Mesothel.com Blog

Mesothelioma: A Patient’s Road Map

John Caron — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 15:31:46 +0000

Patients diagnosed with mesothelioma find themselves at the beginning of a journey. Because of the rarity of the disease and the developing nature of the treatments, it is a journey that will take them on sparsely-traveled, out of the way back-roads. The kind of roads that are often difficult to navigate. Difficult, that is, unless you have a good road map.

The Pacific Heart, Lung & Blood Institute (“PHLBI”) has assembled a new brochure entitled: Mesothelioma: A Patient’s Road Map to help mesothelioma patients navigate the many roads before them on their journey to proper diagnosis, treatment and coping with their disease.

As you may know, PHLBI is a non-profit medical research organization focusing on the treatment and prevention of pleural mesothelioma. PHLBI was founded in 2002 by Roger Worthington and Dr. Robert Cameron, head of the Mesothelioma Program at UCLA Medical Center. Dr. Cameron serves as PHLBI’s Scientific Advisor and is a constant contributor to the patient resources available through PHLBI.

The Patient’s Road Map is a helpful and informative guide to proper diagnosis, treatment and coping with pleural mesothelioma. We have recently sent copies of the brochure to many of our current and former clients. We have also asked for their input as to how the brochure can be improved so that it can be an even better resource for families confronting a mesothelioma diagnosis. We will pass along the feedback we receive in future postings.

To get your own copy of Mesothelioma: A Patient’s Road Map, please call us at (800) 831-9399 or email us at info@mesothel.com.

Filed under: Mesothelioma, PHLBI, Robert Cameron

Ban asbestos legislation likely dead for this session

John Caron — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 06:23:19 +0000

Despite concerted efforts by advocates for a ban on asbestos, the House’s companion bill to its Senate ban counterpart never made it out of subcommittee. Now that Congress has adjourned and the session is over, the only chance for the bill’s resurrection is a lame duck session by Congress, which neither looks likely nor, even if it happens, expected to get the ban bill back on track.

Advocates hope that when Congress reconvenes in 2009, hopefully with a crushing Democratic majority in the House and a bulletproof, veto-proof majority in the Senate led by a charismatic Democratic president, the legislation will be brought back from the dead.

After more than 19 years of waiting, it’s more than time–it’s a tragedy.

Posted in Asbestos, Legislation, Mesothelioma

Fred Baron update: Biogen caves in to human decency

John Caron — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 23:42:08 +0000

Mesothelioma titan Fred Baron will receive the last chance drug he needs to fight back what is likely terminal multiple myeloma, despite Biogen’s initial reluctance to provide the drug for off label use even with FDA approval, immunity from suit, and the plea of senators, ex-presidents, and tort giants like Mark Lanier.

“Thanks to the persistence and hard work of so many friends, Fred has received Tysabri,” Baron’s wife, Lisa Blue, said in an e-mailed statement. “The Mayo Clinic working with the FDA found a legal basis for this use. We have every expectation of a positive result.” The whole story is here.

Posted in Medical, Mesothelioma

Congress finally probes link between pharma and researchers

John Caron — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 22:56:13 +0000

Asbestos in particular, and science in general, have long been characterized by corrupt associations between researchers dependent on funding and pharmaceutical companies dependent on positive research outcomes in order to win FDA approval. The funding effect–a statistically bulletproof, demonstrable relationship between the funding source and a positive research outcome–is so well known that all reputable medical journals require funding source disclosure by researchers prior to publication.

Excellent books like “Doubt is their Product” by David Michaels and “Bending Science” by McGarity and Wagner explore this in detail.

Senators Grassley and Kohl have decided to probe more deeply for information about the financial links between researchers and companies that manufacture cardiovascular medical products. Story reported by the NYT.

Posted in Asbestos, Mesothelioma, Public health

“Must reading” for asbestos and mesothelioma

John Caron — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 21:43:45 +0000

My asbestos reading list on Amazon.

Under the “Contributions” heading, click on the “Listmania” tab.

Posted in Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma science update

John Caron — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 20:52:09 +0000

Diagnosis/staging
CK5/6 in effusions: no difference between mesothelioma and pulmonary and nonpulmonary adenocarcinoma

Increased 8-isoprostane, a marker of oxidative stress in exhaled breath condensate in subjects with asbestos exposure

Pulmonary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma mimicking mesothelioma

Peritoneal mesothelioma
Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Risk factors
Pooled analysis of NAT2 genotypes as risk factors for asbestos-related malignant mesothelioma

Health Effects of Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials (III)

Tumor suppression
Functional inactivation of NF2/merlin in human mesothelioma

Posted in Mesothelioma

Radical pleurectomy/decortication saves patients bypassed by EPP

John Caron — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 20:41:16 +0000

This article discusses a study that showed the effectiveness of open chest radical pleurectomy decortication (PD) surgery compared to open chest palliative PD for patients who were not eligible for EPP.

Posted in Mesothelioma, Pleurectomy decortication

Am I a candidate for surgery?

John Caron — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 20:37:10 +0000

Here’s a discussion about prognostic factors for patients considering surgical treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Posted in Extra-pleural pneumonectomy, Mesothelioma, Pleural mesothelioma, Pleurectomy decortication

Mesothelioma titan Fred Baron succumbing to multiple myeloma

John Caron — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 17:17:18 +0000

Fred Baron, founding partner of Dallas’s legendary toxic torts firm Baron & Budd and asbestos/mesothelioma crusader, is dying of multiple myeloma at the Mayo Clinic. Effectively blocking a last ditch effort to get him treatment that might extend his life, big pharma is finally exacting its bloody revenge on a lawyer who led the charge against drug companies by refusing to provide an off label use of a drug that might help. Read the extraordinary story here.

Posted in Mesothelioma

Asbestos rife in Australia’s indigenous public housing

John Caron — Fri, 30 May 2008 17:38:32 +0000

Asbestos has been found in run-down public housing and buildings in remote communities in the Northern Territory, Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin said last night. Tradespeople working in the communities raised concerns to the Government about the asbestos in August last year. But the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs waited two months to investigate.

Read the whole story here.