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A new immunotherapy developed by Targovax has recently passed Phase I clinical trials and is set to begin Phase II evaluation of this new treatment that may help those suffering from mesothelioma. ONCOS-102 was used in separate Phase I clinical trials; one in combination with chemotherapy, and one with immunotherapy. Cisplatin and pemetrexed are two…
For cancer patients who have little success with traditional chemotherapy and radiation treatments, immunotherapy treatments are becoming known alternatives – working with the body’s own immune system to become stronger and better able to fight cancer cells and other infections. A mesothelioma diagnosis is often grim, with survival rates at approximately one year at diagnosis.…
Symptoms for pleural mesothelioma are typically centered on lung function breathing, with shortness of breath (dyspnea), pleural effusion (fluid build-up), and pain in the chest being the primary indicators. There is no cure for malignant pleural mesothelioma and while scientists and researchers are continually developing new treatments and therapies, in the meantime, advancements in palliative…
As November draws to a close, so does Lung Cancer Awareness Month, but that doesn’t mean we should forget about this devastating cancer that affects hundreds of thousands of people annually. For a cancer than claims more lives than breast, colon, and prostate cancer combined, it is severely underfunded, leaving scientists and researchers reliant on…
In 2004, the American Thoracic Society called asbestos “the largest cause of occupational cancer in the United States and a significant cause of disease and disability from nonmalignant disease.” Asbestos is a known carcinogen. It has been found to be the cause of many different cancers in those who were exposed to the popular building…
Autophagy is a natural and regulated self-degradative process in cells that plays a critical role in balancing sources of energy and removing aggravated proteins, damaged organelles, and pathogens. During autophagy, cells break down and recycle their different parts in order to make new cells. In mesothelioma, autophagy is necessary for mesothelial cell growth. A recent…
Bevacizumab (Avastin) is commonly viewed as chemotherapy treatment because when administered intravenously, it is particularly effective in controlling such illnesses such as lung cancer and colon cancer. However, it is a bit different than traditional chemotherapy treatments, which directly attack cancer cells. Bevacizumab fights cancer cells by cutting off oxygen and other nutrients the cells…
What is Palliative Care? For serious illnesses, some patients may receive palliative care, or palliative treatment. Palliative care treats the symptoms of the disease, not the disease itself, in an attempt to provide relief and make the patient as comfortable as possible during their illness. Palliative treatment can be provided at the beginning of treatment,…
Mesothelioma is lung cancer One of the most common areas of the body where mesothelioma develops is the lung, and because of this, many misunderstand mesothelioma to be a type of lung cancer. In actuality, mesothelioma is cancer of the mesothelium – found in the lining of the heart, lungs, abdomen, or internal reproductive organs.…
Pleurectomy and Decortication (P/D) is a two-part surgical procedure that removes the pleural lining around the lungs (pleurectomy) and tumors along the surface area of the lung (decortication). To qualify for this surgery, mesothelioma patients must be in overall good health, and in the early stages of the disease. Since mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer…
