techniques may help improve sleep. Massage is recommended for general pain and anxiety, as is hypnosis, but like acupuncture, those with a tendency to bleed should avoid deep-tissue massage.
The publication of these new guidelines for alternative and complementary medicine is an important advancement in our knowledge of cancer treatment. It is hoped that patients will be well-served with this new knowledge.
Labels: cancer, LungCancer, mesothelioma
posted by Belluck & Fox at 10:04 AM
Friday, May 4, 2007
Source: World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is calling on governments to enact meaningful reform to workplace safety laws and to increase the measures used to protect workers from work-related injury or death. At least 200,000 people die every year from work-caused cancers and millions more are regularly exposed to carcinogenic agents that can dramatically shorten their life expectancy. Mesothelioma, lung cancer and leukemia are just three examples of work-related cancers that can be prevented with the passage and enforcement of meaningful reform.
Specific WHO recommendations include:
- Stop the use of asbestos;
- Introduce benzene-free organic solvents and technologies that convert the carcinogenic chromium into a non-carcinogenic form;
- Ban tobacco use at the workplace; and
- Provide protective clothes for people working in the sun.
The majority of workplace-related deaths currently occur in the developed world, but developing nations represent a new horizon of workplace health epidemics. The WHO’s policy recommendations are made to governments in both the developed and the developing world in order to protect workers everywhere.
Labels: asbestos, LungCancer, mesothelioma
posted by Belluck & Fox at 4:31 PM
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Source: News-Medical.Net
Researches from the Ireland Cancer Center have discovered a mutation in the epidermal growth factor protein (EGFR) that causes resistance in lung cancer cells to targeting agents, such as Tarceva, that attempt to halt the spread of cancer cells by disrupting the receptor responsible for tumor growth. Tarceva has been successfully deployed in clinical settings, with approximately 10 percent of patients achieving complete remission, but if the cancer returned, it was no longer successful in blocking tumor growth. The researchers discovered that a mutation altered the shape of the protein’s drug-binding pocket so Tarceva no longer “fit” the pocket and, therefore, was not able to properly bind to the site to suppress tumor growth. The researches have developed compounds to avoid this resistance through an innovative use of different combinations of medicines. It is thought that the next generation of Tarceva-like drugs, some of which are already in development and starting clinical trials, will overcome these problems and prove even more effective for cancer treatment.
The research term, led by Balazs Halmos, MD, a lung cancer specialist and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, received an award for its research at the recent American Association for Cancer Research meeting.
Labels: LungCancer
posted by Belluck & Fox at 2:24 PM
Monday, April 23, 2007
Source: Rosetta Genomics
The NYU Medical Center, one of the world’s premier academic medical institutions, has partnered with Rosetta Genomics, a leader in the development of microRNA-based diagnostics and therapeutics, to jointly-develop early detection diagnostic tools for lung cancer and mesothelioma. Dr. Harvey Pass, Professor and Chief of the Division of Thoracic Surgery and Thoracic Oncology at NYU Medical Center, describes a test “… that will be able to detect cancer at an ealy stage using a simple blood draw….” The test will use a proprietary protocol developed by Rosetta Genomics to extract microRNAs, which are a recently-discovered form of RNAi that act as protein regulators and have shown promise as biomarkers for a variety of cancers.
Labels: LungCancer, mesothelioma
posted by Belluck & Fox at 4:31 PM
Source: Billings Gazette
Libby, Montana is the location of what the EPA calls “the worst case of community-wide exposure to a toxic substance in U.S. history.” One of Libby’s major revenue sources was its vermiculite mine, but in 1990 it was discovered that the mine was contaminated with asbestos and that this contamination had exposed thousands of people to the many dangers of asbestos exposure, such as lung cancer and mesothelioma. There have now been over 192 deaths and 345 other cases of people made ill because of exposure to the asbestos-contaminated mine.
The primary responsibility for care and screening for these victims has been The Center for Asbestos Related Disease, a 2003 spin-off from the hospital in Libby. While the Center’s main goal has been the care and screening of more than 1500 patients, the Center is also dedicated to researching new treatments and diagnostic techniques. The Center works in conjunction with other organizations, such as the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, on a variety of research projects. One of its current projects is studying the actual asbestos-subtype found in Libby, as it differs in significant ways from the most common form of asbestos, chrysotile. Unlike chrysotile, whose fibers are serpentine-shaped and flexible, the type of asbestos found in Libby has hard, needlike fibers.
In 2001 the federal Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry completed a study which found that fully 19 percent of the population in and around Libby had physical signs of health-related abnormalities consistent with asbestos exposure.
Labels: asbestos, LungCancer, mesothelioma
posted by Belluck & Fox at 1:52 PM
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Source: ScrippsNews
The Utah Department of Health has concluded that people who lived within two miles of two old vermiculite plants with heavy asbestos contamination in Salt Lake City have a fifty percent greater chance of developing lung cancer than people who live in other parts of the state. While the data didn’t conclusively establish a causative relationship between the asbestos contamination and the lung cancer incidents, the high correlation rate has prompted the state to become more concerned about the potential health risks posed by these old plants. Two years ago the state, along with federal agencies, spent more than $7 million in a Superfund cleanup of the two plants.
Utah’s Department of Environmental Quality, in partnership with the EPA, is now launching a search for people who have worked at the plant or lived in the surrounding neighborhoods.
The vermiculite plants received their stock from Libby, Montana, whose vermiculite mining industry was destroyed when large-scale asbestos contamination was discovered in its vermiculite ore mine in 1990. There have been more than 200 asbestos-related casualties from the mine itself, and many others have been sickened by the asbestos exposure. The EPA declared Libby, Montana to be the “worst-case of community-wide exposure to a toxic substance in U.S. History.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libby,_Montana)
Labels: asbestos, LungCancer, mesothelioma
posted by Belluck & Fox at 2:09 PM