Mesothelioma Chemotherapy Treatment Improves Survival Rate

Mesothelioma is an aggressive and rare disease that affects the lining of several vital organs in the body. Almost exclusively caused by exposure to asbestos, mesothelioma affects 2,000 to 3,000 people each year in the United States. Chemotherapy is considered one of the traditional forms of treatment for mesothelioma, along with surgery and radiation.

Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is the second most common form of malignant mesothelioma and this form of the disease has shown improved response to chemotherapy in recent studies.

In an Australian study titled "Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma," which tracked the epidemiology and new treatment advancements of peritoneal mesothelioma, researchers detailed a chemotherapy treatment that combined the chemotherapeutic drugs pemetrexed and cisplatin. The study presented a median survival of 13 months and one-year survival of 66 percent in 66 peritoneal mesothelioma patients. Patients (32) who received pemetrexed alone displayed a nine-month median survival and 0 percent one-year survival rate.

A new treatment study that showed very promising results utilizing a combination of cytoreductive surgery and intraperitoneal hyperthermic chemotherapy was conducted at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland. Using this treatment combination, 49 peritoneal mesothelioma patients experienced a median survival of 92 months with a five-year survival rate of 59 percent. Other cancer hospitals recorded similar survival rates while utilizing these treatments.

While many treatment options have been of palliative nature in the past, new chemotherapy treatments for peritoneal mesothelioma have given patients hope that some mesothelioma treatments may be curative. Due to the treatments being largely experimental, they can carry an enhanced risk of morbidity or mortality. However, the researchers in this study suggest that a combined treatment option may be the new standard of care.

New biomarkers discussed in this study helped doctors detect the disease in its earlier stages and lead to earlier treatment. Early detection has always been the key to effectively treating mesothelioma and increasing the life expectancy of mesothelioma patients.

Additional information about mesothelioma and treatment options can be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

Peritoneal mesothelioma in a woman who has survived for seven years: a case report

IntroductionMalignant peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare cancer with poor patient survival. Female gender has been identified as a positive prognostic factor.

Recently, it has been suggested that the expression of estrogen receptor in malignant mesothelioma leads to tumor suppression and a better prognosis.Case presentationWe report the case of a 48-year-old Caucasian woman who is alive and disease-free seven years after the initial diagnosis and treatment of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma.

Conclusion: This patient's long survival may be attributable to a combination of factors, including minimal disease, complete cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy plus the estrogen receptor beta positivity of the tumor.

Author: Krishna PillaiJaved AkhterMohammad PourgholamiDavid Morris
Credits/Source: Journal of Medical Case Reports 2011, 5:36

Campaign launched for asbestos victim

A campaign has been launched to help a woman with mesothelioma have treatment for the cancer, which has highlighted the dangers of asbestos to employers liability insurance holders.

The Keighley News reported that those close to Suzie Jeng are attempting to raise sufficient funds to allow her and her family to travel to the US where she can receive the treatment, which would increase her lifespan.

Employers liability insurance holders have been told that in December Ms Jeng, 39, was first diagnosed with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma.

"There is no cure, however treatment can prolong life and the symptoms. Treatment is critical and can be obtained at a few specialised units mainly in the south of England. There is a possibility that Suzie may have to travel to America," co-founder of a fundraising group Jo-Anne Harrison said.

According to the Health and Safety Executive, exposure to asbestos fibres can result in lung cancer, mesothelioma, pleural plaques, asbestosis and diffuse pleural thickening.