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Key takeaways: Pleural plaques are benign collagen growths that form in response to ingested asbestos fibers. There are no treatment plans associated with plaques, except for managing the pain that...

Key takeaways: EMT is the process by which epithelial cells become mesenchymal, or migratory and stem cell-like. When epithelial cells migrate, they can become cancerous and invasive. EMT has been...

Key takeaways: Although new mesothelioma treatments are being developed, there’s a notablelag time between trial approval and widespread implementation. The existing treatments, likechemotherapy and...

Key takeaways: Immunotoxins are immune cells that have been chemically bound to toxicchemicals. These immune cells are able to target specific cells—in this case, mesothelioma cellsby way of...

If you’re reading you might be asking yourself, is mesothelioma hereditary? The short answer to this is perhaps, but it is extremely rare. Cancer.Net reports this occurrence in 1% of all mesothelioma...

In the world of construction and insulation materials, asbestos and fiberglass are often found at the forefront. Containing properties that make them resistant to heat are not only good for vessels...

Key takeaways: As of now, diagnosing mesothelioma can be done through a biopsy, or a sampleof living tissue. Multimodal imaging—which is the utilization of several imaging techniques...

The valuable and infamous mineral, asbestos, was discovered in the 1900s to negatively affect human health. Doctors and asbestos workers alike began to notice a disturbing trend. Individuals who were...

Mesothelioma is a rare disease that can really take a toll on a person, both physically and mentally. In this article I will explain some facts about mesothelioma in order to inform you of some things...

Key takeaways: Mesothelioma patients and their caregivers often deal with poor mental healthduring the diagnosis and treatment processes, including depression, anxiety, and stress. Whilethese symptoms...

Key takeaways: Immunotherapy is a new treatment option for mesothelioma patients, in whichdrugs administered intravenously work to supplement and reinvigorate the natural immuneresponse. Because...

Investigating not only the location of the mesothelioma but the type of cell initiated can reveal how to best approach treatment. There are three main cell types concerning mesothelioma: epithelioid...

Key takeaways: The BAP1 gene encodes for a variety of regulatory proteins and processes, andis considered an antitumor gene. Mesothelioma onset is associated with a BAP1 mutation, eitherinherited...

The similarities between mesothelioma and asbestosis are almost identical. The difference lies in the place of origin within the body as well as the diagnosis. Asbestos exposure is recognized to be...

Key takeaways: MESODEC is an ongoing mesothelioma clinical clinical trial (currently in Phase II) that is vaccine and chemotherapy-based. By introducing dendritic cells–immune cells that display...

Key takeaways: Asbestos cement (AC), constructed with Portland cement and asbestos, wasused for about 50 years in American infrastructure. Most notably, AC was used to outfit about600,000 miles of...

Key takeaways: Calretinin and mesothelin are cellular products that can be measured asbiomarkers for developing mesothelioma. On their own, they cannot qualify the presence ofmesothelioma; oftentimes...

While the history of asbestos dates back to the Industrial Revolution in the mid-1700s, asbestos is still present and active in many locations across America. It is estimated by the Environmental...

Key takeaways: In 1989, the Environmental Protection Agency instituted a partial ban onasbestos and asbestos-containing products. In 2019, the EPA issued a final rule banningdiscontinued asbestos...

Key takeaways: Asbestos fibers lodged within one’s lungs create an iron deficiency in the localtissues. The body tries to compensate by increasing the movement of cellular channels and byactivating...

Key takeaways: Chemotherapy has been the standard for treating mesothelioma, givenmesothelioma’s relative rarity, heterogenous presentation, and tendency to spread throughout thebody. Because...

In the United States alone, there is an average of 3,000 cases of mesothelioma per year. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that attacks the tissue lining of vital organs. Although mesothelioma...

Asbestos, a group of naturally occurring silicate materials, is notoriously known to be dangerous to inhale, even having the ability to cause cancer, such as mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a cancer...

Key takeaways: Blood tests, like MESOMARK, are becoming more mainstream to help doctorsquickly and accurately diagnose mesothelioma. These tests check for the presence or absence ofcertain biomarkers...

Asbestos, a naturally occurring silicate material, was used extensively in the United States for much of the 1900s, up until 1980. It was very attractive due to a few characteristics, like its heat...

Key takeaways: Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is the rarest and most aggressive origination ofmesothelioma. These cells are irregular in shape, size, and growth, and they are more likely tometastasize...

Key takeaways: Asbestos was frequently used in protective workwear (like aprons, gloves, ovenmitts, firefighters’ uniforms) because of its superb fireproofing and integrity-promoting qualities.A study...

This article will help to explain the importance of optimizing nutrition for mesothelioma patients. There are three different categories (Fruits, Vegetables, Protein-Rich ) that include recommended...

Key takeaways: Biphasic mesothelioma is composed of two cell types: sarcomatoid andepithelioid. This type of mesothelioma accounts for around 20-30% of all diagnoses. Because thecell types vary in...

Most of the time when individuals hear about mesothelioma, they immediately think of lung cancer, unfortunately this is not the case. Let’s delve in further to what exactly lung cancer is and how it’s...

Key takeaways: Epithelioid mesothelioma is the most common subtype of mesothelioma, withabout 50-70% of cases originating in epithelioid tissues. This subtype of mesothelioma has thebest prognosis...

Key takeaways: Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that is sometimes treated with radiation.Radiation uses high-energy particles to target and kill cancerous cells, but previous studies haveclaimed...

Traditionally, mesothelioma is associated with very few treatment options. However, the US Food and Drug Administration has approved certain standards of care that could streamline new mesothelioma...

Key takeaways: Vaccines are currently being developed as treatment for mesothelioma. These vaccinesutilize and manipulate the body’s existing immune defenses in different ways: DNAmanipulation, the...

When one gets diagnosed with mesothelioma, they might ask themselves: How common is mesothelioma? That answer differs depending on the country, however, in the United States there are about 3,000 new...

Key takeaways: Asbestos is a carcinogenic, naturally-occurring group of minerals that waspreviously used as construction, insulating, building, and packaging material. Because linksbetween asbestos...

Key takeaways: Epigenetics, or the change of gene expression by external factors, plays a role inthe onset of mesothelioma. While the exact mechanism hasn’t been identified yet, researchersbelieve...

Key takeaways: Pericardial mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer of the tissues surrounding theheart. Symptoms manifest in a similar way to other diseases and cancers, so diagnosis is mademore...

There are four types of mesothelioma, the most common being pleural mesothelioma, which begins in the lining of the lung. The second most common type of mesothelioma is peritoneal mesothelioma, which...

Key takeaways: The BoRit Asbestos site is an area of concentrated asbestos waste, located in the suburbsof Philadelphia. It was unregulated until 2009, when the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA)...

Key takeaways: In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the steel industry established itself inPittsburgh. This was a result of different environmental factors complementing the production,sale...

Key Takeaways: MPM is usually diagnosed through a biopsy, or a small sample of living tissueof the pleural mesothelium, which is the tissue surrounding the lungs. However, somemanifestations of MPM...

Key takeaways: Besides chemotherapy and surgery, there are numerous diagnostic and treatmentoptions for mesothelioma that originate in the immune system. Mesothelioma has certainimmune checkpoints...

Key takeaways: When administered in conjunction with cisplatin, pemetrexed is an effectivedrug to treat mesothelioma when surgery or other chemotherapeutic options are not available. Itworks by...

Cancer can affect anyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, etc. That being the case, some people are more susceptible to some cancers than others. Those who have been exposed to asbestos are at...

In recent years, the US Food and Drug Administration has approved new therapeutic techniques for new mesothelioma treatments. Malignant pleural mesothelioma has been difficult to treat and the lack of...

Since mesothelioma is such a rare form of cancer, it is difficult to get the proper statistics on the number of cases there are per year. There are other countries, including Italy, that have a...

Asbestos is the name given to a group of naturally occurring silicate materials. In the past, asbestos was attractive because of its heat resistance, tensile strength and flexibility. Because of its...

A rare and aggressive form of cancer, there are about 3,000 cases of mesothelioma documented each year in the United States. Most cases of mesothelioma come from occupational asbestos exposure in...

Before 2020, the normal standard of treatment in the first line setting for those with pleural mesothelioma was chemotherapy, with a combination of platinum and pemetrexed. The CheckMate 743 trial...

For many years, the only approved systemic therapy for treating malignant pleural mesothelioma was cisplatin and pemetrexed combination therapy. The phase 2 DREAM study which involves durvalumab with...

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a thoracic malignancy and the most common form of mesothelioma. Patients may come in to see a doctor with chest pain and breathlessness related to a pleural...

Metastatic mesothelioma is a condition where malignant cells from a primary tumor in the lining of the lungs or abdomen spread to other parts of the body. This spread, known as metastasis, typically...

Pleural effusions are a buildup of fluid in the lining of the lung, leading to chest pain, coughing, difficulty breathing and high risk of collapsed lung. This is sometimes called “water on the...

Asbestos abatement, a process that encompasses both the identification and removal of asbestos-containing materials, has grown into a multi-billion-dollar industry. This is largely due to the...

The Valley Health System is headquartered in Paramus, New Jersey but has many different locations depending on the type of treatment needed. The mission of the Valley Health System is, “Enhancing...

Mesothelioma, an extremely rare form of cancer, affects approximately 3,000 in the US annually. Although rare, it is extremely aggressive. The sole cause of mesothelioma is through asbestos exposure...

Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, in affiliation with the Abramson Cancer Center, has established a remarkable reputation for its exemplary care for mesothelioma patients. Their dedicated Mesothelioma...

Auto mechanics and virtually anyone who works on cars, even hobbyists, could have been exposed to asbestos, a naturally occurring silicate material that is extremely harmful to inhale. These people...

Fox Chase Cancer Center was founded in 1904. In 2012, Fox Chase Cancer Center became a part of the Temple University Health System. There are a multitude of doctors there treating many different...

Westinghouse Electric Corporation was founded in 1886 in Pennsylvania. During its time Westinghouse Electric used a lot of asbestos in electrical products and equipment such as welding rods, turbines...

Throughout the 20th century, asbestos usage was significantly amplified across all military branches, with a notable increase in the Army. Asbestos, a naturally abundant and affordable mineral, was...

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is the most common form of mesothelioma, beginning in the thoracic cavity and affecting about 75% of mesothelioma patients. There are many different treatment options...