Articles Posted in Mesothelioma Diagnosis

Mesothelioma is an aggressive and deadly form of asbestos-related cancer. Treatment options will vary depending on the individual circumstances of the patient and how early it is detected. Peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that attacks the lining of the abdomen. Scientists in Nebraska have published research results, naming the best chemotherapy drug to treat peritoneal mesothelioma when combined with surgery.

For patients who have been diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma, treatment will usually involve surgery to remove the cancer from the abdomen lining. Doctors will then treat the affected areas with chemotherapy drugs. Currently there is a debate over which drugs are the best to use in this cytorductive surgery (CRS) and chemotherapy combination treatment. Our Boston mesothelioma attorneys are dedicated to helping victims and their families protect their rights and interests after diagnosis. We will help to uncover the truth about a mesothelioma diagnosis, identify responsible individuals and entities, and pursue compensation. In addition to patient advocacy, we are abreast of the medical advancements and legal issues that impact the lives of our clients.
Continue reading

An April 2014 study published in PLOS One reviewed the possible impact of copper-enhanced disulfiram on pleural mesothelioma cells. Research on the impact of the medication was conducted at the Karmanos Cancer Institute at Wayne University, and the findings showed that the drug could potentially be effective at treating mesothelioma.

The medication has actually been approved by the FDA since the 1950s as a method of treating addiction to alcohol. This recent research provides hope that the medication could be used to localize mesothelioma and prevent the spread of cancer throughout the body. This could help to prolong life and could prove effective at helping mesothelioma patients, who are currently faced with a poor long-term prognosis as mesothelioma is one of the most difficult cancers to treat.
Continue reading

There are at least 87 different mesothelioma clinical trials underway in 2014, yet surveys show that 85 percent of all cancer patients are either unaware of or unsure whether participation in a clinical trial is an option. According to the Huffington Post, 75 percent of those unaware of the potential to participate in a clinical trial indicated that they would have been willing to enroll if they had known that a trial of a new treatment was available to them.

Around 90 percent said that they would have volunteered for a clinical trial if the initial treatment regimen failed them.

Clinical trials can provide a last hope of treatment or cure for patients whose cancers do not respond to conventional treatment like surgery, radiation or chemotherapy. Unfortunately, many patients with mesothelioma do not respond well to conventional treatment because the cancer is spread in the lining of the lungs rather than in a solid mass of tumor. Victims of mesothelioma should understand both their medical options as well as their legal rights to obtain compensation from those responsible for causing their condition. In almost all cases, mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos. An experienced Boston mesothelioma lawyer can help to take action against asbestos manufacturers or against employers in the event that exposure to asbestos fibers occurred while working.
Continue reading

Geologists are taking the study of asbestos-related mesothelioma in new and different directions by working to understand the connections between living organisms and earth materials. Two doctoral students in The Ohio State University’s lab conducted a study to determine what molecular mechanisms were driving the development of mesothelioma.

According to Live Science, the study focused on the most deadly of the asbestos fibers, crocidolite or blue asbestos. Crocidolite is a long and thin fiber that becomes lodged in the mesothelial cells of the lungs. While some other asbestos fibers such as chrysotile can dissolve and be flushed out, crocidolite does not ever dissolve and remains in the lungs for many years.
Continue reading

Medical research is often aimed at identifying risk factors for the most serious and deadly diseases. Mesothelioma is often the target of new research and advancements because a diagnosis is always deadly. In a recent medical development, Turkish scientists are assessing inflammation and oxidation in the body with a hypothesis that identification of oxidation levels can help predict which patients of asbestos exposure may develop mesothelioma. While the study is not necessarily going to be a cure, it could help with early treatment of the deadly cancer.

The report, published in The Scientific World Journal, suggests that how an individual responds to the stress of asbestos exposure could provide a clue as to whether that person is at risk of eventually developing mesothelioma. Our mesothelioma attorneys in Massachusetts are dedicated to helping protect the rights of patients and their families who are suffering as a result of mesothelioma. We understand the gravity of these cases and are committed to helping victims and families seek compensation.
Continue reading

Treatment for mesothelioma can be extremely expensive. Surgery, aggressive chemotherapy and radiation therapy may all be necessary to prolong survival. Patients diagnosed with mesothelioma may also face costs associated with pain-management procedures or palliative care and may not be able to work.

Health insurance can cover some of these expenses, for those with sufficient coverage, but often insurance policies are not comprehensive enough to provide everything that a mesothelioma patient needs. One recent news article, for example, told the story of a young 33-year-old man who had been diagnosed with mesothelioma and who did not have the money to pay for the necessary treatment. He and his wife had turned to crowd-funding to try to help them to raise as much as $50,000 that they needed to meet their medical expenses.

Stories like this are devastating because no mesothelioma patient should be deprived of the treatment needed to save his life simply because of a lack of funding. Mesothelioma is often caused by exposure to asbestos, which may occur on the job. Workers’ compensation claims and legal actions against manufacturers of asbestos can all provide the necessary funds for comprehensive medical treatment. An experienced mesothelioma lawyer in Massachusetts should be consulted by those affected by this cancer for help in determining if they have a claim for benefits.
Continue reading

Mesothelioma is a serious and often deadly cancer that is generally caused by exposure to asbestos. Part of what makes mesothelioma such a dangerous cancer is that the condition is not normally diagnosed until the cancer is quite advanced. Early diagnosis is essential to improving cancer survival rates because the sooner the cancer is caught, the smaller it is and the easier it is to eradicate through chemotherapy, radiation, surgery or other treatment methods. Unfortunately, mesothelioma does not usually show symptoms until the cancer has progressed, and easy screening is not currently possible for mesothelioma as it is for other common cancers such as breast cancer and cervical cancer.

A new study, however, may provide hope for advancing the treatment of mesothelioma and improving survival outcomes. The new study may make it possible to diagnose mesothelioma in much earlier stages, which could allow for treatments that are more likely to cure patients with this aggressive cancer or which could make the cancer more treatable. Our Boston mesothelioma lawyers know that a screening test would be invaluable, especially to those who may have worked in professions where they were exposed to asbestos and who thus know that they have a high risk of developing cancer from breathing in asbestos fibers.
Continue reading

From 1999 to 2010, more than 427,000 life years were lost as a result of patients dying an early death due to asbestosis and mesothelioma. This data comes from a new study conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health published in the American Journal of Occupational Medicine.

Our Boston mesothelioma lawyers know that both asbestosis and mesothelioma are caused by exposure to asbestos that may have occurred decades ago. The long period of time before asbestos-related illnesses manifest, coupled with the fact that many manufacturers have gone bankrupt, can make it difficult for victims to recover compensation when early death occurs. Still, the tremendous costs in terms of life lost that this study reveals underscores the importance of victims being fully and fairly compensated for the devastation asbestos exposure has caused.
Continue reading