Mesothelioma Help Cancer News
2017 Calendar Mesothelioma Events
As progress continues to be made in the fight against mesothelioma, 2017 looks promising in continuing the march to a cure. For patients and families looking for more information on the latest developments, there are plenty of conferences to offer knowledge, along with support.
The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation is holding its International Symposium on Malignant Mesothelioma March 27 -March 29. The event will be co-hosted by the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland.
The 13th Annual International Asbestos Awareness and Prevention Conference, sponsored by the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, is April 7-9 in Arlington, Virginia.
Following are other days and events held throughout the year that are intended to help bring attention to mesothelioma, and cancer in general.
- February 2, 2017- National Cancer Prevention Day
- February 28,2017- Rare Disease Day (NORD)
- May 20,2017- International Clinical Trials Day ICTD
- June 5,2017- 29th Annual National Cancer Survivors Day
- August 1, 2017- World Lung Cancer Day
- September 26,2017- Mesothelioma Awareness Day
You can also find caregiver recognition events and online support groups for both patients and families. For some it is impossible to get to these events, but it is possible to participate online. If you know of any, and would like the rest of the mesothelioma community to be aware of, please let us know.
Everyone is different, as is everyone’s journey with mesothelioma. Some people like to find out as much as they can about the disease, some go to events to enjoy the sense of community. Whatever your personal situation- support is available.
If you have questions about your mesothelioma treatment or any aspect of your mesothelioma care, please email me at [email protected].
Sources:
- Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation
http://www.curemeso.org/site/c.duIWJfNQKiL8G/b.8598593/k.D685/Homepage.htm - Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization
http://www.cvent.com/events/2012-annual-asbestos-awareness-conference/archived-e6277e3d443b4c059bed43fc0937b530.aspx - 13th Annual International Asbestos Awareness and Prevention Conference
http://www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org/archives/40117
Older Patients Burdened by Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer Treatments
The American Cancer Society reports that lung cancer mainly occurs in older people, with about two out of three lung cancer patients aged 65 or older. The average age at the time of diagnosis is about 70. Pleural mesothelioma, a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos, produces tumors that grow uncontrollably in the lining of the lung and is equally as aggressive and difficult to treat as lung cancer. About three out of four people with mesothelioma are older than 65 years. Now, researchers report that these older patients “face a significant treatment burden” when diagnosed with cancer.
According to a Jan. 10 article in Medical News Today, this older population of patients may face spending one-third of their time interacting with medical teams for the 60 days following surgery or radiation. Previous research has shown that nearly half of older cancer patients have medical problems that also need to be addressed such as reduced physical functioning, nutritional deficiencies, fatigue and depression. Pointing to all of these issues, researchers from Yale found after treatment for cancer, older patients saw an average of 20 different physicians and took 12 different medications.
“To our knowledge, this is the first study to characterize treatment burden for early-stage lung cancer patients in terms of touches with the healthcare system, including emergency department visits, hospital-based follow-up care, number of physicians, and outpatient visits,” said first author Carolyn Presley, M.D., instructor at Yale Cancer Center and a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar at Yale School of Medicine.
This news may come as no surprise to many in the mesothelioma community who have battled pleural mesothelioma themselves or who stood by their loved one as they underwent treatment. Battling any disease for the older population is difficult, but dealing with a painful, incurable cancer can be extremely challenging. Treatment for mesothelioma is often a complex regimen including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. These treatments also come with a set of side effects that can lead to more medical challenges in an older patient.
“These findings highlight a need to improve cancer care coordination. It’s also a call for providers to think about the burden we might be placing on patients,” said Carolyn Presley, M.D.
While the average survival time of mesothelioma patients typically varies from 4 – 18 months after diagnosis, many factors determine the life expectancy. Factors include type and stage of mesothelioma, treatment plan, whether the patient has ever smoked, the lifestyle, diet and fitness level of the patient, as well as age, sex and family traits.
Read the full study in the January issue of Journal of Oncology Practice.
Vitamin C May Kill Mesothelioma Cancer Cells
Research has shown that the antioxidant effects of vitamin E could protect healthy cells from the damaging effects of free radicals helping to keep cancer at bay. Vitamin C has also been studied for its impact on cancer with research showing the vitamin can limit cancer cell growth in mesothelioma, colon cancer, and prostate cancers, among others. Now, researchers report that high-dose, intravenous delivery of Vitamin C in lung cancer patients could kill the cancer cells.
According to a Jan. 9 article in the Science Daily, researchers from the University of Iowa believe that many attempts at using Vitamin C in cancer care have failed because delivery has been oral. However, in their study, high doses of Vitamin C were given intravenously. This method of delivery, as opposed to oral delivery, results in very high blood levels of vitamin C – 100-500 times higher – by bypassing normal ingestion and excretion processes. According to the researchers, “It is this super-high concentration in the blood that is crucial to vitamin C’s ability to attack cancer cells.” At this high level, cancer cells are killed, but the other cells are left intact.
The researchers used a mouse study to understand the underlying biological processes of the high-dosage vitamin C and cancer.
The team found that when vitamin C breaks down it generates hydrogen peroxide that can lead to tissue and DNA damage. Normal cells can process, or remove, the peroxide, but cancerous cells cannot making the cancer cells more prone to death when they are hit with high doses of vitamin C. The researchers determined that the healthy cells used an enzyme called catalase to decompose the vitamin and remove the hydrogen peroxide keeping the cells healthy and undamaged. Not so for the cancerous cells, they had lower amounts of catalase, thus, making them more susceptible to death with high amounts of vitamin C.
“Our results suggest that cancers with low levels of catalase are likely to be the most responsive to high-dose vitamin C therapy, whereas cancers with relatively high levels of catalase may be the least responsive,” said Garry Buettner, a professor of radiation oncology and a member of Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Iowa.
A future goal of the research is to develop methods to measure catalase levels in tumors, said Buettner.
Pleural mesothelioma is a serious and rare cancer affecting the lining of the lungs in individuals who were exposed to asbestos fibers in the past. Like lung cancer, mesothelioma is highly aggressive and is resistant to many standard cancer treatments, making breakthroughs of effective treatments critical to the mesothelioma community. Currently there is no known cure for mesothelioma, and the average survival time varies from 4 – 18 months after diagnosis.
The treatments for lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma are very similar bringing hope to the mesothelioma community when success is seen in studies in the lung cancer community. Continued research for bringing improved treatment options to mesothelioma patients can increase survival and improve their quality of life.
Read the full study in the Dec. 2016 issue of Redox Biology.
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers Offer Best Care Options
What do you do once you are diagnosed with mesothelioma? Some people prefer to stay close to their homes and receive treatment in familiar surroundings. The choice is individual, but we strongly encourage patients and families to go to a mesothelioma treatment center to receive cutting-edge treatment.
What do you get at a mesothelioma center? There are resources available that you will not get at your local facility. The first thing is a wide variety of dedicated professionals who focus on mesothelioma. A patient is often supported by a medical team of oncologists, surgeons, pulmonologists, radiation therapists, and researchers. Having all these experts under one roof allows for collaboration and experience to best serve the mesothelioma patient and family.
Another benefit of a mesothelioma center is that they offer support services. This can include access to social workers, chaplains, palliative care specialists, alternative medicine and resources for accommodations. These professionals often offer support groups where you can meet with other patients or caregivers who are going through the same thing as you. Although each journey is unique, it is comforting to know you are not alone.
Traveling to a mesothelioma center can be inconvenient, but many centers have relationships with local hotels, hospitality homes, and rentals. There are resources available.
This past week, I spoke to a patient who had driven 1,000 miles- he does not like to fly- to receive treatment for mesothelioma. He told us he had researched and talked to other patients and decided to make the journey. What lies ahead for him no one knows, but he and his family know they have sought out the options that are right for them.
One of the most important advantages that you gain from a specialty treatment center is hope. Mesothelioma is a challenging disease, but there are options. Mesothelioma patients can return to their everyday lives.
Do what you feel is right for you, but know that there are other mesothelioma treatment care options available.
Nurse Offers Patients and Their Families a Happy New Year
No matter what religion you practice or which holidays you celebrate, this is a tough time of year to be a patient in the hospital. For the many years that I have been a nurse, and the number of holidays that I have worked, I have learned that most patients do not want to be there. There is usually a push to get as many patients out of the hospital as possible before the holidays, of course ensuring they are ready for discharge. But for the many who are not ready, they must remain hospitalized during the holiday season.
Knowing this and knowing that many nurses start talking about working the holidays and trading shifts in July, working the holidays is a subject that many staff find difficult. The holidays are difficult for everyone, the patients who are sick and the staff who are working, and the families who are trying to be supportive of their loved ones.
When I look back on the holidays that I have worked, I find now that I had many experiences that did not seem so positive at the time, but are now uplifting and memorable. The most overriding feeling is one of companionship, the concept that we are all in this together – patients, staff, families – all working toward the goal of helping the patient to get better or to help alleviate their suffering. Doing something to help another human being, at a time when they are most vulnerable, is really an opportunity that as a nurse we are privileged to be able to offer.
Once the diagnosis of mesothelioma is made, the holidays and all they represent take on a new dimension. Spending time with your loved ones becomes so much more important than spending money on material things. As we remember our past holidays we savor the opportunity to make memories that last long after any presents are exchanged.
As we enter a new year, we are once again reminded that tomorrow is promised to no one. Enjoy your family and savor every moment of your life.
Wishing you and yours a happy and healthy new year!
Free Mesothelioma Patient & Treatment Guide
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It contains a wealth of information and resources to help you better understand the condition, choose (and afford) appropriate treatment, and exercise your legal right to compensation.
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