Learn More About Mesothelioma

source: IAQ Video Network

Learn even more by going to What is Mesothelioma

Immunotherapy for Mesothelioma

"Many patients with advanced cancers don't have enough functioning immune cells to be harvested to make a vaccine, but our protein can be made in unlimited amounts to work with the immune cells patients do have. ... a potentially much less expensive approach to making a therapeutic cancer vaccine ...." Jeffrey Gelfand, MD, senior scientist at the MGH Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center.

What does a protein derived from tuberculosis bacteria have to do with mesothelioma? The researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital engineered a combination of a protein which is programmed to target an antibody that targets mesothlin and TB bacteria derived protein. The effect is activation of immune cells that target the tumor cells inside the patient's body. Preliminary trials in mouse models showed that the protein significantly slowed tumor growth and extended survival.

This approach has a potential in treating ovarian cancer and pancreatic cancer. The Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded the team a 2-year grant to continue research.

To learn the current treatment options for mesothelioma, click here

Will You Know if You Have Inhaled Asbestos?

A frequent asked question I often read about is "have I inhaled asbestos?" The short answer is 'Yes' but also 'No.'

The precise way to know if you have inhaled asbestos would require biopsy of lung tissue and examining it histocytologically for evidence of the microscopic particles that asbestos is. But this procedure will only happen if you are seriously sick and your physician suspects mesothelioma. So what options are we left with? Most people expose themselves to asbestos in a visit to a building built before asbestos was banned- around 1985 for brown, blue asbestos and at the end of 1999 for Chrysotile asbestos in the UK. (The building's integrity has to be disturbed to be considered really asbestos-poisoned.)

Two things to look for:

1. Was your visit to that building long-lived and frequent?
2. Were there asbestos signs around the building?

If the answer to the questions is 'yes,' then you may just have inhaled asbestos. One thing I'd like to point out is the fact that you've inhaled asbestos doesn't ALWAYS mean you'll get mesothelioma. (The symptoms of mesothelioma usually appear 20-25 years after asbestos exposure.) The exposure becomes worrisome when large concentrations of asbestos are inhaled over a long period of time.

The above discussion doesn't apply to construction workers who may be exposed to asbestos on a daily basis.

You will find detailed discussion on:

-What is Mesothelioma

-Symptoms of Mesothelioma

Government Increasing Compensation for Asbestos Victims to £123,000

Mesothelioma is often said to be a worker's disease. And in most cases the workers are negligently exposed to asbestos. The symptoms take decades to develop and by that time the exposed worker may not be able to trace a liable employer or the insurance records may be missing. So what to do in this situations? The Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) currently operate the Workers’ Compensation Act 1979 scheme which provides payment to workers whose employer or insurer can't be traced. (An average of £18,000 is paid for mesothelioma claims.)
Starting July this year, DWP is giving this scheme a hefty lift and offering around £123,000-and an additional £7,000 towards legal expenses. The government will pay some way more than 800 eligible people, in 2014, and 300 every other following years until 2024. Direct applications are accepted.

The eligibility criteria include:

• develop mesothelioma as a result of negligence which can't be traced to a liable employer or insurer 
• diagnosis of mesothelioma from 25 July 2012

If this story interests you, you can follow the developments at DWP's twitter and facebook pages.

Application starts in April.

Identifying The Priority Issues for Mesothelioma Research

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) reports that the UK’s annual death rate accountable to mesothelioma rose to 1,967 by the year 2010-the annual mesothelioma death rate is estimated at 2,450 between 2011 and 2015. (Detailed reading is available at What is Mesothelioma?)

Mesothelioma is currently incurable, and for the nearly 2,000 victims who find themselves in this awkward situation, the need for research in treatment options calls an urgent notice. What "unanswered questions" do the patients and caretakers have? Priority Setting Partnership, a group created to identify just such questions. Who can take part in the Priority Setting Partnership Mesothelioma Survey? Any one diagnosed with mesothelioma, families or [bereaved] carers, health care professionals working with mesothelioma patients, or organizations representing the interest of patients. How is the process carried out? All survey response will be analysed to see if an existing research provides an answer. If not the questions will go through a process of prioritisation and top ten "priority" issues will be developed for research. The research is funded by the NIH, supported by organisations like Mesothelioma UK and runs until the end of April 2014.

You want to put your question to effect research in this area?

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