Loss of loved one inspires mesothelioma awareness
Recent Blue Cross Broad Street run in Philadelphia included members of one family on a singular mission: to carry out last wishes of their late father, James “Chalk” Thompson. Following their run, family and friends of Thompson’s gathered for a benefit to raise funds for Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation.
Thompson died after battling mesothelioma cancer, a rare and aggressive disease affecting about three thousand Americans each year. Thompson wanted desperately to spread the word about his disease in hopes of raising awareness about mesothelioma and its cause, asbestos. Sadly, due to his condition, he was unable to undertake such a task. His family and friends, though, are stepping up in his memory. Thompson’s daughter-in-law, Leslie Gabor, said, “He said, ‘Promise me that you will get awareness out there and . . . tell people the signs so they can get checked.’”
Mesothelioma is a harsh disease, mercilessly attacking healthy tissues protecting lungs, heart and other abdominal cavities. Characterized by a latency period spanning several decades, mesothelioma is difficult to diagnose until its final and most aggressive stage. Following diagnosis, mesothelioma life expectancy is short and grim.
Thompson believed his mesothelioma was a result of his fifty-three years as an insulator in and around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Like Thompson, many individuals who develop mesothelioma have no idea they were ever exposed to its cause, toxic chemical asbestos, until it is too late to treat with any hope of survival. Common to many workplace environments, employers often do not know, or do not say, that asbestos is a present hazard. Asbestos exposure, both accidental and intentional, has cost thousands of lives.
In recent years regulations have been put in place to protect employees and the general public from the threat of asbestos, but violations continue to happen. Prized for its fire resistance, durability and stabilizing qualities, and with a high cost on asbestos abatement training and licensure, many companies ignore the regulations and proceed without protecting their employees or clients. Asbestos has been used so heavily for the past hundred years in America and around the world, opportunities for exposure are countless and widespread. A peak in mesothelioma cases is expected in future as latency periods beginning after establishment of asbestos regulations, come to an end.
Thompson’s son, Jim, said of his late father, “He wanted to go to the union halls . . . and try to get the word out to other guys about getting checked, but it didn’t work out that way, so now we’re picking up the pieces and trying to run with it. Hopefully, anybody that wants to know will be able to get information. If we could save one person from going through what my father went through, it would be well worth it.”
New gene therapy shows promise as mesothelioma treatment
Current Treatment Options in Oncology is soon to publish an article reporting affects of gene therapy on malignant mesothelioma. Gene therapy is a new, cutting edge treatment using a viral structure to deliver genetic change agents to target areas. Negative effects of a virus are removed, leaving just ‘search and attach’ characteristics of the virus. This structure piggy-backs change agent cells prepared to modify genetic make-up of target tissues.
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer affecting about three thousand Americans each year and an estimated twenty thousand worldwide. Mesothelioma is caused by toxic asbestos fibers which can begin a cancerous development of organ lining if inhaled or ingested. This development begins with a latency period of twenty to fifty years, going unnoticed by patients. When signs do demonstrate mesothelioma has reached its aggressive stage. Symptoms mimic those of bronchitis and pneumonia, however, making it difficult to recognize. Once a proper diagnosis is made, mesothelioma patients receive a grim prognosis. Mesothelioma life expectancy ranges from six months to several years. Mesothelioma is considered a fatal cancer and is without cure.
When gene therapy change agent cells are released into the body, they target mesothelioma cells to deliver one of three genetic modifications: agent cells can begin a process of cell death in mesothelioma cells, heighten susceptibility to treatment choices, or inhibit cell reproduction which stops cancer spread.
According to gene therapy researchers, this new treatments could be quite beneficial in the fight against mesothelioma on several counts. Mesothelioma tumors are characterized by a large cell surface area, this allows change agent cells higher accuracy in delivery of genetic modifications. Also, mesothelioma tumors tend to be clustered together in the early stages of the disease; if an early diagnosis could be made, change agent cells could have a larger target area, rather than scattered smaller ones. This would quicken delivery and response of gene therapy options.
There are currently two gene therapy trials under way, both sponsored by National Cancer Institute and being conducted at University of Pennsylvania’s Abramson Cancer Center. They are ‘Intrapleural Gene Transfer for Pleural Mesothelioma’ and ‘Combination Gene Transfer and Chemotherapy.’ Authors of the recent study say gene therapy has ‘shown safety and some limited evidence of efficacy.’
Mesothelioma qualified by PET/CT scan combo
Recent article published by Department of Thoracic Surgery at Catholic University in Rome, Italy, suggests a combination of PET scan and CT scan may increase the provider’s ability to qualify present stages of mesothelioma. A PET scan shows patterns and abnormalities on a molecular lever, while a CT scan provides an overall map of the body’s interior organs and tissues. Together, these two scans are thought to give attending physicians a thorough understanding of present malignant mesothelioma that would not be afforded by one scan alone.
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer considered fatal and without cure. Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to toxic asbestos fibers which can begin a cancerous development in organ lining if inhaled or ingested. There are two types of mesothelioma: pleural mesothelioma, which is specific to lung lining, and peritoneal mesothelioma, which affects other organ linings such as the heart or diaphragm. Both types of mesothelioma are characterized by irregularly patterned malignant tumors.
Mesothelioma can be difficult to diagnose. Once original asbestos exposure has begun cancerous development, the disease goes through a long latency period, often between twenty and fifty years. In its final, and most aggressive stage, signs begin to demonstrate. Mesothelioma symptoms mimic those of bronchitis or pneumonia, making it difficult to diagnose even in its final stage. Once a proper diagnosis has been made patient life expectancy is short and grim.
There are many mesothelioma treatments available. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are often administered in combination for best results. Some patients who are not healthy enough to receive such demanding procedures may choose palliative care to focus on pain management and comfort. Palliative care may also include surgeries to aid in patient breathing and minimize tumor spread.
According to recent studies a PET/CT combination gives providers a better look at each mesothelioma case individually. This would allow providers to more accurately qualify which patients are strong enough for surgery and other invasive treatments, and which are not. Being able to see tumor patterns, sizes and whereabouts would allow providers to choose treatment options appropriate for each patient. PET/CT scans done together are suggested as a good tool for follow-up care. Providers can check on spread, metastasis or infection without disturbing a patient’s rest and recuperation.
High asbestos levels detected in PA elementary school
US municipal buildings continue to deal with record levels of asbestos exposure. What was once considered the ‘backbone of American industry’ has now become a nationwide threat to public safety.
Asbestos was heavily used between he 1920s and 1980s in countless building and production lines. Shipbuilding, munitions manufacturing, residential and commercial construction all saw historic highs of asbestos use. It was not until later, last century, that dangerous risks of asbestos became known. Asbestos causes severe respiratory illnesses including rare cancer mesothelioma.
Students and faculty of Benjamin Franklin Elementary School or Philadelphia, Pennsylvania are aware of the dangers associated with asbestos exposure. In 2003, after exceeding occupancy levels of their own facility, the school annexed additional space at nearby Pilgrim Baptist Church. The church property has been regularly tested every six months for abnormal or unsafe asbestos levels. An April test done by Philadelphia’s Office of Environmental Management and Services and Health and Welfare Fund of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers showed questionable results. Asbestos levels were higher that usual. Students and faculty were relocated to another nearby location to await detailed results and possible recommended changes to their annexed facility.
Asbestos can cause mesothelioma if its toxic fibers are inhaled or ingested. These fibers become lodged in organ lining and begin a mutative growth process that spreads as a web of malignant tumors. Pleural mesothelioma is specific to lung lining, while peritoneal mesothelioma affects the lining of heart, diaphragm or other organs.
An estimated twenty thousand people suffer from mesothelioma around the world each year, but asbestos continues to be used. Most asbestos use is seen in developing countries where safety precautions and regulations are minimal, if existent. These countries also lack medical facilities able to diagnose or treat mesothelioma.
Where available, mesothelioma treatments usually include a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Typically palliative in nature, treatments focus on pain relief and quality of life. These treatments are also used in cancer-direct form. There is no known cure for mesothelioma.
Instances of asbestos exposure like that at Benjamin Franklin Elementary School are expected to continue worldwide until asbestos use is greatly curbed or completely stopped.
Immune system defense cells thought to be ‘disarmed’ by asbestos
A recent study published in international Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology suggests asbestos fibers may not only cause mesothelioma cancer, but also render the body’s defenses against it useless. Researchers considered immune systems main response, natural killer (NK) cells, in this study as they put these cytotoxic cells to the test.
If inhaled or ingested, asbestos fibers can become lodged in organ lining beginning a mutative process leading to mesothelioma cancer. Characterized by an irregular web of malignant tumors, mesothelioma specific to lung lining is called pleural mesothelioma; when found in lining of other abdominal cavities it is called peritoneal mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma takes decades to develop—often twenty to fifty years. Symptoms demonstrate during the last and most aggressive stage of the cancer and are often mistaken for symptoms of pneumonia or bronchitis. Many patients have no idea they were ever exposed to asbestos and therefore have no reason to seek medical counsel.
Mesothelioma affects an estimated twenty thousand people each year worldwide. However, asbestos continues to be used globally and in many countries without proper safety precautions. Heavily regulated in the US, UK and Australia, asbestos has now become an issue of safe clean up, rather than a leading industrial presence in these countries.
Mesothelioma is often associated with workplace asbestos exposure, which is thought to have peaked in the early 1970’s in the US. Given the estimated latency period associated with this cancer, US mesothelioma cases are thought to be peaking now.
Most mesothelioma patients become aware of their disease later in life, usually around retirement age. Life expectancy following a mesothelioma diagnosis is short, between six months and two years. Mesothelioma treatments typically include a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
The Japanese study, conducted at Kawasaki Medical School, considered the affects of asbestos on NK cells, which in normal circumstances would be leading the body’s fight against invading tumors and viruses. NK cells contain proteins that target unwanted cell types. In a five-month study, NK cells were found greatly depleted of their defensive abilities after being exposed to asbestos throughout the test. NK cells exposed to asbestos for just two weeks also showed a lower cytotoxicity level, the level of toxic affect on target cells. NK cells of mesothelioma patient tissue showed the same results. However, when using fiberglass rather that asbestos to cross check results, the outcome was not the same.
Research team members concluded: “These results indicate that asbestos has the potential to suppress cytotoxicity of NK cells. In particular, it is noteworthy that both NK cells from malignant mesothelioma patients and those from a culture… derived from healthy volunteers with asbestos showed the same characteristic of decreased cytotoxicity with low expression of NKp46.”
