The Link between Mesothelioma Awareness and Funding (May 14, 200

Why must we devote more federal research funding to mesothelioma?  If this question were actually posed to a random person off the street, they would most likely respond by asking “What is Mesothelioma?”  It is a sad fact that most of the general public is simply in the dark not only about this rare but lethal form of cancer, but also about the direct link between mesothelioma and asbestos, which millions of people are exposed to on a daily basis in their homes, communities, and at work.  Despite the fact that mesothelioma has already claimed so many lives, and the number of reported cases of this disease that continues to grow with each year, as well as the number of people that continue to be at risk, a lack of awareness about this disease still persist.  This lack of awareness is linked directly to the lack of sufficient research funding for mesothelioma.
It is no coincidence that the forms of cancer that we all know the most about are also the ones that receive the highest amount of funding.  Therefore, it is crucial that we devote more federal research funding to mesothelioma for three fundamental reasons: to increase awareness amongst the general public, to develop better treatments for mesothelioma patients, and most importantly, to increase the chances of finding a cure, which despite what some may believe, is still entirely within the realm of possibility.  It is crucial that awareness about mesothelioma be raised amongst the general public because by being exposed to asbestos they are at risk of developing the disease, as a link between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma has already been established.  In addition, the general public can be a great source of advocacy for an increase in federal research mesothelioma funding, which is so desperately needed.  However, they cannot advocate for a cause that they are simply unaware of.  As more of us become educated about mesothelioma, we can advocate for more federal research funding to be devoted to the disease, which would make a big difference in the lives of mesothelioma patients; as greater funding could lead to the development of better treatments, which they are so deserving of.  Furthermore, an increase in federal research mesothelioma funding could lead to the development of a cure, which would ensure that not even one more life is lost to this disease.

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.

This year the Meso Foundation has set up a travel grant program to help patients and a travel partner attend the 5th Annual International Symposium on Malignant Mesothelioma in Washington, D.C., from June 26-28.

Targeting a Cure

WASHINGTON, May 28 –Leading international experts on the asbestos-related cancer, mesothelioma, will join meso patients, caregivers, loved ones and advocates to share the latest in treatment, research and clinical trials at the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation’s International Symposium on Malignant Mesothelioma, 2008, Thursday, June 26 - Saturday, June 28 at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C.

The Symposium, organized annually by the Meso Foundation, will highlight the latest advances in research and treatment for patients and caregivers, offer psychosocial support to them as well as those who have lost someone to the disease, and provide significant advocacy and volunteer opportunities for all who are intent on eradicating the vicious and terminal effects of this tragic cancer. Click here for whole story.

Fifteen Spanish workers can sue an American company in a New Jersey state court for asbestos-related illnesses they claim were caused while working on U.S. Navy ships in Spain, a state appellate panel ruled on Tuesday. Click here for the whole story.

Excerpt from Laurie Kazan-Allen’s “Governments Debate Asbestos”

Although asbestos has not been banned in the United States, its use has dwindled considerably due to the threat of litigation. Nevertheless, campaigning groups have been actively lobbying for a number of years for a ban on all asbestos use in the U.S. In October 2007, the Ban Asbestos in America Act of 2007 was passed by the Senate.4 Unfortunately somewhere between the drafting of the Senate bill and its unanimous adoption, the language was changed to such an extent that the proposed legislation became unacceptable to the Asbestos Diseases Awareness Organization (ADAO), and others who support the cessation of all asbestos use in the U.S. American business executive, mesothelioma survivor and activist Paul Zygielbaum explains:

“Rather than banning all products containing asbestos, whether as an ingredient or as a contaminant, the revised Senate bill would ban only ‘asbestos containing materials,’ which have a legal definition that generally allows asbestos content up to 1% by weight. The revised bill also calls for studies of the state of scientific knowledge about the hazards of asbestos, a provision sought by industry sources. The bill omits provisions in the earlier draft that would have mandated government testing of products for asbestos content.”5

A determined effort began, directed at the House of Representatives (House), to reinstate the original wording. On May 18, there was a briefing of Democratic staffers on the Energy and Commerce Committee in Washington D.C. to consider the more stringent House Committee Print which seeks to “establish a ban on asbestos-containing products, initiate a public education effort to increase awareness of the dangers of exposure to asbestos and provide compliance testing.” Experts who gave evidence at this hearing included: Peg Seminario, Director of Safety and Health, ALF-CIO, Dr. Arthur Frank from Drexel University, Mrs. Linda Reinstein, Executive Director of the ADAO and others.

Should the House pass a stricter bill than the Senate, a legislative committee will be asked to produce a compromise bill for submission to the President. This opens up yet another can of worms such as the omissions which could be demanded by opponents of the ban as well as the possibility of a Presidential veto. Opinion is divided over the best course of action on the thorny 1% issue. Zygielbaum continues:

“The 1% limit defined in the Senate bill is viewed by some as a stop-gap, with the hope that a future Congress could muster the support needed for a complete ban.Others believe that, if the Senate bill becomes law, it’s unlikely to be revisited in the foreseeable future. Still others point out that the 1% limit would institutionalize asbestos content and contamination in products on American store shelves.one person put it, ‘A 1% limit could mean that it would be permissible to have asbestos in my cornflakes.’”

Speaking about the House hearing on May 18, Mrs. Reinstein said:

“The ADAO supports the House Committee Print that eliminates the 1% exemption and establishes a statutory ban on asbestos. We agree with the World Health Organization’s powerful statement that, ‘The most efficient way to eliminate asbestos-related diseases is to stop using all types of asbestos.’ Scientific technology has made gigantic strides in asbestos detection since the 1970s. We don’t have to compromise public safety by using antiquated analytical standards. Recent Congressional testimony reaffirmed that 1% is not a health based number and asbestos exposure is deadly. We only have one opportunity to ban asbestos - and it is now. Congress can and should pass this legislation to ban asbestos-containing products, initiate a public awareness program and provide for compliance testing which is fully justified, absolutely necessary, and long overdue.”

Whatever the eventual outcome of these activities, there can be little doubt that asbestos victims’ groups and campaigners are now participating at the highest levels of policy making on asbestos issues in the UK, India and the U.S. The bad old days when the asbestos industry had a stranglehold on national asbestos debates is well and truly over.

Full report available here.

In unity,

Linda Reinstein
Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization
1525 Aviation Blvd. Suite 318
Redondo Beach, California 90278

Researchers from the UK and Australia involved in a multicenter randomized trial have concluded that chemotherapy for advanced pleural mesothelioma may not improve survival or quality of life. The details of this study appeared in the May 17, 2008 issue of The Lancet.¹Pleural mesothelioma is a rare and lethal form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure. There are about 2,500 new cases a year in the United States. Because the disease is often advanced at the time of diagnosis, average survival for those with pleural mesothelioma has been significantly less than one year. Recent studies have suggested that chemotherapy can improve quality of life and prolong survival compared with supportive care measures.

The current study compared active symptom control (ASC), with one of two chemotherapy regimens (mitomycin, vinblastine, and cisplatin [MVP] or vinorelbine alone) in 409 patients with advanced pleural mesothelioma. The following table summarizes the main findings of this trial.

There were no differences in quality of life parameters between the three groups. These authors concluded that the addition of chemotherapy to supportive care did not affect survival or quality of life. However, there was a suggestion that vinorelbine could be more effective than supportive care or MVP chemotherapy.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty approved a $4.9 million dollar study of mesothelioma and taconite worker’s health Monday, after reaching a compromise with Range legislators. The Minnesota Department of Health has confirmed at least 58 miners’ deaths due to mesothelioma.

1. Novel dyeing method for chrysotile asbestos detection in concrete materials
2. VATS in diagnosis and treatment of advanced malignant pleural mesothelioma
3. Remarkable enhancement of cytotoxicity of onconase and cepharanthine when used in combination on various tumor cell lines
4. The value of occult disease in resection margin and lymph node after extrapleural pneumonectomy for malignant mesothelioma
5. Environmental policies, politics, and community risk perception: case study of community contamination in Casper, Wyoming
6. Trimodality treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma
7. Video-assisted cervical thoracoscopy: a novel approach for diagnosis, staging and pleurodesis of malignant pleural mesothelioma
8. Overexpression and altered glycosylation of MUC1 in malignant mesothelioma