Mesothelioma Patients May Benefit from Second Line Chemotherapy
Multiple rounds of chemotherapy, administered several months apart, might do more to help slow the progression of malignant pleural mesothelioma than a single round of chemotherapy, according to a new study.
Mesothelioma, also known as ‘asbestos cancer' attacks the membrane that surrounds the lungs and other organs. Patients with pleural mesothelioma gradually lose breathing capacity as the pleural membrane stiffens and fluid buildup inhibits the ability of the lungs to expand. Most patients diagnosed with the disease will be treated with chemotherapy as part of a multi-modality treatment approach. Cisplatin and pemetrexed (Alimta) are the most commonly used chemo drugs used in the U.S. to treat mesothelioma.
But a recent French study suggests that mesothelioma patients may benefit from a second, third, or even fourth round of chemotherapy as their disease progresses. The authors of the study reviewed the records of 84 patients whose mesothelioma progressed after they received pemetrexed-based chemotherapy. Forty-four of them – 30 men and 14 women with a median age of 58 – received second line chemotherapy (SLC). Most of the patients who were treated a second time had a good performance status (a measure of general well-being) and had the epithelial histological subtype of mesothelioma. For most, it had been about six months since their first round of chemotherapy.
Of the mesothelioma patients who were treated, 21 received the standard pemetrexed-based chemotherapy combination and the rest received a newer type of drug mixture. The research team reports that about a quarter of patients had a measurable response to the second line chemotherapy. The authors observed "According to the Recist criteria, a partial response was observed in four patients and the disease was stabilized in six patients after SLC. The median time to progression after SLC was 3.8 months."
The media survival for these mesothelioma patients was 12.2 months after their second round of chemotherapy. Four of them also went on to receive a third round and two received chemotherapy four times. The French researchers say the study indicates the feasibility of administering SLC in patients who are otherwise healthy when their mesothelioma progresses. They note that no optimal treatment or dosage amount has been established for these patients and they urge further study on the issue.
Mesothelioma is rare but increasingly common around the world. It affects approximately 3,000 Americans annually, most of whom were exposed to asbestos 10 to 40 years ago. While these study results are encouraging, they underscore the fact that chemo is seldom a cure for mesothelioma and that other more innovative approaches are desperately needed.
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What is mesothelioma and how is it caused? Mesothelioma is a type of cancer which is caused by inhaling dust particles from asbestos particles
Thousands of individuals are diagnosed with mesothelioma every year. A mesothelioma patient in the United States is not uncommon, it has been estimated that there are more than 3,000 diagnosed mesothelioma patients every year.
Handling a mesothelioma cancer diagnosis can be extremely stressful for both mesothelioma patients and their family members. In order to help those affected by mesothelioma cancer cope with the challenges associated with this disease, mesothelioma support groups have been created nationwide. Learn about the benefits of joining a mesothelioma support group, as well as how to locate a group near you, by reading this article.
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Mesothelioma is an asbestos related cancer caused by exposure to asbestos over a long period of time.
In evaluating the life expectancy of mesothelioma patient, you need to take into consideration number of factors as every patient has a completely different case. Because scientists are working overtime to come up with a new treatment routine, there is no surprise that life expectancy of mesothelioma patients are increasing. For mesothelioma patients, the average life expectancy is in the range of five to eighteen months.
Cancer translational research brings together scientists' and clinicians' suggestions to develop solutions to biomedical complications. This kind of applied research strives to offer strategies to questions surrounding the etiology, pathology, diagnosis, prevention and treating cancer.
Orbs are actually a lumpectomy or quadrantectomy combined with rotating the breast tissue or mobilize the flap into the cavity of the surgery time fill is removed. It also includes the comparative change in shape and size is doing in relation to breast and moved if necessary, does not affect the conversion of the breast. The deferred plan the reconstruction is not part of endoplasmic techniques. Both procedures are performed by specific thoracic surgeons.
What every woman fears for is losing her self confidence , losing hope and losing her personality. The term "Breast Cancer" is a very negative word and that it creates negative vibrations in her heart. So, to make her comfortable with the basics of breast cancer and to make her means any woman understand that this type of cancer is the least dangerous than all cancers and that if it is detected early then you will fight with it successfully. Causes, Symptoms, treatment, discussed in detail.
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that originates in the mesothelium. The mesothelium is the protective lining that covers the body's internal organs. Mesothelioma occurs when the mesothelium cells start to divide uncontrollably.
Chemotherapy is a treatment for killing cancerous cells which is given intravenous or extra-venous to the cancer patient. Even breast cancer patients have to go through the treatment. This treatment mainly focuses on the cancerous cells that are spread in the blood stream in the whole body . If any cancerous cells are there then they are killed by the chemotherapy medicine. The medicine is very costly and it has to be taken for one or two days continuously for every 21 days .
Asbestos fibers are microscopic, though they are also quite durable. For this reason, asbestos was used in a number of different industrial compounds to enhance strength and resistance to temperature extremes- two properties at which the mineral is highly adept.
It has long been known that smoking is hazardous to one's health, causing a marked increase in instances of mesothelioma lung cancer among those who smoke regularly.
Exposure to asbestos particles is one of the principal causes of mesothelioma cancer, also known as asbestos cancer. As a naturally occurring mineral with useful commercial applications, asbestos is found in plumbing, insulation and other building materials and products.
There are several risk factors that increase the likelihood that a person will develop mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma Information – Basics Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is usually caused by previous exposure to asbestos.
