Archive for the ‘Mesothelioma’ Category

Edward C. Taylor, who invented one of the world’s most effective anti-cancer drugs, has recently contributed $1 Million to the chemistry department at Hamilton College. He and his wife Virginia decided to establish The Edward and Virginia Taylor Fund for Student/Faculty Research in Chemistry in order to inspire students interested in chemical research.

The fund will offer students the chance to explore research in organic chemistry, biochemistry, physical chemistry, and other divisions pertaining to chemical research.

Taylor stated, “I wanted my gift to go to chemistry for whatever purpose seemed appropriate. Research is the ideal way to become fascinated with chemistry, and summer programs are especially great for stimulating a student’s interest. I owe my lifelong fascination with chemistry to Hamilton which is why I gave my gift to the chemistry department.”

In the developmental stages of Alimta, Taylor’s Princeton lab did not have the facilities to turn the compound he synthesized into an effective medication, which is why the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly & Company was brought in for assistance.

The company examined the compound through several different tests and determined it was 95 to 100 percent effective on every tumor on which it was tested.

After 12 years of the combined effort between Princeton and Eli Lilly, the compound finally became the cancer medication Alimta.

According to Taylor, “The compound that became Alimta would still be in a bottle on my shelf in Princeton if it hadn’t been for all the work Lilly put into developing it through some 12 years of testing. The amount of effort, time and money required to carry a compound through the myriad of tests required makes a story in itself.”

The medication Alimta has since been on the market for four and a half years and is already the most successful new cancer drug in relation to sales. Alimta is being used in 92 countries and is the only medication approved for the treatment of mesothelioma.

In recent years, Alimta has increased the mesothelioma life expectancy for many patients around the world. It is currently in several clinical trials for breast, head, neck and thyroid cancer.

For additional information on mesothelioma treatment, visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

The naturally occurring mineral asbestos was used in a variety of construction materials throughout much of the twentieth century. This unique mineral is fire-resistant and acts as an excellent insulator. Because to these qualities, manufacturers of construction materials mixed asbestos into paints, glues, cements, fiberboard, insulation, roofing, siding, flooring, and paper in order to enrich such building materials with asbestos’ advantageous characteristics.

However, when asbestos-containing materials are damaged or disturbed, the toxic fibers that make up asbestos can be released into the air. If inhaled, these fibers can cause significant damage to the lungs and result in lung cancer, asbestosis, or mesothelioma.

Unfortunately with mesothelioma, other areas of the body can be affected as well, including the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma) and heart (pericardial mesothelioma).

When most unwanted particles become inhaled or ingested, microscopic hairs called cilia will typically catch and expel them from the body. If these particles fail to be expelled, they will eventually reach the small air sacs in the lungs called the alveoli. Once this occurs, it is up to the immune system to break them down.

Asbestos fibers, however, are not easily expelled or removed from the body. In many cases, the fibers will attach themselves to the lining of the lungs and remain there for several decades. While attached, the alveoli often become inflamed and scarred.

In time, a person exposed to asbestos will become short of oxygen as carbon dioxide builds up in the blood. The increased stiffness of the lungs will also make it more difficult to breathe in and out.

Evidence has proven that inhaling asbestos on just one occasion can cause the development of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Someone who smokes and is exposed to asbestos is at an even greater risk of contracting lung cancer or another respiratory disease.

Those who have been exposed to asbestos should seek the advice of their medical doctor and schedule routine examinations and tests. Such tests would include X-rays and CT scans, which are two of the common ways to detect mesothelioma. If an asbestos-related disease is diagnosed during the early stages of development, treatment is much more likely to have a positive effect.

For additional information on asbestos and mesothelioma, visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

Israeli-based MicroRNA company, Rosetta Genomics, has made a giant leap in cancer diagnosis by announcing the commercial availability of its third diagnostic test, miRview (TM) meso.

This breakthrough marks the first molecularly-based test that can accurately diagnose mesothelioma from other types of cancers found in the lung.

MicroRNAs are recently-discovered RNAs that consist of a chain of nucleotide units, each made of a nitrogenous base, a ribose sugar and a phosphate. Although similar to DNA, RNA is single-stranded, while DNA is double-stranded. MicroRNAs provide the ability to treat and diagnose a variety of human illnesses and conditions.

One of the most devastating types of asbestos-related disease is known as malignant mesothelioma, a fatal lung ailment that is directly linked to asbestos exposure. One of the most difficult tasks for physicians that treat mesothelioma is diagnosing the illness, making the test especially important to treating the disease at an early stage of development. 

Diagnosis of the disease does not typically occur until the later stages of development have been reached, equating to a poor patient prognosis. Symptoms and warning signs of mesothelioma typically include shortness of breath, chest pain and weight loss, resembling symptoms felt by other less serious conditions. Most individuals who develop mesothelioma contract the disease through occupational exposure where they inhaled airborne asbestos fibers were exposed to asbestos dust through other means while on the job.

Rosetta Genomics is one of the world’s leading developers of microRNA-based diagnostic tools that offer patients and physicians an objective method of identifying many types of cancer. The company believes that using microRNAs as biomarkers in the development of diagnostic tools will enable several advantages over other methods.

“Ruling out mesothelioma from lung cancer for individuals that were exposed to asbestos can be difficult and challenging,” noted Harvey Pass, MD, Division Chief for Thoracic Surgery and Oncology at the New York University Langone Medical Center.

The hope of early cancer detection for asbestos victims is to increase survival rates and address significant needs in the medical field for the next century. Rosetta Genomics’ efforts in leading the development of microRNA-based diagnostic tools will hopefully continue to advance future patient care and management.

“I am sure that this test will become an important tool for both oncologists and pathologists in obtaining the right diagnosis in these patients,” Pass said.

For more information on mesothelioma treatment, visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

The Ford Motor Company announced last week that they intend to drop their appeal against an $840,000 asbestos compensation battle involving Antonino Lo Presti. Lo Presti learned the news while he was in bed at Perth’s Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital on Christmas Eve.

The six-year case first made legal history when Lo Presti was awarded damages for contracting asbestosis after working with Ford between 1970 and 1987.

It was the first successful claim by a mechanic against a car company. It is also believed that Lo Presti was originally exposed to asbestos while servicing brakes that contained the toxic mineral.

In addition to asbestosis, other diseases that can result from exposure to asbestos include lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma. The contraction of these diseases can also bring reason for a lawsuit and proper compensation. 

Lo Presti’s wife, Connie, was unsatisfied with Ford’s timing of their abandoning of the appeal on Christmas Eve. She believed they could have prevented Antonino and her family a lot of stress by announcing it earlier in the year.

Connie said, “I hope they come to the party on this and don’t let us stress any more than they already have.” Lo Presti began feeling the effects of his disease as early as the late 1990s and has been in discomfort ever since.

In the ruling, judge Andrew Beech stated that Ford should have been aware about the effects of asbestos exposure and also should have provided Lo Presti with protective gear throughout his work with brake linings.

Robert Vojakovic, who is the Australian Asbestos Diseases Society president, said the entire litigation process took much longer than it should have. Vojakovic had worked with Lo Presti and his family from the beginning of the trials.

According to Vojakovic, “Ford kept delaying, they kept frustrating. That should never happen again.”

For more information on asbestos litigation, visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

One of the most devastating types of asbestos-related disease is mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure. This disease is particularly harmful due to the extreme latency period that is associated with it.

Most cases of mesothelioma take anywhere from 20 to 50 years to develop, which typically results in a diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma that has already reached the advanced stages.

The most commonly used treatments for malignant mesothelioma are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. However, not all patients respond the same way to these therapies, which is why scientists from universities and pharmaceutical companies are routinely conducting research on asbestos with the hope of improving treatment options for asbestos-related disease.

One such company is Alfacell, who is currently testing a product called Oncanase that works in a similar fashion to RNA interference (RNAi).

Oncanase offers a therapeutic medication based on Alfacell’s proprietary ribonuclease (RNase) technology. Interesting enough, it is a natural protein taken from the leopard frog. Several studies have shown it can be used to kill cancer cells while sparing normal cells throughout the body.

Researchers from the National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital have also made an astounding discovery concerning a cure for mesothelioma cancer. The positive results became official when a commercial skin cancer cream was able to cure mice with advanced mesothelioma tumors.

The test requires doctors to inject the skin cancer cream Aldara into the mesothelioma tumors of patients. Aldara is a product typically applied to skin to treat basal cell carcinomas. In addition to the skin cancer cream, a stimulant drug known as anti-CD40 is injected into the tumors as well.

Experimental treatments and clinical trials are also being carried out around the world in an attempt to find a solidified cure for mesothelioma. Today, progress with mesothelioma treatment is being made at a record pace thanks to the increased amount of funds and awareness towards the disease.

Continued research on asbestos and related cancers will hopefully provide new insights on curable treatment options for mesothelioma patients.

For more information on mesothelioma treatment, visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

The city of Bozeman has released a cleanup proposal to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) concerning the asbestos contamination at the CMC Asbestos Bozeman State Superfund Site. Now the DEQ is waiting to see the public’s opinion about the current plans and addendum to the 2002 Voluntary Cleanup Plan for the site.

Colleen Owen, who is the DEQ Project Officer, says, “We share the city’s enthusiasm to finalize clean up and the addendum moves the process forward into home stretch.”

The Superfund site, which is located near the Bozeman Public Library, contains large amounts of toxic asbestos ore. Unfortunately, exposure to asbestos has been known to cause several forms of disease, including lung cancer, asbestosis, and malignant mesothelioma. This is why the site has become such a priority for the state of Montana.

Asbestos exposure is also known to cause gastrointestinal cancer and has been linked to colon cancer as well. In most cases, these diseases do not exhibit symptoms for 15 to 50 years after initial asbestos exposure, making them especially difficult to treat and diagnose.

The addendum for the site pertains to properties not included in the first Voluntary Cleanup Plan. These properties are located west of the library and run along South Wallace Avenue. Some of the areas of these sites are heavily contaminated with asbestos ore where it was once stockpiled or used as fill material.

Superfund is a federal government program designed to clean up the nation’s uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. Such sites are placed on the National Priorities List and are cleaned up to protect the environment and health of all citizens.

The new plan involves the excavation of asbestos-contaminated soils near the library, proper asbestos disposal at the Bozeman Landfill, patching and repaving sections along South Wallace Avenue, and long term monitoring of all contaminated properties.

In addition, institutional controls such as a city resolution, modification of the City Street Cut Permit Application, training for city workers, and deed restrictions for properties containing asbestos will be implemented under the new plan.

The complete cost of what is left of the cleanup effort is estimated to be $438,000. Luckily for Bozeman, the DEQ is expected to reimburse the city for a percentage of the cost under the Controlled Allocation of Liability Act.

For more information on asbestos exposure, visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

The Washington State Supreme Court has ruled in favor of manufacturers who have failed to warn about the dangers of asbestos used to insulate their products.

Involving more than a dozen companies, the court drew many briefings from organizations and businesses around the country.

In the publicized Simonetta v. Viad Corporation, the state high court was contemplating whether or not one manufacturer can be held liable for not warning of the hazards of another manufacturer’s product. The court decided that Viad Corp. could not be held responsible.

The case stems from a product liability lawsuit filed by Mr. Simonetta, who was diagnosed with an asbestos-related lung-illness in the year 2000.

During the late 1950s, Simonetta served on a Navy ship that court records indicate was insulated with asbestos. Viad succeeded a company who manufactured an evaporator, but the insulation was manufactured by another company.

Asbestos is a highly-fibrous mineral that was used heavily in homes and buildings prior to 1980. Due to its resistance to heat and electrical conductivity, asbestos was used throughout the world as a prominent form of insulation and piping.

Throughout the 20th century, the United States Navy utilized asbestos-containing products in ships and shipyards. High exposure to asbestos resulted in many veterans developing the chronic lung ailment known as mesothelioma. Studies show it can take anywhere from 20 to 50 years for symptoms to develop, making it difficult to diagnose mesothelioma malignancy.

After working as a pipefitter on Navy ships for 35 years, Vernon Braaten was diagnosed with mesothelioma as a result of asbestos exposure.

In a later trial known as Braaten v. Saberhagen, the court also decided that pump and valve manufacturers cannot be liable for failure to warn about asbestos insulation applied to their products that were sold to the Navy.

In both cases, a trial court granted summary judgment to the manufacturers. However, an appeals court overturned the ruling and the Washington State Supreme Court later reinstated the trial court’s decision.

Studies estimate that approximately 3,000 different types of commercial products still include asbestos. Green insulation alternatives such as cellulose, cotton fiber and lcynene are now being given serious consideration to permanently replace asbestos materials.

For more information on asbestos litigation, please visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

Scientists from Ohio State University are currently analyzing how asbestos fibers form cancer in human cells. The researchers are hoping their work will contribute to new drug developments, treatments, and increase the amount of mesothelioma survivors. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is almost exclusively cause by asbestos exposure.

To conduct the study, researchers are using atomic force microscopy to observe how a single asbestos fiber binds with a receptor protein on a cell’s surface.

According to Eric Taylor, a doctoral candidate in earth sciences at Ohio State, “We’re looking at what molecules are involved in a chain of events when the fiber touches the cell. Does the binding occur over minutes or hours and what processes are triggered?”

As of now, the study has only focused on blue asbestos (crocidolite), but the researchers hope to analyze all six forms of asbestos fiber interaction with cell surfaces. Some forms of asbestos fibers have been known to dissolve in the lungs when inhaled, while others have a history of attaching to certain cells and remaining in the body.

Steven Lower, an associate professor of earth sciences at Ohio State University, believes the research will provide data on the biological activity between asbestos fibers and cells, which should help policymakers decide what forms of asbestos are most toxic.

He says, “There seems to be something intrinsic about certain types of asbestos, blue asbestos in particular, that elicits a unique signal, and it triggers inflammation, the formation of pre-malignant cells and ultimately cancer.”

The first protein that will be studied is epidermal growth factor receptor, which exists on the surface of every human cell.

Through understanding the binding process of an asbestos fiber and an epidermal growth factor receptor, the researchers hope to figure out how they might be able to prevent and possible undo such an interaction.

The original motivation for the research was the thought of finding a way to intervene and prevent an asbestos-related disease after someone had already been exposed to asbestos. Today, clinical trials are constantly being conducted in attempt to find a cure for such diseases.

For more on asbestos and related medical information, visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

The University of Minnesota recently gave an update on their five-year study involving the Iron Range and its relationship to mesothelioma. The presentation on the $4.9 million project of the rate of lung cancer among taconite miners was held on Thursday at the Mountain Iron Community Center.

In partnership with the Minnesota Department of Health and the Natural Resources Research Institute in Duluth, the University of Minnesota hopes to gain a clearer understanding of why taconite miners are passing away from Stage 4 mesothelioma, which is a form of cancer almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure.

Ian Greaves, a medical doctor and professor with the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health, said, “We need to obtain scientifically based sample in a meaningful way.”

The Natural Resources Research Institute will be analyzing iron ore samples of the taconite, as well as dust contamination in the air of the Iron Range communities. This will be done to better understand the geological composition of the taconite and whether it could be contaminated with asbestos. According to the U.S. Geological Survey and the Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry (ATSDR), the Iron Range area has a history of containing naturally occurring asbestos.

Like asbestiform minerals, taconite is a silicate mineral that is found among layers of shale. Scientists have already agreed that the fibers in the rock are similar to asbestos, but mining companies say they are not asbestos and even claim there are no fibers at all on the site.

The researchers that are part of the study are trying to determine if there is a relationship between exposure to taconite dust and mesothelioma.

In addition to sample testing, the study will include health screenings of Northeastern Minnesota miners and their families, which will begin this spring. Researchers are hoping to complete a random screening of 2,000 people at the Virginia Regional Medical Center within a six to nine month period.

Research from these important studies will hopefully provide conclusive insight into the plausible asbestos contamination of the taconite, as well as the potential that taconite may cause mesothelioma on its own.

For more information on the causes of mesothelioma, visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

Debbie Brewer, who was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma in November 2006, will be enjoying many more holidays with her family thanks to a new treatment in Germany. At the time of her initial diagnosis, Brewer was only given a few months to survive.

Today, she’s able to spend time with her three children, Siobhan, 22, Richard, 19, and Kieran, 11. 

Brewer said, “It’s a miracle. It feels like I have been given my life back. After I was first diagnosed, the chance to see the children grow up, to see grandchildren, I thought I had lost all of it. Not even a lottery winner could feel like this. I haven’t taken it all in yet, but at the moment it is my little miracle.”

Brewer was able to afford the treatment after receiving compensation for contracting the disease. She was originally exposed to asbestos (the largest cause of mesothelioma) as a child by hugging her father after he came home from work.

Brewer first heard about the experimental treatment being carried out by Professor Thomas Vogl from her doctor, but only after she had already refused chemotherapy. She then decided to travel to The University Clinic in Frankfort, Germany and receive the treatment.

The treatment is referred to as chemoembolization and is typically used to fight liver cancer. The treatment calls for an injection directly to the tumor through a catheter.

Since starting the treatment in May, Brewer has expressed her joy because the doctors can attack the tumor without disturbing the nervous system as well.

Doctors now say her tumor has shrunk by more than half, is in remission, and will not come back at a later date. Since the arrival of good news, Brewer has started a campaign to have the treatment brought to the United Kingdom for clinical trials.

Brewer has said, “I want to give people hope. I was told for mesothelioma there is little out there, but the results in Germany are fantastic. It’s about a 60 percent success rate.”

For more information on mesothelioma treatment, visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.