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Mesothelial cells are found in the lining of major organs such as the chest or the abdomen. When asbestos fibers are inhaled or ingested, they slice through the soft tissue and become embedded in the lining of these organs. These fibers cause genetic mutations in the mesothelial cells which then cause the cells to reproduce…
Immunotherapy treatments have once again made headlines, revolutionizing modern medicine and the way we have come to understand cancer treatment. The latest study results published in the American Journal of Case Reports, focuses on Opdivo (nivolumab), a type of check point inhibitor designed to stop immune cells from attacking the healthy cells that are needed…
Diagnosing mesothelioma in the early stages of the disease has proven to be a difficult task, and to better improve chances of survival from this aggressive cancer, the cancer needs to be found and treated quickly. Typical first steps in diagnosing mesothelioma are imaging techniques such as an x-ray, CT (CAT) scan, or an MRI.…
Mesothelioma is a difficult cancer to treat for a multitude of reasons. A mesothelioma diagnosis is rare – only about 3,000 people per year in the United States are diagnosed – and this can make it difficult to study, given that there is generally a very small sample of patients that are able to be…
In 2016, scientists and researchers were excited to begin Phase II of the clinical trial involving treating patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma with Nintedanib, a triple angiokinase inhibitor designed to hinder protein kinases in cancer cells and stop cancer cells from growing their own blood vessels. The LUME-Meso Phase II trial yielded promising results –…
In June 2016, former President Obama signed the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act as an amendment to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), and since then, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been moving forward in naming asbestos – as well as nine other chemicals – as toxic substances that…
The Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) was established nearly two decades ago by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer and the National Cancer Institute of the United States. The purpose of these published rules was to universally define when cancerous tumors stabilize, progress, or just respond to any given treatment.…
As the success of immunotherapy treatments in improving survival and symptom management for cancer patients have started to become known, those suffering from cancer such as mesothelioma and lung cancer may now be given options in terms of the best course of treatment. Immunotherapy works with the body’s own natural defense system by strengthening and…
If you have been exposed to asbestos and are exhibiting symptoms of mesothelioma including: pain in the side of your chest and lower back, shortness of breath, cough, fever, excessive sweating, fatigue, random weight loss, not being able to swallow, being hoarse, or have face and arm swelling it might be a good idea to…
Advancement in mesothelioma treatments over the past decade has been relativity stagnant, according to Targovax – a Norwegian immune-cology company dedicated to the study and research of immunotherapy treatments. However, those suffering from mesothelioma have hope, as continuing phases of clinical trials are showing positive results; the latest being ONCOS-12, an immunotherapy treatment that showed…
