Combination Therapy Shows Promise For Rare, Deadly Cancer Caused By Asbestos

Pleural mesothelioma patients who undergo lung-sparing surgery in combination with photodynamic therapy (PDT) show superior overall survival than patient treated using the conventional therapy of extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) (or en bloc removal of the lung and surrounding tissue) with PDT, indicates new research from the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The research is published in the June 2011 issue of the Annals of Thoracic Surgery.

"Unlike patients who receive traditional lung sacrificing surgery for mesothelioma, the patients in our study who underwent lung sparing surgery and photodynamic therapy, a light-based cancer treatment, have experienced unusually long overall survival rates. The median survival for those patients had not been reached at over two years when the results were analyzed. That's unusual in this field, especially when the majority of those patients are older and have advanced cancer," said Joseph Friedberg, MD, co-director of the Penn Mesothelioma and Pleural Program and the thoracic surgeon who performed the operations cited in the study. "In addition to the overall survival statistics, the difference between having and not having a lung, both with respect to the risk of surgery and the ability to enjoy a normal life after surgery, is crucial for these patients."

Mesothelioma is one of the most aggressive and deadliest forms of cancer and is usually caused by exposure to asbestos. Exposure to asbestos typically precedes development of the cancer by anywhere from 10 - 50 years, but once it occurs, the average survival rate following diagnosis is often only 9-12 months.

Although mesothelioma can occur in other locations like the abdomen, pleural mesothelioma is the most common form of the disease and accounts for roughly 70 percent of cases. This form originates in the pleura - the membrane surrounding the lung and lining the chest - where it starts off as a microscopic sheet of malignant cells that coats the interior of the chest and can grow to be several inches thick. The coating and enveloping nature of the cancer makes it impossible to completely remove it with surgery alone. As a result, the conventional surgery-based approach to treatment involves radical surgery that includes removing the lung, in combination with chemotherapy and whole chest radiation. Even with this aggressive treatment, the disease will recur in almost all patients.

The current study had two goals. The first was to determine if using a new combination of PDT and surgery would allow a less extensive surgical procedure to be used in lieu of an EPP. The second was to determine if, based on previous research from Penn with PDT, the treatment would have any positive effect on survival for patients.

Unlike radiation, which passes through the body, the PDT therapy used in the current study penetrates only a short distance which allows the lung to be preserved. The PDT treatment aims to eradicate the remaining microscopic disease trigger a patient's own immune system to help fight cancer. Penn is one of only two centers in the world where PDT is used to treat pleural mesothelioma.

In the study, 28 patients (19 men, 9 women) underwent surgical resection plus PDT for pleural mesothelioma. Patients were aged from 27 to 81 years. All patients were seen in a multidisciplinary setting and educated about the spectrum of treatment options available, including surgical intervention and its currently investigational status. Of the study group, 14 patients were treated by modified extrapleural pneumonectomy (MEPP) and 14 by radical pleurectomy (RP) and intraoperative PDT. Twenty-two of the 28 patients also received chemotherapy.

Demographics in the MEPP and RP cohorts were similar in age, sex, stage, nodal status, histology, and adjuvant treatments. Stage III/IV disease was present in 12 of 14 patients (86 percent) in both groups. The median overall survival for the patients who received the MEPP treatment was 8.4 months. At a follow-up 2.1 years after the end of treatment, a median survival rate for the patients who received a radical pleurectomy had not yet been reached. The results yielded by the radical pleurectomy and adjuvant PDT were superior to other studies of surgical treatment plans with patients of similar demographics.

"Our primary motivation in attempting the lung sparing surgery was preservation of quality of life, and we were hoping the survival results would at least be similar to the more traditional pneumonectomy approach," said Friedberg. "Although our pneumonectomy results were in line with what is often reported for similar patients having surgery-based treatments, we were completely caught off guard when the analysis revealed a significantly longer survival for the patients who retained both lungs."

Although all patients in the current study received the PDT therapy in combination with a different surgical technique, the researchers further note that the use of intraoperative PDT is the evident difference between the multimodal protocol used in the current study and other standard treatment options presently in use, and it seems worth speculating on any potential direct contributions of the PDT to the overall survival rates.

"Why this is happening is unclear and has emerged as the focus of our continuing research," said Friedberg. The possibility exists that the residual PDT-treated microscopic disease induced an autologous tumor vaccine effect or potentially enhanced the effect of adjuvant treatments.

"This study has limitations, as many mesothelioma studies do, but these results are very encouraging. The findings from our study are particularly notable because many of the patients in this study would often be excluded from surgery-based therapy because of their advanced age or unfavorable oncologic characteristics such as the large bulk of their cancers or the spread to the lymph nodes," said Dr. Friedberg. "Based on these results this lung-sparing technique, combined with photodynamic therapy, has become the backbone of our surgery-based treatment protocols."

A larger study investigating the efficacy of this multimodal approach is currently underway at Penn.

The Penn Mesothelioma and Pleural Program is a unique program that consists of a multidisciplinary team of dedicated specialists with a passion and expertise for treating patients with these difficult cancers. The Penn Program offers a true multidisciplinary approach, presenting patients with essentiallyall treatment options offered world wide and a number of treatments offered only at Penn.

Source:
Penn's Perelman School of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Penn Medicine

View drug information on Photodynamic Therapy.

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Link Between Asbestos And Genetic Mutation

Mice inhabiting a northern town of Israel known for its high concentration of asbestos-contaminated dust, have a higher level of genetic somatic mutations, compared with other regions where asbestos pollution levels are lower. This has been shown in a new study carried out by Dr. Rachel Ben-Shlomo and Dr. Uri Shanas of the University of Haifa's Department of Biology in Oranim. "This study clearly indicates that there is a link between the higher levels of asbestos in the environment and the frequency of genetic somatic mutations in the mammals," the scientists said.

Earlier studies of asbestos have already shown that the thin fibers, which penetrate the body by inhalation or through consumption of food contaminated with the material, not only cause certain cancers but also genetic mutations in DNA structures. It is also known that asbestos is a material that decomposes slowly, over many years. Data from the Israeli Ministry of Health indicate a rise in the number of cancer patients from exposure to asbestos in the Western Galilee region of northern Israel, and therefore the scientists set out to examine whether genetic mutations are found in the mouse population living in its northern town of Nahariya. They chose to probe mutations in mice because their generations are renewed every three months, so it could be assumed for the study that dozens of generations of this sample population in Nahariya had already been exposed to the fibers.

Wild mice from two locations were sampled - one group living close to a factory that manufactured asbestos-based products in Nahariya during 1952-1997, and a second group from a town located 50 kilometers, or 31 miles, from Nahariya and where no known asbestos pollutants are found. Samples were taken from both groups and six sites in the DNA were examined for genetic differences between the groups.

The results indicated differences between the groups' DNA and that the Nahariya-based mice had higher levels of genetic somatic mutations.

"These findings teach us that the pollutive, mutagenic asbestos increases somatic mutational frequency, which can in turn heighten the chances of developing cancerous growths," the researchers concluded.

Source:
Rachel Feldman
University of Haifa

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The Latest On Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Caused By Exposure To Asbestos

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Patients with early stage malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), a cancer that develops in the lining of the lungs, may be eligible for aggressive multi-modality therapy involving surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. There are two main approaches, and controversy has existed about which approach is superior. One is called extrapleural pnemonectomy (EPP), a very extensive surgery where surgeons remove the entire diseased lung, lung lining (pleura), part of the membrane covering the heart (pericardium) and part of the diaphragm. Another approach involves a less extensive surgery called pleurectomy/decortication (P/D), where surgeons remove part of the lining around the lungs, potentially part, but not all of the lung, and potentially part of the diaphragm and/or membrane around the heart. Research presented in the April 2012 issue of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer's (IASLC) Journal of Thoracic Oncology concludes that the P/D method had better results for patients in a recent analysis.

According to the study, "EPP resulted in higher mortality and morbidity than P/D, and P/D resulted in significantly better survival in our experience as in others." The authors, "propose that P/D becomes the standard surgical procedure offered as part of multi-modality therapy in malignant pleural mesothelioma."

Until recently, EPP was the considered the standard of treatment. But this latest study along with other recent research seems to point to P/D becoming the new standard of treatment. Dr. Michael Weyant, thoracic surgeon and assistant professor at the University of Colorado, wrote an editorial in the April JTO about this topic. He concludes that, "the results of the current study by Lang-Lazdunksi et al provide additional data that should lead us to consider P/D in all trials of treatment for MPM. It is too early based on this data to completely abandon EPP altogether as there may be patient subsets where the potential reward outweighs the risks of the procedure."

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Construction Workers And Electricians At High Risk Of Asbestos Exposure

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Asbestos exposure is known to cause :

MesotheliomaLung cancer Asbestosis Statistics show it is particularly prevalent amongst construction workers and electricians due to their constant contact with construction materials and dust, some of which is likely to include asbestos, no matter how careful they are.

Asbestos, although a natural fiber, when swallowed or inhaled, can cause grave health risks as fibers trapped in the body begin to cause irritation, tumors and especially pulmonary problems. Unfortunately, it was a commonly used construction material in the early half of the 20th century, preferred for its low cost, ease of manufacture, as well as its fire and water resistant properties.

Modern construction no longer uses asbestos due to improvements in synthetic materials and cements and more awareness of the dangers it poses.

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer specific to asbestos exposure. There are no cases of Mesothelioma not associated with Asbestos. It normally occurs in the linings of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma) and abdomen (peritoneal Mesothelioma), but the cancer can occur in the lining of many internal organs. Sadly, Mesothelioma is incurable because it is typically diagnosed late, and, according to the Mayo Clinic, treatment has to be focused on keeping the patient as comfortable as possible.

Mesothelioma can take years to develop, so that a worker who was exposed to asbestos many years ago, may develop it long after retirement. It can take 20 to 40 years to develop, however once diagnosed it is characteristically very aggressive.

Exposure to asbestos may also cause regular lung cancer. Asbestos related lung cancer occurs in the lungs themselves and may result in tumors that reduce pulmonary function and begin to block airways.

Asbestosis, which only occurs from exposure to asbestos, is not a form of cancer, but rather the buildup of scar tissue in the lungs caused by the irritation and damage from the fibres.Occupations at Risk of ExposureUntil the 1980s, asbestos was regularly used in construction and other industrial applications. Awareness of problems with asbestos combined with lawsuits against employers and manufacturers put an end to its use.

Asbestos is naturally heat resistant and can provide a useful fireproof layer in products, ranging from flooring and walling to vehicle brakes and insulation, thus many workers were literally in contact with asbestos on an almost daily basis, which is known as "occupational exposure". They are clearly at a much greater risk of developing lung cancer, mesothelioma or asbestosis.

The areas of industry include :
Auto mechanicsBrick and stone masonsConstruction workersElectriciansFirefightersHVAC workers/Boiler MechanicsInsulation InstallersPlumbersRailroad workersRoofersWeldersConstruction Worker ExposureIn construction asbestos was used in many products, including, but not limited to :
BoilersCeiling tiles DrywallFireproofing materialsFlooringInsulationRoof panels Workers would often cut the asbestos material to fir the installation. Asbestos is most commonly known as a grey fibrous board, similar to compressed cement board. The problem of exposure continues, even though new projects are not using the material any longer, any renovations of pre 1990s buildings can come across large usage of asbestos, the removal of which poses a genuine hazard. Even the World Trade Center Towers, relatively modern buildings, were riddled with asbestos - there are real concerns for firemen and contractors involved with cleaning up the site.Electrical Worker ExposureElectricians have a dual set of risks, not only in dealing with standard construction materials that they need to cut through or install, but also electrical products themselves which used asbestos. They risk exposure to asbestos almost daily.

When drilling conduits for wiring, electricians often encounter asbestos products in the walling. The drilling itself being one of the worst exposures, producing large amounts of dust that many not be immediately identifiable as asbestos. Some electrical products that include asbestos are : Ceiling tilesCement sidingCircuit BreakersInsulationSwitchgearsThermal paperWall plasterOlder equipment in buildings that electricians may be working on or around, including turbines, generators, heating units, hot water tanks etc. may also have asbestos in their installations. Whilst not being in the most immediately obvious industry for asbestos exposure, electrical workers are besieged from all sides by asbestos risk.Secondary Exposure to AsbestosAsbestos is a very small fiber that is transmitted in dust and can easily attach to clothing, shoes, hair, skin, collect in work vehicles and be taken back to the home. Thus many family members of workers who were exposed on the job may have been exposed to harmful amounts of asbestos, via transmission of the particles from the work site to the home.

Because of the latency period of developing mesothelioma or other lung diseases caused by asbestos, many workers are still discovering that they have, or are developing, complications due to asbestos exposure.

If you or a family member work, or previously worked, in a job that brought exposure to asbestos, contact a personal injury attorney experienced in handling asbestos related claims.

This articles has been adapted from a press release issued by Gori Julian & Associates on behalf of www.gorijulianlaw.com/

Written by Rupert Shepherd
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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Bonded Asbestos No Longer Considered Safe, Say Experts

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The rise in the number of natural disaster means we cannot consider bonded asbestos as safe anymore, cancer experts in Perth said in the Clinical Oncological Society of Australia's Annual Scientific Meeting. The increase in the incidence of floods, earthquakes, cyclones and bushfires have put Australians at a significantly higher risk of asbestos-related diseases, according to submissions to the Asbestos Management Review

They are referring specifically to materials built from 1945 to 1980 which have been destroyed by natural disaster, releasing harmful fibers into the environment.

Review Chairman, Geoff Fary, explained that several of the submissions mention asbestos as still a serious threat to human health because of home renovations and natural disasters.

Mr Fary said:

"The Asbestos Management Review is an initiative by the Australian Government in response to calls for Australia to be asbestos-free by 2030. We have consulted and had input from more than 60 stakeholders representing employment, health and research organizations, federal, state and local government, unions and asbestos disease sufferers and support groups.

"There was widespread consensus on the need to improve removal facilities, creating a consistent approach to removal and increasing public awareness."

As the number and intensity of natural disasters are expected to rise, Fary said that many experts are concerned about human exposure to asbestos, which among other things, can raise the risk of developing lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Mr Fary said:

"Home renovations are another major issue. An option for the Review is to recommend anyone planning a renovation where asbestos is present to use a licensed asbestos remover."

Over 600 people in Australia die of mesothelioma annually, Prof. Bogda Koczwara, President of the Clnical Oncological Society of Australia, explained.

Koczwara said:

"This is a highly lethal cancer with very poor survival," Professor Koczwara said. "Yet many people don't realise they are exposing themselves to asbestos when they pull up their lino floors or recover relics from their flooded home.

We need to be doing more to raise awareness and to remove asbestos, especially from areas prone to natural disasters like flooding, earthquake and bushfire."

Written by Christian Norqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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Mesothelioma And Other Asbestos Disease Victims Celebrate Victory In Louisiana

Nemeroff Law Firm says it is celebrating a win for many of its clients - victims of asbestos related diseases, including mesothelioma. The firm says it played a vital role in "striking down Neil Abramson's Asbestos Bankruptcy Trust Transparency bill", which would have probably meant considerably reduced legal judgments and unfair regulations for those seeking compensation for their asbestos-related injuries.

H.B. 477 was unanimously passed in the House, but was defeated in committee by the Louisiana Senate (vote 4-2).

Legislators had proposed legislation which would have meant that those claiming compensation would have to make additional disclosure. Nemeroff says this goes against long-standing rules regarding admission of evidence.

If defendants had been allowed to introduce evidence regarding hypothetical compensation, their final compensation might have been worth a great deal less, the law firm wrote. In some cases, the judge's ability to determine whether evidence was admissible in court might have been removed.

Founder of the Nemeroff Law Firm, Attorney Rick Nemeroff, said:

"This ill-conceived and potentially harmful legislation would have further victimized individuals suffering from mesothelioma and their families by forcing them to jump through unnecessary legal hoops and significantly reducing their ability to seek fair compensation.

Even worse, this legislation would have made it easier for the companies that caused that suffering to dodge their responsibility."What is Mesothelioma?Mesothelioma, also known as malignant mesothelioma, is a form of cancer that attacks the protective lining of the internal organs (mesothelial cells), most commonly the lungs (pleura). In the majority of cases, patients with this aggressive cancer had been exposed to asbestos, a fibrous mineral that is extensively used in industry and construction. Patients may not develop the disease for several decades after exposure to asbestos.

Oncologists divide mesothelioma into three types (all three are nearly always caused by asbestos exposure):Pleural mesothelioms - affects the lining surrounding the lungs, the pleura. The most common form.
Peritoneal mesothelioma - affects the lining of the abdomen, the peritoneum. The 2nd most common form.
Pericardial mesothelioma - the rarest form. The protective layer covering the heart is affected.


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Mystery unraveled: How asbestos causes cancer

ScienceDaily (June 29, 2010) — More than 20 million people in the U.S., and many more worldwide, who have been exposed to asbestos are at risk of developing mesothelioma, a malignant cancer of the membranes that cover the lungs and abdomen that is resistant to current therapies. Moreover, asbestos exposure increases the risk of lung cancer among smokers. For the past 40 years researchers have tried to understand why asbestos causes cancer.
See Also:Health & MedicineMesotheliomaLung CancerCancerEarth & ClimateEnvironmental PolicyAtmosphereEarth ScienceReferenceMesotheliomaCarcinogenLung cancerAsbestos
The answer appears in a study published in the current issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A., Drs. Haining Yang and Michele Carbone at the University of Hawai'i Cancer Research Center led a research team that included collaborators at New York University, University of Chicago, University of Pittsburgh, San Raffaele University of Milano, and the Imperial College in London.
These researchers addressed the paradox of how asbestos fibers that kill cells could cause cancer, since a dead cell should not be able to grow and form a tumor. They found that when asbestos kills cells, it does so by inducing a process called "programmed cell necrosis" that leads to the release of a molecule called high-mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1). HMGB1 starts a particular type of inflammatory reaction that causes the release of mutagens and factors that promote tumor growth. The researchers found that patients exposed to asbestos have elevated levels of HMGB1 in their serum. Therefore, they state that it may be possible to target HMGB1 to prevent or treat mesothelioma and identify asbestos-exposed cohorts by simple HMGB1 serological testing.
In the article, the researchers propose that by interfering with the inflammatory reaction caused by asbestos and HMGB1, it may be possible to decrease cancer incidence among cohorts exposed to asbestos and decrease the rate of tumor growth among those already affected by mesothelioma. Drs. Yang and Carbone, the lead authors, state that to test this hypothesis, they are now planning a clinical trial in a remote area in Cappadocia, Turkey, where over 50% of the population dies of malignant mesothelioma. If the results are positive, the approach will be extended to cohorts of asbestos-exposed individuals in the U.S.
This research emphasizes the role of inflammation in causing different types of cancers and provides novel clinical tools to identify exposed individuals and prevent or decrease tumor growth. The researchers question if it will be possible to prevent mesothelioma, like colon cancer, simply by taking aspirin or similar drugs that stop inflammation. They are about to test this hypothesis.
The article is authored by Haining Yang, Zeyana Rivera, Sandro Jube, Masaki Nasu, Pietro Bertino and Michele Carbone at the University of Hawai'i Cancer Research Center; Harvey I. Pass and Chandra Goparaju at New York University; Thomas Krausz at the University of Chicago; Michael T. Lotze at the University of Pittsburgh; Guido Franzoso at the Imperial College of London, U.K.; and Marco E. Bianchi at the University of San Raffele Milano, Italy. It will be published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences U.S.A. the week of June 28 2010, and later in print. The study was supported by grants from the U.S. National Cancer Institute, and by the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation.
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Urgent ban on all asbestos needed, experts urge

ScienceDaily (Dec. 9, 2010) — Scientists at the Collegium Ramazzini in Modena, Italy have repeated calls for a total ban on all asbestos across the globe. Writing in the International Journal of Environment and Health, the Collegium points out that just 52 nations have banned asbestos but a large number still use, import and export asbestos and asbestos-containing products.
See Also:Health & MedicineMesotheliomaDiseases and ConditionsWorkplace HealthScience & SocietyPublic HealthWorld DevelopmentIndustrial RelationsReferenceAsbestosMesotheliomaIndoor air qualityCarcinogen
Asbestos can refer to any of six naturally occurring fibrous minerals, serpentine asbestos, also known as chrysotile or white asbestos accounts for 95% of all asbestos use. The amphibole minerals: amosite (brown asbestos), crocidolite (blue asbestos), and tremolite, anthophyllite, and actinolite, are no longer used. Asbestos can withstand fire, heat and acid, is strong and insulates against heat and sound. But, it is a potent cancer-causing material account for 5-7% of lung cancers in men internationally and effecting the health of millions.
Despite the fact that there are now synthetic alternative that are much safer than asbestos, white asbestos is still mined and exported to the developing world, most notably by Canada, which has come under fire from the medical journal The Lancet for the alleged hypocrisy of having banned asbestos use in Canada but continuing to export the lethal material. The Collegium points out that exemption of white asbestos from any ban has no basis in medical science.
To protect the health of all people in the world -- industrial workers, construction workers, women and children, now and in future generations, a total ban, rigorously enforced, is urgently needed, the Collegium says.
At least 125 million people around the world are today exposed to asbestos through their work with about 20 to 40% of adult men reporting past occupations that may have exposed them to the risk of mesothelioma, asbestos, and lung cancer due to asbestos.
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How Asbestos Fibers Trigger Cancer In Human Cells

ScienceDaily (Dec. 18, 2008) — Ohio State University scientists believe they are the first in the world to study the molecular underpinnings of cancer by probing individual bonds between an asbestos fiber and human cells.

See Also:Health & MedicineMesotheliomaLung CancerCancerLymphomaDiseases and ConditionsOvarian CancerReferenceAsbestosMesotheliomaIndoor air qualityCarcinogen

Though any clinical application is years away, the researchers hope their findings could aid in drug development efforts targeting illnesses caused by excessive exposure to asbestos, including the deadly cancer called mesothelioma.

The researchers use atomic force microscopy to observe how a single asbestos fiber binds with a specific receptor protein on cell surfaces. They suspect that at least one of the more lethal forms of asbestos triggers a cascade of events inside cells that eventually lead to illness, sometimes decades later.

The conditions most commonly associated with long-term exposure to airborne asbestos are lung cancer; asbestosis, a chronic respiratory disease; and mesothelioma, a cancer that forms in the membrane lining most internal organs of the body, including the lungs.

Eric Taylor, a doctoral candidate in earth sciences at Ohio State and a coauthor of the study, describes atomic force microscopy as “Braille on a molecular level,” meaning it allows scientists to feel and observe what’s happening on molecular surfaces.

“We’re looking at what molecules are involved in the chain of events when the fiber touches the cell. Does the binding occur over minutes, or hours? And what processes are triggered?” said Taylor, who presented the research at the American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco.

Asbestos comprises six different minerals that naturally occur in both fragment and fibrous forms. Because of its high durability and heat resistance, the fibrous form has been used in many manufacturing products since the late 1800s. Though its use is now highly regulated, asbestos is still present in many materials. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that 1.3 million employees face significant asbestos exposure on the job. Environmental exposure is also possible because asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral in soils and exposed bedrock.   

Crocidolite, or blue asbestos, is part of the amphibole group of asbestos minerals, which were banned in most of the Western world by the mid-1980s. Before that, they were used in such products as ceiling tiles and thermal insulation.

Ohio State researchers have focused so far on the crocidolite form of asbestos, but eventually hope to study how all six forms of asbestos interact with certain proteins on cell surfaces. Some forms of asbestos can dissolve in the lungs if they are inhaled, but others are believed to essentially “stick” to cells, especially at high concentrations, and eventually cause lung diseases.

“For the first time, this will give us data on biological activity that should help policymakers determine which forms of asbestos are the most dangerous,” said Steven Lower, associate professor of earth sciences at Ohio State and a coauthor on the study.

“The hypothesis we’re testing is that binding of cell surface receptors to asbestos fibers triggers a signal event, which initiates the cancer,” said Lower, also a faculty member in the School of Environment and Natural Resources. “There seems to be something intrinsic about certain types of asbestos, blue asbestos in particular, that elicits a unique signal, and it triggers inflammation, the formation of pre-malignant cells and, ultimately, cancer.”

The first protein to be studied is epidermal growth factor receptor, which is present on the surface of every human cell. Understanding the intricacies of the binding process between the mineral and one or more proteins will provide an index of the biological activity of a particular type of asbestos, and might lead the researchers to figure out how to prevent or undo that interaction, Lower said.

Taylor said the driving motivation behind the research is the potential to find a way to intervene and prevent illness even after someone is exposed to asbestos. Mesothelioma symptoms don’t typically appear until 30 to 50 years after exposure. After diagnosis, however, the cancer is difficult to control, and there is no cure.

This work is supported by the National Science Foundation.

Taylor and Lower conducted the research with Ann Wylie of the University of Maryland and Brooke Mossman of the University of Vermont.

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Pleural mesothelioma: Combination therapy shows promise for rare, deadly cancer caused by asbestos

ScienceDaily (June 2, 2011) — Pleural mesothelioma patients who undergo lung-sparing surgery in combination with photodynamic therapy (PDT) show superior overall survival than patient treated using the conventional therapy of extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) (or en bloc removal of the lung and surrounding tissue) with PDT, indicates new research from the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The research is published in the June 2011 issue of the Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
See Also:Health & MedicineMesotheliomaWounds and HealingLung DiseaseDiseases and ConditionsLung CancerToday's HealthcareReferenceMesotheliomaLung cancerMetastasisGlioma
"Unlike patients who receive traditional lung sacrificing surgery for mesothelioma, the patients in our study who underwent lung sparing surgery and photodynamic therapy, a light-based cancer treatment, have experienced unusually long overall survival rates. The median survival for those patients had not been reached at over two years when the results were analyzed. That's unusual in this field, especially when the majority of those patients are older and have advanced cancer," said Joseph Friedberg, MD, co-director of the Penn Mesothelioma and Pleural Program and the thoracic surgeon who performed the operations cited in the study. "In addition to the overall survival statistics, the difference between having and not having a lung, both with respect to the risk of surgery and the ability to enjoy a normal life after surgery, is crucial for these patients."
Mesothelioma is one of the most aggressive and deadliest forms of cancer and is usually caused by exposure to asbestos. Exposure to asbestos typically precedes development of the cancer by anywhere from 10 -- 50 years, but once it occurs, the average survival rate following diagnosis is often only 9-12 months.
Although mesothelioma can occur in other locations like the abdomen, pleural mesothelioma is the most common form of the disease and accounts for roughly 70 percent of cases. This form originates in the pleura -- the membrane surrounding the lung and lining the chest -- where it starts off as a microscopic sheet of malignant cells that coats the interior of the chest and can grow to be several inches thick. The coating and enveloping nature of the cancer makes it impossible to completely remove it with surgery alone. As a result, the conventional surgery-based approach to treatment involves radical surgery that includes removing the lung, in combination with chemotherapy and whole chest radiation. Even with this aggressive treatment, the disease will recur in almost all patients.
The current study had two goals. The first was to determine if using a new combination of PDT and surgery would allow a less extensive surgical procedure to be used in lieu of an EPP. The second was to determine if, based on previous research from Penn with PDT, the treatment would have any positive effect on survival for patients.
Unlike radiation, which passes through the body, the PDT therapy used in the current study penetrates only a short distance which allows the lung to be preserved. The PDT treatment aims to eradicate the remaining microscopic disease trigger a patient's own immune system to help fight cancer. Penn is one of only two centers in the world where PDT is used to treat pleural mesothelioma.
In the study, 28 patients (19 men, 9 women) underwent surgical resection plus PDT for pleural mesothelioma. Patients were aged from 27 to 81 years. All patients were seen in a multidisciplinary setting and educated about the spectrum of treatment options available, including surgical intervention and its currently investigational status. Of the study group, 14 patients were treated by modified extrapleural pneumonectomy (MEPP) and 14 by radical pleurectomy (RP) and intraoperative PDT. Twenty-two of the 28 patients also received chemotherapy.
Demographics in the MEPP and RP cohorts were similar in age, sex, stage, nodal status, histology, and adjuvant treatments. Stage III/IV disease was present in 12 of 14 patients (86 percent) in both groups. The median overall survival for the patients who received the MEPP treatment was 8.4 months. At a follow-up 2.1 years after the end of treatment, a median survival rate for the patients who received a radical pleurectomy had not yet been reached. The results yielded by the radical pleurectomy and adjuvant PDT were superior to other studies of surgical treatment plans with patients of similar demographics.
"Our primary motivation in attempting the lung sparing surgery was preservation of quality of life, and we were hoping the survival results would at least be similar to the more traditional pneumonectomy approach," said Friedberg. "Although our pneumonectomy results were in line with what is often reported for similar patients having surgery-based treatments, we were completely caught off guard when the analysis revealed a significantly longer survival for the patients who retained both lungs."
Although all patients in the current study received the PDT therapy in combination with a different surgical technique, the researchers further note that the use of intraoperative PDT is the evident difference between the multimodal protocol used in the current study and other standard treatment options presently in use, and it seems worth speculating on any potential direct contributions of the PDT to the overall survival rates.
"Why this is happening is unclear and has emerged as the focus of our continuing research," said Friedberg. The possibility exists that the residual PDT-treated microscopic disease induced an autologous tumor vaccine effect or potentially enhanced the effect of adjuvant treatments.
"This study has limitations, as many mesothelioma studies do, but these results are very encouraging. The findings from our study are particularly notable because many of the patients in this study would often be excluded from surgery-based therapy because of their advanced age or unfavorable oncologic characteristics such as the large bulk of their cancers or the spread to the lymph nodes," said Dr. Friedberg. "Based on these results this lung-sparing technique, combined with photodynamic therapy, has become the backbone of our surgery-based treatment protocols."
A larger study investigating the efficacy of this multimodal approach is currently underway at Penn.
The Penn Mesothelioma and Pleural Program is a unique program that consists of a multidisciplinary team of dedicated specialists with a passion and expertise for treating patients with these difficult cancers. The Penn Program offers a true multidisciplinary approach, presenting patients with essentially all treatment options offered world wide and a number of treatments offered only at Penn.
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Mesothelioma Cancer Is Particularly Deadly And It Is Caused By Coming In Contact With Asbestos

There are quite few words that you never want to hear come out of your doctor's mouth, and mesothelioma cancer is without question, one of the terms at the very top of the list. It is a very lethal form of this disease, which there are no known cures for. Presently, if you happen to catch it, you have a death sentence.

It is caused by coming in contact with a substance called asbestos. This item has been around for quite some time, but it was not until the 20th century that is was used as a component to manufacture many different types of products. The kinds of items it was used in varied greatly, from clothes, to children toys, to all kinds of building products.

It was widely used in the construction industry because it was inexpensive, a fantastic insulator, and it was fire resistant. At the time, it was taught of as some kind of "Wonder Material", because it was so good at almost everything.

However, as it use increased, so did its contact with people. As early as the 1930's, the firms that manufactured asbestos had evidence that it was harming the people that came in contact with it. But, since they were making so much money off of it, they did not reveal their knowledge, and continued to distribute the item to the general public.

Today, if somebody comes down with mesothelioma cancer, almost assuredly they came in contact with asbestos in either an old building or old ship. The problem with the substance, is that if you are not an expert at identifying it, you could easily start handling it without knowing what you were doing to yourself.

Once this happens, your risk of getting mesothelioma cancer is greatly increased. In old buildings asbestos is usually sealed within the walls of the structure. However, if the wall starts to crack, or there is water damage, it becomes very easy for its particles to start leaking into the air.

That is all it takes unfortunately, breathing a few particles of asbestos that were once sealed inside of a wall, and the likelihood that you will catch mesothelioma cancer has gone through the roof. Today, all the doctors can do for you if you catch this disease, is to try and extend your life for a short while, in addition to reducing the pain until that inevitably occurs.

If you know of somebody that has this form of cancer, and you either live or work in the same building that they frequent, this is a huge red flag that you should not take lightly. If this does happen, it is recommended that you immediately contact the local building inspector, or the EPA to have that building thoroughly examined.

Mesothelioma cancer is certainly one of, if not the most deadly forms of cancer. If you suspect that there is asbestos in any building that you regularly visit, you need to develop a plan of action and implement it.

Get all the information you could possibly ever need about Mesothelioma and the deadly Mesothelioma Cancer online at Mesothelioma.us right now.

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21st Century Asbestos Health Concerns

Asbestos Health: Effects on the body

Asbestos Health with the effects on the human body really depends upon the severity of asbestos poisoning. More precisely, the degree of the effect of asbestos will depend upon the how much asbestos the person was exposed to and the length of time they were exposed. The more asbestos fibers they breathed in and the longer they breathed it in, in other words.

So, if I understand this correctly the person who does the occasional brake job on their car has less to worry about than the professional who is laboring around or with it every day of their career. The prior only is around it once every few months; the latter is around it every day for hours a day.

The greatest asbestos health effects will be on the lungs and then the other internal organs. These are caused by the airborne asbestos fibers the persons breathe in. A continuous exposure to these damaging fibers will embed the asbestos in the lung tissue. Over a long period of time this exposure is known to cause serious incurable lung diseases such as asbestosis and lung cancer. Additionally, mesothelioma is also a risk and then smoking will increase the persons risk of developing serious lung problems from asbestos.

The diseases will not develop over night. It takes years for them to start manifesting.

Asbestos Health: Hazards of Asbestos Exposure

If you have worked around a lot and wonder what are the asbestos health hazards you should be prepared for. That is a good question and frankly one to be emotionally prepared for. Time to talk to your physician would be before any symptoms occur, and you are feeling healthy and vibrant. Then, they as the health professionals can direct you what to do next.

For us, here and now, let's talk about the asbestos health hazards of exposure to this killer. We know as one breathes in the fibers over a long period of time, there is a buildup of them in the lungs and unfortunately they are there to stay for a long, long time. The first hazard is the scarring of the lung tissue and inflammation which come. This will affect breathing of the infected and leads to other health issues.

Asbestos is considered and a known carcinogen of people, which means it causes cancer. There have been loads of studies that all show a link from asbestos exposure to the greatly increased risk of lung cancer and even mesothelioma. Two very serious life taking asbestos health hazards. Let's just make a list of the asbestos health hazards, shall we?
Lung cancerMesotheliomaAsbestosisGastrointestinal cancerColorectal cancerThroat CancerKidney CancerEsophagus CancerGallbladder cancer

Quite the scary lineup.

Asbestos Health: Concerns

Who should have Asbestos Health concerns? I think this is a very important topic for everyone to learn. This is why I will cover it briefly here for you.

Who needs to be concerned that they or a loved one has worked in an environment that has asbestos around or in it? Also, knowing this is to also answer the question of: who would be at risk of possibly developing asbestos-related disease? The one answers the other.

They say that everyone is exposed to asbestos during their every day lives with very low-levels being in the air, soil, and water. A majority of people do not ever become ill from this low level saturation. The poor folks who do become ill are exposed to high levels over a long period of time. Mostly through a work environment or from a non-employment exposure from their local environment, such as if a mine is close by.

Here is a listing of jobs, trades, or workers who should have serious asbestos health concerns:

· Shipbuilding trades

· Asbestos mining

· Manufacturing of asbestos textiles

· Manufacturing of asbestos products

· Insulation workers in construction and other building trades

· Demolition employees

· Drywall removers

· Asbestos removal employees

· Firefighters

· Auto Mechanics who work on brakes.

· Individuals who worked in recovery and clean up after 9/11.

If you have worked in this environment and been exposed, or had a family member who has. I am sorry, get them checked by a health professional quickly. I would not put it off, I would go talk to my doctor right now, even if I feel like a million bucks. This way he can take note of it and maybe do tests to determine your risks.

Asbestos Health concerns are a sad part of modern day society health concerns. Millions of good hard-working Americans have died from the effects of Asbestos and it is important to protect yourself and your families. Education is the Key to learn more visit our site at Asbestos Poisoning.

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The Importance of Knowing Your Rights When Exposed to Asbestos

The first right you may have is to sue for damages. In order to file a lawsuit it is best to consult with an attorney that specializes in asbestos law. They will be able to advise you on everything that you need to know concerning the rights of you and your family. One point that needs to be made here is that you may have the right to sue for damages no matter whether your illness was caused by direct or indirect contact with asbestos. An example of direct contact would be someone whose occupation put them in direct contact with asbestos. An example of an indirect cause would be someone that contacted asbestos because the substance was present in their environment, such as an office you worked in or a school you attended.

Along with being able to sue the responsible party for damages you may also be eligible for benefits under workers compensation laws. You may also be eligible for Social Security disability benefits. As a worker, you paid into the system for this reason. For most people, Social Security deductions where the largest deductions from your paycheck. This has earned you the right to draw on these benefits if you are unable to work due to an illness caused by asbestos exposure in the workplace.

If you do file a lawsuit, it will be one of two types depending upon whether you are the actual victim or the survivor of someone who has died from an asbestos related condition. If you are the actual victim you will file a personal injury claim. Under this type of claim you can be reimbursed for lost income, medical costs, and pain and suffering. You could also be awarded punitive damages by a judge or jury. If you are the survivor of someone that has died due to asbestos exposure you will be filing a wrongful death lawsuit. You can be awarded the same type of damages as the above mentioned lawsuit.

Another thing that you need to know about your rights is the statute of limitations. This is a time limit that has been set in order to file a claim. If the time period expires then your right to file suit is forfeit. The statute of limitations vary greatly from one state to the next, and also depending on whether you are diagnosed with mesothelioma, malignant mesothelioma, or asbestosis. In some instances even if the statute of limitations has passed you may have the right to file a suit against any trust funds that have been set up to compensate victims.

When it comes to the rights you have after being diagnosed with a disease caused by asbestos exposure we have just hit on the highlights. If you have been diagnosed you need to research the internet for further information, and consult with a lawyer experienced in asbestos law.

Harry Hassami is the author and producers of The Mesothelioma Journal. The complete website information about the mesothelioma.

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Mesothelioma Litigation - Are You A Victim Of Asbestos Exposure And Don't Even Know It?

Mesothelioma is a unique and a rare form of cancer. It is commonly referred to as malignant mesothelioma. It usually develops from the mesothelium, which is a protective lining covering most of the internal body organs. These malignant cells believed to cause Mesothelioma are abundantly found in the sac and linings of the chest. This is referred to as the pleural mesothelioma because it occurs in the chest area. It may also occur in the abdomen also referred to as the peritoneum. This version of mesothelioma is much less common and is known as the peritoneal mesothelioma.

The latter cells may also affect the pericardium leading to the most rare form of mesothelioma known as the pericardial mesothelioma. In this case, the sac surrounding the heart is usually affected.

Mesothelioma cells are usually of two types namely epithelial and sarcomatoid. Both types of cells can be present in the body but this is usually not common. Sarcomatoid cells are rare and compute to only 15% of the cases usually reported. It usually occurs as a result of poor prognosis.

What causes mesothelioma has been a puzzle but this has been unlocked by technological innovations and continued research. Rarely does mesothelioma originate from benign and non-malignant cells.

Intake of asbestos through breathing has been the main cause of mesothelioma. A high percentage of people with malignant mesothelioma have been involved in jobs where they inhaled asbestos. Exposure to the dust and fiber originating from asbestos has been highly associated with the disease. This is common with workers over the age of 40 years who have had a long duration of exposure to the latter conditions.

Asbestos has been used as a common insulator although its use has been on the decline after these revelations. Men have been the mainly affected since they work in hard labor and this is synonymous with industrial and chemical remnants having asbestos. Many people in their household environments have also suffered from the exposure of asbestos within their localities. This is usually dangerous since most or these people affected have no knowledge of this happening.

Exposure to asbestos can also be through washing the clothes in most cases of a family member who has worked with asbestos. This puts the one at the risk of catching or developing mesothelioma. Inhaling the constituents of asbestos mentioned above leads to some of them reaching the air sacs hence penetrating into the pleural lining. Environmental exposure may lead to swallowing of the fibres. If swallowed, they reach the abdominal cavity contributing to peritoneal mesothelioma. These fibers and dust harm the mesothelial cells eventually causing mesothelioma.

Contrary to the belief that most people have that smoking may induce the latter disease, it has been noted that there is virtually no association between mesothelioma and smoking. However, smoking as a habit has the effect of increasing greatly the risk of other asbestos induced cancers. Zeolite, a chemical related to asbestos has also been seen to cause incidences of mesothelioma upon exposure to body cells. Lastly, exposure to specific types of radiation has also been known to cause mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is a devastating cancer that could have been avoided in most cases. To learn more about the disease, its causes and your legal rights, please go to Mesothelioma Litigation Lawyers

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