Hyperthermal Chemotherapy Research Shows Promise for Mesothelioma

Thursday, July 23, 2009

The Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology reported that when mesothelioma cells are under stress from heat, they respond with an increased production of heat-shock proteins that "rescue them from death." After disappointing expectations with the use of heated (hyperthermal) chemotherapy, researchers have now discovered that suppressing the release of these heat-responsive proteins in mesothelioma cancer cells can improve the effectiveness of the chemotherapeutic agent.

The study concluded that the inhibition of the stress proteins, Hsp40/Hsp70 or Erk1/2 MAPK, might present a new option to increase the success of hyperthermia in mesothelioma. Most malignant mesothelioma cases are diagnosed at advanced stages, and by that point the cases are highly resistant to chemotherapeutic agents and other available treatments.

Currently, there is no known cure for mesothelioma. Malignant mesothelioma is a relatively rare cancer limiting the amount of new research and funding for the cancer. While this research is promising there remains much more testing to be conducted for mesothelioma therapy.

In the article researchers noted that while it had been predicted that the number of cases of mesothelioma will decline after 2010, recent studies indicate the rate of new malignant mesothelioma cases will continue to rise at a high level for another 10–15 years in Europe and in the United States, while in other countries the rate may even further increase.

Mesothelioma cells escape heat stress

Heat treatment for Mesothelioma

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posted by Nancy Meredith at 9:48 PM
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International Symposium on Mesothelioma Draws Near

Friday, May 29, 2009

The annual International Symposium on Malignant Mesothelioma is now less than a month away. An annual symposium organized by the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, a charitable organization, will bring together international experts in asbestos-related cancers. patients and caregivers June 25-27 in Washington, D.C. to discuss the latest advances in mesothelioma research.

For more information on reserving your spot for one of the largest events concerning mesothelioma, its treatment, and the people involved, please visit the MARF website for
more information.

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posted by Aaron Phelps at 11:50 PM
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New Mesothelioma Treatment Shows Promise

Friday, May 22, 2009

NeoPlas Innovation, a clinical cancer treatment and research firm located in Nashville, Tennessee, has announced that a combination of the cholesterol medicine lovastatin and a low-dose of interferon has shown favorable results in fighting mesothelioma.

The patient was a woman who was exposed to asbestos in childhood. When she was diagnosed with mesothelioma, it had already filled most of the chest space where her right lung had been. According to NeoPlast, two months after starting treatments, a CT scan showed that the cancer had stabilized and the largest of the tumors had regressed significantly in size.

It's still too early to draw full conclusions on the treatment because the testing is still in the early phases with only one patient so far.

NeoPlas is still accepting patients for the combination treatment.

For more breaking news on mesothelioma treatment, general information, and forum discussions, please visit Mesotheliomahelp.net.

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posted by Aaron Phelps at 9:41 AM
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Eli Lilly to Reveal Study Data on Mesothelioma Drug Treatments

Monday, May 18, 2009

Eli Lilly and Company will reveal the data from their latest research findings involving their mesothelioma and cancer treatment drugs, Alimta, Gemzar, and enzastaurin, an investigational drug. These studies are among more than 50 to be unveiled at the 45th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Orlando, FL. The results will reveal the effectiveness of these drugs in treating mesothelioma, especially in patients who cannot undergo surgery.

Alimta has been approved the FDA in combination for cisplatin (chemotherapy drug) for the initial treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Gemzar is used along with cisplatin for first-line treatment for patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC for whom surgery isn't possible. It is also used to treat patients with pancreatic cancer, metastatic breast cancer, and ovarian cancer.

The studies will be presented at ASCO from May 29th to June 2nd 2009.

For more information on mesothelioma, please visit Mesothelioma Help.net.

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posted by Aaron Phelps at 11:07 AM
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Over $10 Billion to Fund National Institutes of Health

Thursday, May 7, 2009

President Barack Obama has proposed nearly a 30% increase in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). $10.4 billion of the $787 billion stimulus fund can find its way to different medical research scientists across the country.

The prospect of this increase in spending has members of the medical research community scrambling to apply for to the NIH for funding for everything from new facilities to increased man power. The NIH is the largest provider of grant money for colleges, universities, and medical research companies in the U.S.

The University of Chicago alone has filed nearly 200 individual applications for increased research funding. Martha O'Connel, a university spokesperson said that the amount requested by the university is almost five times their yearly submission. The university is requesting funds that would be used to study lung tumors, breast cancer, and mesothelioma.

Other organizations are seeking funding to increase research ways to safely test HIV vaccines before they are given to humans.

This increase in spending for the NIH keeps in line with President Obama's desire for health reform. In the past he has announced to seek out a cure for cancer in our time and he officially declared April as National Cancer Control Month. If this trend continues, funding for cancer cures and prevention may continue to see an increase.

For more information on mesothelioma and treatment research, please visit Mesothelioma Help.net.

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posted by Aaron Phelps at 11:01 PM
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Gene Test Predicts Mesothelioma Survival

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

According to the May 6th Journal of the National Cancer institute, a 4-gene expression ratio test accurately predicts survival in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.

The study performed by researchers from the Brigham and Women's Hospital, involved 120 patients undergoing surgery for malignant pleural mesothelioma. Multiple samples were gathered either during surgery or through pleural biopsy. Researchers evaluated the test on multiple tumor samples from each patient and used two different gene samples and two different biopsy techniques.

The results were adjusted for other clinical factors and coupled with other mesothelioma prognosis information and patients were categorized into two groups. Patients assigned by the test to the good outcome group had significantly better median overall survival, 31.9 months, compared to the poor outcome group, 6.9 months.

It is hoped that this test will help doctors better determine a prognosis for patients. Patients who have a shorter life-expectancy can be counseled away from surgeries that would not benefit them or their families and allow them time seek hospice or other supportive care. For patients with a higher expectancy, doctors could help them to arrange for more long term treatments and surgeries.

Additional information about mesothelioma research and ongoing studies may be found at Mesothelioma Help.net.

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posted by Aaron Phelps at 5:49 PM
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Senate Bill Provides Focus on Cancer Research, Prevention and Early Detection

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) introduced the 21st Century Cancer Access to Life-Saving Early detection, Research and Treatment (ALERT) Act at the end of March.

The bill emphasizes the urgency and need of resources towards the prevention and early detection of cancers.

The bill has received strong support from cancer foundations, physicians, and cancer survivor and 7-time Tour De France winner Lance Armstrong of the LiveStrong Foundation.

This bill is the first major cancer legislation introduced since the National Cancer Act of 1971. Senator Kennedy was also the author of that bill.

ALERT establishes a National Cancer Program that will focus on an "expanded, intensified, and coordinated cancer research program." The bill also allows for an increased focus on the prevention of cancer caused by occupational or environmental exposure to carcinogens.

Additional sections in the bill call for development of biomarkers for early cancer detection, support from insurance companies for patients in clinical trials, and for expansion of cancer survivorship activities.

ALERT bill's full text.

Visit our website to find out more about mesothelioma research, diagnosis, treatment, clinical trials, doctors and hospitals treating the disease, and your legal options.

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posted by Your Attorney at 5:13 PM
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Cleaning Up Asbestos May Clear the Way for a Calif. Mountain View

Monday, March 30, 2009

Taking in beautiful vistas, stargazing, hiking and biking are all activities Silicon Valley residents may soon be able to enjoy thanks to mounting political pressure to clean up a former Air Force radar station atop Mt. Umunhum.

The former Almaden Air Force Station, closed since 1980, is now a ghost town of 88 abandoned buildings contaminated with asbestos and lead paint. The Army Corps of Engineers, Representative Mike Honda and the new district general manager are working together to get funding from Washington to remove the buildings and to open a small visitor center.

Plans for trails and land usage are being finalized and should be released by early 2010. The goal is to open up 80 percent of the site for the public to enjoy the 3,486-foot peak towers rising above South San Jose and Los Gatos.

Mesothelioma is a deadly cancer that occurs in individuals exposed to asbestos. Please explore our Website for more detailed information on Mesothelioma, including diagnosis, treatment, clinical trials, doctors and hospitals treating the disease, and your legal options.

Mount Umunhum Cleanup

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posted by Your Attorney at 1:14 PM
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Updated Diagnostic Tool Allows for Earlier Detection

The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, in Detroit, Michigan has achieved another first in the research and treatment of mesothelioma, according to a March 28 announcement at the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization's annual conference.

The center announced that their use of a new form of radiography allows a look at lesions caused by asbestos exposure at an earlier stage than current options.

The approach developed by Carmen Endress, M.D., FACR, Associate Professor of Radiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, could have a significant impact by reducing the death rate from asbestos-related diseases through early detection.

In addition to early detection, doctors could realize improved success in the treatment of asbestos-related diseases through the ability to better differentiate between scarring on the lungs and other diseases, as well as understanding the associated pain with thickening of the covering of the lungs.

The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute is one of 40 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the United States. The Institute strives to prevent, detect and eradicate all forms of cancer.

Learn more about the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute at www.karmanos.org. To find out more about mesothelioma research, please review our Website. You will find information including diagnosis, treatment, clinical trials, doctors and hospitals treating the disease, and your legal options.

Early Detection of Mesothelioma

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posted by Your Attorney at 11:18 AM
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Finding Hope - Dancers Perform for Mesothelioma Research

Friday, March 27, 2009

Students from the Dance Dynamics studio in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, performed in a fundraiser on March 7, 2009, to raise money for mesothelioma research.

The money was donated to the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to ending the suffering caused by mesothelioma.

The benefit was offered to provide support for one of the dancers' father diagnosed with the disease in 2006. The studio hoped to not only bring awareness of mesothelioma to the students, but to also instill a sense of community service.

The Breath of Hope Club, an organization formed by the ill man’s daughter, which raises awareness for mesothelioma research, provided snack bar staffing and front door management services. All proceeds were donated to the cause.

Visit our website to learn more about how you can support mesothelioma research. In addition, you will find information including diagnosis, treatment, clinical trials, doctors and hospitals treating the disease, and your legal options.

Mesothelioma Dance Fundraiser

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posted by Your Attorney at 4:34 PM
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Finding Hope: Mesothelioma and the Age of Personalized Medicine

Personalized Medicine, or theranostics, is the integration of therapeutics and diagnostics. This type of medicine follows the concept that a patient's specific characteristics, such as height, weight, gender, and age, can be used to tailor medical care, as opposed to treating all patients the same.

Theranostics has moved pharmaceuticals further into the use of genetic testing to determine the correct treatment for a given disease. In the past large companies have dominated the market, but specialized companies are now beginning to play a role.

Rosetta Genomics is one such company involved in micro RNA testing. The company reported its first revenues recently, as well as demonstrating a two-fold decrease in liver cancer tumor-mass using their therapies. Another of their diagnostic tests, miRview(TM) meso, differentiates mesothelioma from other carcinomas in the lung.

With more and more companies entering the theranostics market, in the long run a lower cost of care should be realized by eliminating unnecessary and ineffective treatment.

To learn more about continued mesothelioma medical companies look through our website. You will find information including diagnosis, treatment, clinical trials, doctors and hospitals treating the disease, and your legal options.

Personalized Medicine

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posted by Your Attorney at 4:16 PM
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International Symposium on Malignant Mesothelioma 2009

The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (MARF) has announced the dates for its 2009 International Symposium on Malignant Mesothelioma. It will be held June 25-27 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. Registration is available now on the MARF website.

The Symposium provides information on the latest advances in research and treatment for patients and caregivers, along with educational forums on medical topics, and information on volunteer opportunities. Recognition is also given to outstanding advocates and volunteers.

In past years, patients and caregivers have found the Symposium to be an excellent place to find support among others who are suffering from mesothelioma.

Past speakers include leaders in the field of mesothelioma treatment and research such as Dr. Robert N. Taub, Dr. Pingpank, and Dr. Anne S. Tsao.

Scholarships for Symposium registration fee, transportation, and accommodations are available for patients, family members, and caregivers.

For more information, please visit the MARF website.

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posted by Your Attorney at 11:56 AM
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Lung cancer patient's tumor shrunk by experimental treatment

Thursday, March 26, 2009

A 49 year-old mesothelioma patient, previously given 6 months to live, just received news that her tumor has shrunk by 73 percent.

The mother of three from England participated in a clinical trial in Frankfurt, Germany, in a treatment known as chemoembolization. It introduces chemotherapy drugs directly to the tumor area through a catheter into the lung.

The patient used the compensation she received from the Ministry of Defense in England to cover the costs of the treatments. She claimed her mesothelioma was contracted by hugging her father, a dockyard worker, as a child.

The treatments, typically used in liver cancer patients, have been used on 500 patients a year. The results have had a 60% success rate, indicating that they are able to prolong the life of 60% of the patients.

To learn more about continued mesothelioma research please look through our Website. You will find information including diagnosis, treatment, clinical trials, doctors and hospitals treating the disease, and your legal options.

German Mesothelioma Clinical Trial

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posted by Your Attorney at 3:13 PM
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Columbia University Announces Enrollment in New Clinical Trial

Friday, March 20, 2009

Columbia University has announced enrollment in a Phase II clinical trial to determine the effectiveness of chemotherapy drug treatment program aimed at treating malignant pleural or peritoneal mesothelioma.

The trial will determine the effectiveness of a course of treatment combining the drugs oxaliplatin and gemcitabin in treating tumors in patinetes who have not received more than one previous course of chemotherapy.

Oxaliplatin and Gemcitabine inhibit the replication of cancer cells and previous studies have shown that there may be benefits in combing the drugs to help fight mesothelioma.

To be considered for the study, patients must be at least 18 years of age and have histologically confirmed malignant pleural or peritoneal mesothelioma which is not able to be treated surgically.

Please explore our website for more detailed information on Mesothelioma, including diagnosis, treatment, clinical trials, doctors and hospitals treating the disease, and your legal options.

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posted by L.Vaughn at 8:15 AM
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Hopeful Mesothelioma Research: A Look at One Scientist

Friday, March 13, 2009

Carl H. June, M.D., a professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and director of Translational Research at Penn's Abramson Cancer Center, recently led a study that generated altered immune cells that shrank, and in some cases wiped out, large tumors in mice.

"Based on the size of the tumors and the number of cells administered, we estimate that one mesothelin-targeted T cell was able to kill about 40 tumor cells," said Dr. June.

Clinical trials are being developed to investigate this approach in patients with mesothelioma and ovarian cancer.

To learn more about this remarkable researcher, see his online bio. Also, please look through our website for more detailed information on Mesothelioma, including diagnosis, treatment, clinical trials, doctors and hospitals treating the disease, and your legal options.

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posted by Your Attorney at 10:42 AM
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New Research Offers Hope To Mesothelioma Patients

Thursday, March 12, 2009

In a recent study announced in February, researchers generated altered immune cells that were able to shrink -- and in some cases wipe out -- large tumors in mice.

The scientific research provides a ray of hope in the fight against Mesothelioma.

"Based on the size of the tumors and the number of cells administered, we estimate that one mesothelin-targeted T cell was able to kill about 40 tumor cells," said study leader Carl H. June, M.D., Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and director of Translational Research at Penn's Abramson Cancer Center.

"This finding indicates that small doses of these cells may have potential in treating patients with large tumors," Dr. June said in a press release.

Clinical trials are being developed to investigate this approach in patients with mesothelioma and ovarian cancer.

Please explore our website for more detailed information on Mesothelioma, including diagnosis, treatment, clinical trials, doctors and hospitals treating the disease, and your legal options.

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posted by Your Attorney at 10:35 AM
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Finding Hope -- Taking Part in Mesothelioma Treatment Research Studies

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Clinical trials are research studies that involve people. They are the final step in a long process that begins with research in a lab and animal testing.

Many treatments used today are the result of past clinical trials. If you're interested in taking part in a clinical trial, this site walks you through the process.

In the meantime, we invite you to explore our website for more detailed information on Mesothelioma, including diagnosis, treatment, clinical trials, doctors and hospitals treating the disease, and your legal options.

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posted by Your Attorney at 10:31 AM
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Living With Mesothelioma -- Life After Cancer Treatment

Sunday, March 8, 2009

After cancer treatment, many survivors want to find ways to prolong the days of relatively good health. Some patients worry that what they eat, the stress in their lives, or their exposure to chemicals may put them at risk.

Cancer survivors find that this is a time when they take a good look at how they take care of themselves. This is an important start to living a healthy life.

Here is a booklet that you may find helpful. Also, please explore our website for more detailed information on Mesothelioma, including diagnosis, treatment, clinical trials, doctors and hospitals treating the disease, and your legal options.

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posted by Your Attorney at 10:23 AM
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New Clinical Trial for Treatment of Mesothelioma

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Morphotek has announced the beginning of a phase II clinical trial investigating the efficacy of the monoclonal antibody MORAb-009 for the treatment of mesothelioma. The study will evaluate progression-free survival in patients with advanced pleural mesothelioma who are being receiving MORAb-009 in combination with the standard mesothelioma treatment regimen, pemetrexed + cisplatin.
Continue Reading >

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posted by Your Attorney at 7:13 PM
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