Reports claim that a drug, which during the 1950’s and 1960’s malformed newborns, has proven to be a promising treatment for patients with mesothelioma cancer.

The medication seems to be beneficial when used in combination with immune therapy.

Mesothelioma Studies Conducted on Medication

Recent studies have revealed that after chemotherapy is administered, Thalidomide can prevent tumor regrowth in patients.

Phase two studies show that patients who are treated with Thalidomide combined with other mesothelioma medications have a 44 percent progressive disease patient response rates.

Side Effects of Thalidomide

Researchers say that Thalidomide has showed to be well received in patients.

However, as with most medication there are some common side effects linked to the medication, including:

* Dry mouth
* Paresthesias
* Constipation

Other Promising Mesothelioma Treatments

Aside from Thalidomide, other new immune therapies are also proving to be effective in fighting mesothelioma cancer.

According to researchers, treating mesothelioma cancer as a bacteria or virus helps the body to use its immune system to prevent further tumor growth.

(Source: PR Web)

Do you know someone who is living with mesothelioma cancer? If so, please contact mesothelioma center to speak with someone about the resources available to you.

About the Author

Although the numbers of mesothelioma cancer cases reported yearly in the U.S. are rare, statistics show that incidences of the illness have increased in the past few decades.

The illness tends to affect men more than women since they are more prone to get jobs in places where they could potentially be exposed to asbestos.

Five-Year Survival Rate

Mesothelioma cancer is caused by asbestos exposure but symptoms can often go undetected for 15-50 years.

Once someone is diagnosed as having mesothelioma cancer, they are typically given a five-year survival rate, depending upon the severity of the case and how soon the illness was caught.

The five-year survival rate refers to the percent of patients who live at least five years after being diagnosed.

However, as more research is being done on mesothelioma cancer, more patients are living much longer than five years and better mesothelioma treatments are providing a promising outlook for the future and this type of cancer.

Mesothelioma Disease Statistics

According to U.S. data, every year between 2, 500 and 4,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer in America.

Since so many were exposed in the past at work, while in school and through other daily activities, experts believe that the illness will continue to increase for at least another 10 years.

While many countries have banned particular forms of asbestos, about 5,000 products exist today that contain the harmful substance.

More than 10,000 people die worldwide from the disease.

(Source: Mesothelioma-Data)

Do you know someone living with mesothelioma cancer? If so, please contact mesothelioma treatment centers to speak with someone about the resources available to you.

About the Author

According to a study published in the May 6 Journal of the Nactional Cancer Institute(JNCI), scientists have recently devised a test that can accurately predict which mesothelioma patients have the best chance for survival. The test is also useful for identifying which patients would be the best candidates for surgery, another treatment option for mesothelioma cancer.

The test works by identifying the ratios of four genes present in tissue samples of mesothelioma cancer patients and comparing them with samples of tissue from patients who have survived mesothelioma cancer for an extended period of time. The gene test proved to provide consistent and easily repeatable results across different research campuses. Despite different technicians using different instruments in different laboratories, the test showed a high efficacy rate.

The test was devised by Dr. Raphael Bueno, the Associate Chief in the Division of Thoracic Surgery and Director of the Thoracic Surgery Residency Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. Previously, prediciting a patient’s prognosis was an invasive process; according to Dr. Bueno, major surgery was required to adequately predict the outcome. In the interest of creating a more accessible, less invasive, and accurately informative test, Dr. Bueno and his team looked to preexisting cancer tests. Specifically, the team looked at two gene-based testing methods that have been used in predicting breast cancer recurrence. Though this technology has not been widely used due to heavy logisictal requirements, the inspiration provided enough incentive to help Dr. Bueno and his team develop what could be one of the biggest steps forward in accurate mesothelioma diagnosis in recent years.

The study announced in the JNCI was to determine how accurately the test predicted the survival rates of patients. Researchers examined samples of tissue from 120 mesothelioma patients and followed their cases until 2007 or until their death. Using the gene ratio test, researchers categorized the participants in two groups: a good outcome group, and a poor outcome group. On average, the poor outcome group survived 9.5 months; the good outcome group survived 16.8 months, almost double the rate of survival.

Since this test is so revealing about the survival rates of patients, it provides an opportunity for families and individuals to choose the best treatment option for mesothelioma cancer. Patients with good gene ratio test results could be more likely to benefit from surgery, while those in the lower survival rate group seek the best supportive care available.

Mesothelioma is often a very debilitating condition that may require large amounts of physical therapy and treatment options as well as require thousands of dollars in medical costs. It is common for many patients to discuss a mesothelioma lawsuit with an experienced personal injury attorney.

By contacting a mesothelioma lawyer, a patient is increasing their chances of receiving monetary funds as a compensation for the damages endured because of mesothelioma cancer. Additionally, a mesothelioma lawsuit may also result in the reimbursement of expensive medical bills as well as open the door for patients to receive costly medical care that they may have otherwise been able to afford or receive.

For more information on mesothelioma cancer, visit http://mesothelioma.legalview.com/ for access to a wide range of resources, including a mesothelioma attorney, a mesothelioma lawsuit, and potential mesothelioma settlements.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced testing in Spokane, Washington, following concerns that soil in residential areas may be contaminated with asbestos. The concern arises from a nearby W.R. Grace insulation factory which used contaminated materials from another recent high profile cleanup in Libby, Montana. The cleanup in Libby was brought to the attention of the EPA and the federal government when it was revealed that over 200 people had died as a result of asbestos exposure. The cause of such a wide range of asbestos exposure was the result of a nearby vermiculite mine, under the control of the W.R. Grace company, the same company involved in manufacturing processes near Spokane.

As such, the EPA has decided to take precautionary measures against further potential health concerns by testing for asbestos contamination in residential areas near Vermiculite Northwest, the production facility involved in manufacturing Zonolite insulation. The Zonolite insulation was produced using vermiculite contaminated with asbestos from the mine in Libby, Montana.

According to reports, the EPA is testing 9 different sites from a nearby residential yard and will now analyze the samples in a government laboratory using the most advanced asbestos detecting tests available. While similar tests were performed in early 2000, testing for asbestos contamination has improved markedly in the past decade. The development of new testing methods coupled with the recent revelations of the extent Libby, Montana contamination and subsequent health effects has prompted the EPA to retest the soil. The newest tests can detect asbestos levels down to 0.25 percent in soil, as opposed to older methods which detected levels to about 1 percent.

Asbestos exposure is a serious health concern. It is responsible for a host of health complications, including serious respiratory and cardiovascular concerns as well as terminal conditions such as mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a terminal, destructive cancer caused by the prolonged inhalation of asbestos fibers. These fibers build up in the body over time, forming plaque and eventually causing cancer in the lining of the lungs. Oftentimes, the medical treatment options for mesothelioma patients are costly and exceed typical insurance benefits. For this reason, it is important that individuals who have developed mesothelioma speak with an experienced mesothelioma attorney regarding the development of a mesothelioma lawsuit at their earliest convenience. Taking such a proactive step can potentially provide the affected person with the monetary compensation they need to cover medical costs and increase the quality of life during their cancer experience.

Individuals seeking information regarding mesothelioma are encouraged to visit http://mesothelioma.legalview.com where they can find access to a wide range of resources regarding mesothelioma cancer.

We now know that asbestos is a killer, and those suffering from asbestos-related diseases have been entitled to claim compensation for their illnesses for a number of years. More recently, those who have been affected through secondary exposure have discovered they may be able to claim for compensation, as well.

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral which is toxic to humans. Inhaling it can lead to a number of serious health problems, including lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma.

It is soft, pliable and able to withstand heat, electricity and chemical damage, all properties which led to its widespread use in building and manufacturing from the late 19th century until the mid-1980s. It was at this time that it became widely acknowledged that asbestos was a dangerous substance, and many of it’s uses have been banned ever since.

When is it hazardous?

Although many buildings still have asbestos within them, simply being in close proximity to the substance is not dangerous. You can live in a house which contains it without ever being affected by it, provided the dust and fibres are not released into the air and inhaled. However, anyone dismantling buildings which contain asbestos must take precautions so as not to inhale the fibres.

Exposure is most deadly when the fibres are inhaled regularly over a long period of time, for example, through working or as a result of living in close proximity to an asbestos mine.

Compensation claims

Asbestos has been used habitually for many years, mostly by people unaware of its dangers. Because lots of these people were effectively put in danger at work by their employer, many affected by related diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma are now claiming for compensation, and have been doing so since 1972.

Because symptoms of asbestos-related illnesses may not appear until many years after the initial exposure, asbestos compensation claims can be backdated by years or even decades.

Secondary exposure to asbestos

More recently, the medical profession has come to realise that it is not just those who have been exposed to asbestos at work that could become ill. Their friends and family may also be affected, if they regularly came into contact with them while they still had the fibre or dust on their work clothes.

Often, the partners or relatives of those who have worked with it on a daily basis have inhaled the substance each day while washing their work outfits or overalls. Many claims have been filed by women who were made sick in this way, and interviews with the victims showed that they would usually shake out the clothes before they washed them, thereby releasing more of the dust and fibres into the air they were breathing.

Can you claim compensation?

If you believe you could have been affected by secondary exposure, look out for symptoms such as coughing, chest pains and shortness of breath, as these can all be linked to asbestos-related diseases. Anyone suffering from secondary asbestos exposure, where the exposure was not their fault, has the right to claim no win no fee compensation for their suffering and for any medical expenses incurred.

The National Accident Helpline (http://www.national-accident-helpline.co.uk/) are specialists in no win no fee compensation claims, helping victims of accidents make a claim for their personal injury.

Over the past few months, many cleanups of areas contaminated with asbestos or other toxic substances have been announced by agencies from the Environmental Protection Agency to smaller, local governmental agencies. Many times, these sites contain hazardous materials such as asbestos or contain residue from asbestos manufacturing facilities.

In a recent case, a production facility in Spokane, Washington constructing insulation using materials contaminated with asbestos provided enough incentive for the Federal government to announce testing of residential soil in the areas surrounding the factory. All of these cleanups and tests have been sparked by the possibility of asbestos contamination which poses a serious health risk. Exposure to asbestos fibers could possibly lead to the development of mesothelioma cancer, a serious and terminal condition for which there is currently no known cure.

One of the most major cleanups announced this year took place in Libby, Montana, where years of vermiculite mining had covered the town with a fine dust. The dust was contaminated with asbestos and had caused over 200 asbestos-related deaths in the small town. It was brought to the attention of the Federal government and cleanup began soon after. An investigation followed into the activities of the company in charge of the mine and additional testing was announced for the aforementioned Spokane, Washington site.

Recently, another similar cleanup was announced, this time in the state of Kentucky. The site in question was a former electroplating facility, previously known as Deena Products. The company manufactured lamp fixtures and ceased operations in the 1980s. The buildings were demolished earlier this year and metal that could be reclaimed was stripped from the site.

Upon official inspection and testing of the remaining building materials, it was announced that asbestos was found to be present on site. However, since there is such a large volume of contaminated material and since the site has essentially unrestricted access, it has been declared an environmental emergency clean-up site. This declaration allows the local government to receive additional funds from sources that would otherwise be unavailable in order to speed up the process. And, indeed, this particular site appears to be in need of a dedicated cleanup crew with a broad funding base; the combination of large amounts of asbestos contaminated materials coupled with the open accessibility of the site lead to an extremely dangerous conclusion.

Asbestos exposure is a serious hazard. Inhalation of asbestos fibers leads to many conditions, including lung cancer, asbestosis, and malignant pleural mesothelioma. Oftentimes, patients diagnosed with mesothelioma are given a grim prognosis and medical treatments designed to combat this chronic illness are expensive and may not be covered by conventional health insurance. Individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma from asbestos exposure should consider legal recourse as the development of a mesothelioma lawsuit could potentially provide enough monetary compensation to cover treatment costs.

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