How Common is Mesothelioma?
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 cases a year. This means that mesothelioma is very rare in the United States. With a population of over 330,000,000 people, mesothelioma diagnosis represents […]
Asbestos in Cosmetics
Key takeaways: Asbestos is a carcinogenic, naturally-occurring group of minerals that waspreviously used as construction, insulating, building, and packaging material. Because linksbetween asbestos exposure and mesothelioma have been established and studied, theEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA) has made significant strides in curbing the use ofasbestos (and/or making its use much more safe and protected). Despite these […]
Epigenetics and Mesothelioma
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 that asbestos fibers might contribute to the alteration of healthy epigenetic regulation.New treatment strategies, especially for chemotherapy-resistant cases of mesothelioma, mightwork to alter epigenetic expressions of genes […]
Pericardial Mesothelioma
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 difficult. Asbestos and radiation exposures are significant risk factors for developingpericardial mesothelioma. There is not one course of treatment that has been known toeffectively work well, although […]
Peritoneal Mesothelioma
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 begins in the abdominal cavity. Peritoneal mesothelioma affects about 20% of all mesothelioma patients. The other two types of mesothelioma are pericardial mesothelioma and […]
The BoRit Asbestos Site: Ambler, PA
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) put it on a National Priority List. The actions taken to protect members of the Ambler (andsurrounding) community include topping the asbestos with soil and vegetation and […]
Pittsburgh’s Steel Industry and Asbestos
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, and transportation of steel across the nation. Because steel mills used asbestos frequently,steel mill workers and their families were (and are) at a greater risk for asbestos exposure […]
Diagnosing Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
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 elude traditional diagnostic measures. Diagnosing malignant pleural mesothelioma can be difficult. There are new subgroups of MPM manifestation that have been identified by algorithms; in […]
Pemetrexed to Treat Mesothelioma
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 mimicking the biological structure of folic acid, which is critical for the rapidproliferation of cells (which is characteristic of mesothelioma and other cancers). Whenpemetrexed binds to folic acid receptors, […]
Data on Mesothelioma Rates in the US
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 risk of developing mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer that usually affects the pleura, or the lining of the lungs. […]
New Mesothelioma Treatments
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 positive results from treatment has made research imperative. Pleural mesothelioma is by far the most common type of mesothelioma, which begins in the lining of […]
How a National Mesothelioma Registry Would be Beneficial for the US
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 National Registry for mesothelioma, and it would be useful for the United States to have one as well, as they […]
Asbestos and Keeping Safe
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 attractiveness, it has been used in a variety of different products, including insulation materials, building materials, and brakes and clutches for automobiles. These are […]
Mesothelioma and Women
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 certain professions such as construction, manufacturing, shipbuilding, plumbing, carpentry and more. Most cases of mesothelioma occur in men as they were predominantly in these […]
How to Manage Advanced Pleural Mesothelioma
Before 2020, the normal standard of treatment in the first line setting for those with advanced pleural mesothelioma was chemotherapy, with a combination of platinum and pemetrexed. The CheckMate 743 trial showed promising results for another form of treatment in 2020, which was then approved for use. This treatment involved a multimodality approach by combining […]
The PrE0505 Study
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 chemotherapy, ended up resulting in a progression-free survival at six months. Additionally, combining the anti-PD-1 antibody nivolumab with the anti-CTLA-4 antibody ipilimumab improved survival for patients who […]
Mesothelioma – Testing, Treatment and Processes
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 effusion, which is a pathologic collection of fluid between the visceral and parietal pleura in the thoracic cavity. Testing There are a variety […]
What are Pleural Effusions? Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment
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 lungs.” In the body, the pleura are thin membranes that line the lungs. It is normal for a small amount of fluid […]
Mesothelioma Through Secondary Exposure
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. Asbestos, a naturally occurring silicate material is extremely harmful to breathe in and can cause diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis. Most mesothelioma cases […]
Auto Mechanics and Asbestos Exposure and Ways to Prevent Exposure
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 could still be at risk of exposure today. Breathing in asbestos can cause asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma. Auto Mechanics and Asbestos Exposure – Sources […]
