Mesothelioma Medical

Can You Get Treated for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma if You Do Not Qualify for Surgery?

January 6, 2022 | Throneberry Law Group

In a mesothelioma case, surgery is meant to remove cancer from the body. Mesothelioma surgery is intended to help an individual feel better and live longer. Surgery combined with chemotherapy, and, sometimes, radiation, is considered the best mesothelioma treatment.

Not All Mesothelioma Patients are Eligible for Surgery

Before a doctor can perform surgery on a mesothelioma patient, they must assess the patient to determine if they are qualified to undergo surgical treatment. Some pleural mesothelioma patients do not qualify for surgery, but most do. Most of those who are eligible to undergo surgical procedures usually undergo procedures aimed at improving symptoms and quality of life.

Is Mesothelioma Contagious?

December 30, 2021 | Throneberry Law Group

Mesothelioma, just like other forms of cancer, is not contagious. Touching, sharing meals, or even breathing the same air cannot spread mesothelioma. Generally, cancer cells from a cancer patient cannot live in the body of a healthy person because the immune system usually destroys foreign cells, including cancer cells from a cancer patient.

How Does a Person Get Mesothelioma?

Asbestos exposure is still the only known cause of mesothelioma. According to the American Cancer Society, about eight out of 10 people with mesothelioma have been exposed to asbestos. Asbestos is a highly toxic substance that was commonly used before the 1980s, especially in construction, because of its durability and heat-resistant properties. When asbestos is disturbed, asbestos fibers get released into the air. If a person inhales asbestos fibers, the fibers can get into the lungs. When asbestos fibers get into the lungs, they can travel to the pleural lining of the lung and chest wall. Over time, asbestos fibers that reach the pleura can cause inflammation and scarring and cause mesothelioma.

Getting a Second Opinion on a Mesothelioma Diagnosis

November 29, 2021 | Throneberry Law Group

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer caused by inhaled asbestos fibers. It is estimated that around 3,000 new mesothelioma cases are diagnosed every year. Usually, mesothelioma develops from the thin layer of tissue that covers many of the internal organs. Unfortunately, mesothelioma is an aggressive and fatal cancer. Because of mesothelioma’s aggressive and deadly nature, early detection and treatment are quite important.

However, before beginning treatment after a mesothelioma diagnosis, getting a second opinion is important. Even though most patients begin treatment immediately after a first diagnosis, experts advise people to get a second opinion before starting treatment. It is also vital to get a second opinion if one goes to the doctor believing they have mesothelioma, only to be told they have another illness. Receiving a second opinion on a diagnosis, can among other things, help an individual;

Eliminate the possibility of a misdiagnosis,

Active Stress Management Techniques for Mesothelioma Patients

November 28, 2021 | Throneberry Law Group

Dealing with mesothelioma can be extremely difficult. Sadly, many mesothelioma patients suffer from stress. Unfortunately, stress can negatively affect a person’s physical and mental well-being. Among other things, stress can:

Cause mental health issues
Increase the risk of stroke

Mesothelioma and COVID-19

September 25, 2021 | Throneberry Law Group

According to the CDC, one factor that makes a person more likely to get severely ill with COVID-19 is the presence of an underlying medical condition. Because of weakened immune systems, cancer patients are among those at high risk of serious complications from a coronavirus infection. Mesothelioma, to be specific, is an extremely aggressive form of cancer associated with asbestos exposure and with limited survival despite systemic therapy. Fighting mesothelioma depletes a patient’s energy and nutrients, and this worsens a patient’s body’s ability to fight COVID-19. Mesothelioma treatments can also weaken a person’s immune system and increase the risk of COVID-19 complications. Further, COVID-19 is much more deadly in those individuals over the age of 65, and most mesothelioma patients are seniors. Most mesothelioma patients are seniors because, from the first asbestos exposure, it can take decades for an individual to be diagnosed with mesothelioma. If, for example, an individual gets exposed to asbestos for the first time at the age of 20, they might end up being diagnosed with mesothelioma even at the age of 70.

Recent studies have found that for every five patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) one contracted COVID-19. According to one particular study presented at the IASLC 2021 World Conference on Lung Cancer, approximately one in five patients with MPM at a Barcelona hospital contracted the coronavirus during the pandemic. To study the effect of COVID-19 infection on individuals with MPM, Dr. Susana Cedres of Vall d’ Hebron University Hospital and the Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain, analyzed medical records of 38 patients with MPM. Dr. Susana gathered clinical data such as comorbidities, oncological background, demographics, and COVID-19 illness status. Upon completion of the study, Dr. Cedres found that;

Of the 38 patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma at the institution in this pandemic era, seven (18%) were diagnosed with COVID-19 infection by a positive RT.PCR and

Mesothelioma and PTSD

June 30, 2021 | Throneberry Law Group

People suffering from mesothelioma usually go through a lot of difficulties. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that occurs after asbestos exposure. For starters, mesothelioma treatment can be costly. Victims of mesothelioma and their loved ones usually spend a lot of money from the time of diagnosis through post-treatment care. Some spend thousands of dollars, and, others, even more. The amount of money a victim of mesothelioma spends generally depends on their treatment plan, health care provider, and other factors.

Secondly, mesothelioma often causes pain, which is usually one of the early signs of mesothelioma. As fluids build up and tumors grow, it usually becomes difficult for a victim to digest food, breathe, and even cough without experiencing pain. Additionally, fluid buildup, which leads to increased pressure, can also cause pain in a victim’s abdomen or chest.

Severe pain can interfere with the day-to-day life of a mesothelioma patient. For instance, pain can prevent a patient from working or participating in other everyday activities, leading to feelings of loneliness and isolation. The day-to-day lives of families of patients also suffer when pain is involved.

The Difference Between Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer

June 27, 2021 | Throneberry Law Group

Even though mesothelioma and lung cancer are both deadly cancers, they are different diseases. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops in the lining around the lungs and chest when a person inhales asbestos fibers. Asbestos, which is the only known cause of cancerous mesothelioma, is a naturally occurring mineral. The mineral was used as a building material before people became aware of its hazardous properties. Asbestos leads to mesothelioma because it causes changes at a cellular level. This toxic substance triggers inflammation, scarring, and damage that can cause cancer. Usually, when asbestos is disturbed, it releases tiny fibers into the air. When these fibers are inhaled, they get stuck in the pleural lining of the lungs and chest. Asbestos exposure is most prevalent in industrial workplaces.

On the other hand, lung cancer develops in the lungs and not in the lining of the lungs. Unlike mesothelioma, which has one known cause (asbestos), lung cancer has many known causes. Nonetheless, even though lung cancer often occurs because of other factors, the reality is that asbestos exposure can also cause lung cancer. When asbestos fibers get stuck in a person’s lungs, they can develop lung cancer.

After symptoms that suggest a serious lung problem start emerging, an individual might think they have lung cancer, when in fact they have mesothelioma, or vice versa, because both diseases can present a similar set of symptoms. Nonetheless, a history of being exposed to asbestos fibers is what physicians look for when trying to identify mesothelioma specifically. Some of the symptoms people with mesothelioma or lung cancer experience include;

One of Nation’s Largest Railroad Companies Sues Health Clinic Providing Aid to Asbestos Victims

May 17, 2021 | Throneberry Law Group

One of the country’s largest railroad companies recently made headlines when it filed a lawsuit against a Montana health clinic that provides aid to asbestos and mesothelioma cancer victims harmed by a now shuttered vermiculite mine, and the railway company itself for the two entities’ roles in spreading carcinogenic asbestos fibers across the area. The company, BNSF Railway, is suing the Center for Asbestos Related Disease, located in Libby, Montana, claiming that the clinic is defrauding the federal government by conducting what the railway calls unnecessary tests and is relying on supposedly inaccurate radiological studies to diagnose asbestos victims in the town and surrounding area.

Though only made public recently, the suit was originally filed back in 2019. The claim asked the federal government to investigate and prosecute the Center for Asbestos Related Disease for fraud against the taxpayer. Fortunately, the federal government declined to intervene on behalf of BNSF Railway, leaving the company to carry the claim on itself under the federal whistleblower statute that allows private entities to bring claims on behalf of the government and receive a portion of any recovery for itself.

The Center for Asbestos Related Disease is one of the few healthcare providers in the country that commits itself to study the health effects of the particular form of asbestos found in the vermiculite mines of Libby. To that end, the Center for Asbestos Related Disease is the leading provider of asbestos-related diagnoses and healthcare to the residents of the small town which found itself at the epicenter of one of the worst environmental cleanups in the United States.

Could Artificial Intelligence Help in the Fight Against Mesothelioma?

April 26, 2021 | Throneberry Law Group

British researchers recently published findings in genomics studies which used artificial intelligence to help study mesothelioma, a rare and deadly form of cancer caused by exposure to carcinogenic asbestos fibers. The hope of the findings is that the research and analysis could help improve patient outcomes and improve the prognosis for those who are diagnosed with the as of right now incurable disease, and potentially help find answers to a cure for mesothelioma.

The research undertaken by the University of Leicester Mesothelioma Research Programme reveals that, using AI analysis of DNA-sequenced cancer cells, the disease evolves along similar and repeated paths between individuals. Those paths predict the overall aggressiveness and could show possible individualized therapies which could be applied to help fight the disease.

Professor Dean Fennell, Chair of Thoracic Medical Oncology at the University of Leicester and Director of the Leicester Mesothelioma Research Programme, said “It has long been appreciated that asbestos causes mesothelioma, however, how this occurs remains a mystery. Using AI to interrogate genomic ‘big data’, this initial work shows us that mesotheliomas follow ordered paths of mutations during development and that these so-called trajectories predict not only how long a patient may survive, but also how to better treat cancer – something Leicester aims to lead on internationally through clinical trial initiatives.”

Norwegian biotech company’s immunotherapy drug shows promise for mesothelioma patients who undergo chemotherapy

March 27, 2021 | Throneberry Law Group

A Norwegian biotechnology company recently announced that the 21-month followup data from its clinical stage immunotherapy trials revealed promising results for mesothelioma patients who are also undergoing chemotherapy to treat their rare and deadly form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure. The results of the study show that at least half of the patients who took the company’s immuno-oncology drug while undergoing chemotherapy are still alive, compared to an average survival rate of just over a year for those who did not.

Targovax ASA’s phase I/II trial of its ONCOS-102 aims to assess the safety, immune activation and clinical efficacy of the drug taken in combination with a patient’s chemotherapy regimen compared to those who underwent the standard chemotherapy only. The study examined 31patients in total, with 20 receiving the ONCOS-102 immunotherapy drug which targets hard to kill mesothelioma tumor cells. “It is most encouraging that survival continues to track so well in the ONCOS-102-treated first line group,” said Targovax’s chief medical officer . “We have earlier seen and reported how ONCOS-102 drives profound remodeling of the tumor microenvironment. It is now becoming clear that this is translating into long-term survival benefit.”

Mesothelioma has a latency period of anywhere from 20 to 50 years, which means decades can pass after exposure to asbestos before doctors are able to make a diagnosis, leaving many patients with diminished treatment options. Oftentimes, surgery is not an option to kill mesothelioma tumors, and patients are left with only chemotherapy as an option, which can take a toll on the individual’s overall health.