Posts by Steven Chervenick
Checkmate743 Showed Higher Toxicity in a Real World Setting
A group of Australian patients receiving Checkmate743 therapy saw higher levels of toxicity compared to CheckMate743 clinical trial patients. Checkmate743 consists of a dual treatment of ipilimumab and nivolumab and is the standard of care for patients with unresectable pleural mesothelioma. Unresectable means patients are not able to receive surgery to remove their cancer. Patients…
Read MoreA New Biomarker Could Help Doctors Diagnose Mesothelioma
A new biomarker has been found for the diagnosis of mesothelioma by scientists in Japan. Information from this research could revolutionize how mesothelioma is diagnosed and treated in the future. Mesothelioma is a hard cancer to diagnose because it shares symptoms with other cancers. Cancers it can look like include squamous cell lung carcinoma and…
Read MoreJohnson & Johnson Will Try to File for Bankruptcy for a Third Time
Johnson & Johnson may try to file bankruptcy for a third time to address its talc liabilities. The company has failed twice before but is looking again to file for bankruptcy under a different corporate structure. There are around 51,000 lawsuits claiming that people who used Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based products now have cancer because…
Read MoreInhibiting YB-1 Can Help Improve Mesothelioma Treatments
Researchers in Vienna, Austria recently found a protein that could help treat mesothelioma patients. Researchers found the oncoprotein YB-1 which, when targeted, could make pleural mesothelioma more sensitive to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The results of the study were published in the medical journal “Cancer Letters.” The study builds on earlier research that found that the…
Read MoreTeachers in Philadelphia are Suing for Being Punished for Asbestos Protest
Three teachers recently filed a lawsuit over their first amendment right to publicly demand answers about asbestos inside classrooms. They claim their rights were violated when they were punished for protesting in 2021. As part of a protest, they worked outside during teacher only workdays to protest their risks of asbestos exposure. Administrators told staff…
Read MoreThere are Stricter Regulations for Manufacturers of Asbestos
Now that the final reporting from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Toxic Substances Control Act is completed, asbestos manufacturers and processors are under stricter regulations. This is all due to the EPA mandating the reporting and record-keeping of uses of asbestos by companies that manufacture, import, or process asbestos or asbestos containing products. The EPA…
Read MoreChemoimmunotherapy Benefits Pleural Mesothelioma Patients
Results from a phase 3 clinical trial were recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology showing that a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy for mesothelioma improves patients’ survival more than chemotherapy alone. Researchers combined Keytruda, or pembrolizumab, with platinum and pemetrexed chemotherapy. The overall response rate for patients receiving chemotherapy and Keytruda was 63…
Read MoreA Breath Test Could Soon be Available to Detect Mesothelioma
Researchers are trying to determine if a breath test can detect malignant pleural mesothelioma in patients exposed to asbestos. Early results are promising, but more research is needed to see what can be done for patients. The study, which is known as MESOBREATH 5, uses a test to detect volatile organic compounds in exhaled breath.…
Read MoreExtended Pleurectomy and Decortication Surgery Worse than Just Receiving Chemotherapy
Extended pleurectomy decortication surgery combined with chemotherapy is associated with worse outcomes compared to just chemotherapy alone. Researchers looked at extended pleurectomy and decortication surgery alongside chemotherapy and found that there are worse survival outcomes, a higher chance of serious adverse events, and a diminished quality of life compared to just giving patients platinum and…
Read MoreCARD Clinic in Libby Files for Bankruptcy
The Center for Asbestos Related Disease in Libby, Montana recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The center, known as CARD, had to pay $6 million because it submitted 337 false asbestos claims. The lawsuit revealing this information was filed by the BNSF Railway under the Federal False Claims Act. Private companies can sue on…
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