The Multidisciplinary Thoracic Oncology Clinic aims to provide cancer patients with a one-stop shop for their testing needs. The clinic in Naperville, Illinois houses competent medical professionals such as oncologists, thoracic surgeons, social workers, coordinating nurses and the like who specializes in cancer. This setup then enables patients to receive their plan of treatment in just one day instead of the usual two weeks or even months. Patients normally have to wait this long before receiving treatment due to appointments in different locations for the numerous tests they need.
The clinic particularly caters to patients with thoracic cancers like mesothelioma. There is no recent cure for this type of cancer although a lot of patients choose to go through comprehensive medical care to fight it.
The topmost quality services is made possible by this clinic run by the Edward Cancer Center. Please visit www.edward.org for more information.
Source: Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer Treatments Expedited at New Clinic
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PENN Medicine worked alongside with the National Cancer Institute in a current study that used genetically engineered human immune cells to destroy cancer cells having mesothelin, a protein component in all pancreatic cancers and mesothelioma.
Former laboratory findings have presented that antibodies aimed at mesothelin can make tumor cells smaller while specific T-cells or human immune cells can eliminate tumor cells that produce mesothelin. It was shown in the study that depending on the size of the tumors and the number of cells applied, approximately one mesothelin targeted T-cell have consumed around 40 tumor cells.
Clinical studies are on its way to examine this method of defeating tumors in mesothelioma and ovarian cancer patients.
Source: New Study Provides Hope for Mesothelioma Cure
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Researchers at Wake Forest University’s Department of Chemistry have developed a new kind of anti-tumor drug with the help of its Health Science Comprehensive Cancer Center. These drugs made with platinum were established to be more capable of combating particular kinds of cancer cells as much as ten times over.
The drug considerably delayed the growth of tumors in mice and poses a more productive way of curing non-small cell lung cancers. The research results could help people with mesothelioma, a type of cancer brought about by exposure to asbestos which normally appears in the pleural lining of the lungs as well as the abdomen and heart.
These drugs will hopefully get into clinical tests in the coming years while new research is being aimed at reducing the harmful results of using anti-cancer drugs.
Source: Wake Forest University Researchers Develop Anti-Tumor Drugs
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A new study organized at the University of Canberra in Australia has discovered a possible new use for mistletoes, and cancer experts said that the parasitic mistletoe plant may be effective in treating certain types of cancer.
Dr. Ljubov Simson of the University of Canberra’s Immunotherapy Group stated that mistletoe is already used to cure cancer in Germany, and has been doing laboratory work that has “confirmed” the plant’s capability to “stimulate the body’s immune system” to kill cancerous cells.
According to their work, mistletoe killed off approximately 80% of a cancerous tumor. Mistletoe sets off coagulation, or the development of blood clots, and it also “separates” cancer cells and activates the eosinophil. Eosinophil is what makes a plant effective in treating cancer.
Important reminder is that mistletoe is a parasitic plant, meaning that it contains toxins and dosage would be further studied. Researchers are positive that this can be a potential treatment for mesothelioma cancer patients.
Source: Australian Study Claims Mistletoe Effective in Killing Cancer Cells
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A high-dose of vinflunine provides positive results and survival rates in patients with mesothelioma, based on a report in the October 20th issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology. There have been many medications that have been evaluated for pleural mesothelioma but the response rates are usually low and no survival signs were demonstrated.
Officials said that vinflunine was generally well tolerated, but careful execution is required to minimize injecton site reactions, which resulted in about half of the patients in the study.
Source: Vinflunine improves response and survival rate in mesothelioma
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Bernie Banton, who is battling mesothelioma was campaigning hard for the palliative drug Alimta to be put on the government’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
Mr. Banton had disputes with Tony Abbott, Health Minister because Mr. Abbott accused Banton of acting out, indicating that Banton’s intentions were not good. But Tony Abbott later apologised and personally called Banton to deliver the good news that a re-elected affiliation government’s goal was to have Alimta listed on the PBS in January.
Source: Mesothelioma Drug to be Subsidized
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British researchers recently performed a study of the effects of chemotherapy on patients suffering from terminal pleural mesothelioma. The results of the study stated that chemotherapy, along with other conventional cancer treatments, such as radiation, are generally only a means of symptom control in mesothelioma patients, as there is no certified cure for this individual disease.
Researchers dealt with the patients every 3-21 weeks and monitored their progress. When compared, the group who took chemotherapy and medications experienced what the researchers called “a small, non-significant survival benefit.” The quality of life was really not affected when researchers followed up with both groups of participants.
There is really no convincing benefit as far as survival rates or quality of life are concerned according to research findings. However, one positive result is the use of Vinorelbine, a chemotherapy drug, which showed minor increase in survival rates when paired up with other medications. Researchers are now seeking out further study of this particular drug.
Source: Researchers Continue To Test Effects Of Chemo On Mesothelioma Patients
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New research from Italy found that Laparoscopic Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy, or HIPEC, may be successful in treating patients with peritoneal mesothelioma. The results showed that a 49-year old female suffering from peritoneal mesothelioma felt significant comfort after undergoing HIPEC treatments. Researchers discovered that ascites, which is a swollen, painful concentration of fluid within the abdominal cavity, were lessened after the female underwent HIPEC. Actually , the ascites had not appeared back when researchers followed up with the patient about six months after the study.
HIPEC treatments are an “option” for peritoneal mesothelioma patients according to a medical spokesperson from the University of Perugia in Italy. There will be additional research to be done to determine a standard dosage for HIPEC treatments.
An article from the Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery reported that a combination of cytoreductive surgery (surgery to reduce cancerous cells) and HIPEC is “a promising treatment for patients with peritoneal malignancies.” The article also said that HIPEC is “safe” and “feasible” when it follows cytoreductive surgery, and that the results of the related research are “encouraging”.
Source: Possible New Treatment For Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma Patients
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The Swiss Group for Cancer Research is looking for mesothelioma patients to join a clinical study that will determine whether mesothelioma symptoms can be better controlled with the use of a new device.
The Electronic Tool for Monitoring Symptoms and Syndromes Associated with Advanced Cancer (called E-MOSAIC) is a small, handheld device that monitors and tracks symptoms. Developers of E-MOSAIC are hopeful that the device will improve communication between mesothelioma patients and their doctors. They also believe that the device will play a vital role in planning and assessing cancer treatments.
Dr. Florian Strasser of the Kantonsspital Hospital in Switzerland will be heading the study, which is expected to be completed by July 2010.
Source: Mesothelioma Patients Needed for New Clinical Trial
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Two substantial proteins that make up tumors are part of a method that could tell in advance if a particular chemotherapy will carry out its purpose well. A protein that causes tumors to endure is then modified to work with chemotherapy and aid to reduce their resiliency. University of Rochester Medical Center researchers are keen on developing ways to distinctively assign treatments to tumors. Results would bring efficient and more tolerable medical treatments with less harmful or unpleasant effects for the patients.
Source: Quick Formula Could Forecast Which Cancers Chemo Could Kill
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