Mesothelioma Pages

A new study by researchers at the Kawasaki School of Medicine in Japan suggests asbestos may not only initiate mesothelioma cancer growth, but it may also inhibit the body’s natural defense against it.

Natural killer (NK) cells are part of the body’s robust immune system. Containing specific proteins that target and destroy invading cell types, NK cells are a main line of defense against viruses and tumors. Researchers suggest asbestos suppresses cytotoxicity, the defense abilities, of NK cells as well as causing the mutative growth that leads to mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer affecting an estimated fifteen to twenty thousand people worldwide each year. Mesothelioma is characterized by a system of irregularly patterned tumors that spread through the mesothelium—lining of abdominal cavities. Pleural mesothelioma is the more common of the two known types and is specific to tumors in lung lining. Peritoneal mesothelioma is less common and affects lining of other organs like the heart or diaphragm.

Both types of mesothelioma are caused by asbestos fibers. Once inhaled into the lungs these toxic fibers can become lodged in healthy tissue, beginning cancerous cell growth, which ultimately leads to mesothelioma. Asbestos continues to be used globally, and often without safety precautions, regardless of its known health risks.

Mesothelioma has a long latency period, typically ranging between twenty and fifty years. During this time patients usually have no idea they are ill—most never knowing they were ever exposed to toxic asbestos fibers. When symptoms do demonstrate they mimic those of bronchitis or pneumonia, making mesothelioma difficult to diagnose. Following a proper diagnosis, patient life expectancy averages eighteen months.

There are mesothelioma treatments available including surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation treatments. These treatments are usually administered in combination and often as palliative care, focusing on patient comfort and quality of life. There is no known mesothelioma cure.

The Japanese study included tests of asbestos administered to tissue samples. After five months of asbestos exposure, tissues showed a decrease in defense ability in present NK cells. Tissue samples taken from mesothelioma patients showed similar results. In one line of testing, after just two weeks of asbestos exposure, NK cells of healthy tissue samples were losing their cancer fighting abilities.

To cross check results, fiberglass was administered in the same way to same tissue types; these tests did not have the same results.

In conclusion, researchers stated: “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.”

A young Englishman has a creative plan to raise funds for mesothelioma research. Jamie Menzies intends to cycle across Europe to heighten awareness and donations for the Papworth Hospital, UK’s largest cardiothoracic specialist facility. Menzies’ inspiration for this caring adventure comes from his father’s current struggle with mesothelioma. Menzies’ father was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in November and has been receiving treatments at Papworth Hospital.

Pleural mesothelioma is the more common of two types of mesothelioma, and is specific to lung lining. Peritoneal mesothelioma, the less common type, affects tissue lining of the diaphragm, heart and other abdominal organs. Pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma are caused by asbestos fibers which begin a cancerous growth process after being inhaled or ingested. Asbestos exposure often occurs through work-related or on-the-job hazards in industries using or removing materials containing the toxic chemical.

Menzies plans to bike 1,400 miles, beginning at Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire. His route takes him through London to Dover, on ferry to Dunkirk, France, to Switzerland and then returning to Papworth. Menzies expects the trip will take about 23 days if he cycles an average of 60 miles daily.

Papworth Hospital treats an average of 22,400 patients each year. Menzies will bike 100 meters for each of these patients. He hopes to raise $4375; his website has already been used to make donations totaling $3600. Local bike shop, BikeTart has gotten involved by sponsoring Menzies ride and donating 5% of sales on any transaction where “Cycle4Papworth” is mentioned. Menzies’ fundraiser is being called, “One man, Two wheels, Three Countries and An Amazing Cause.” Menzies says, “Every penny raised for the charity will go towards their [Papworth's] Mesothelioma fund, being used to research new techniques to tackle Mesothelioma.”

Menzies’ father was hospitalized for a month at the beginning of his treatments at Papworth Hospital in December. He underwent surgeries to aid his breathing by removing fluid from his lungs. Many mesothelioma treatments are available today, including such surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. However, the search for a cure continues.

Mesothelioma is characterized by a long latency period, often between twenty and fifty years. When symptoms demonstrate, they mimic those of bronchitis and pneumonia, making mesothelioma difficult to diagnose.  Mesothelioma case numbers continue to rise worldwide. The World Health Organization estimates ninety thousand cases annually if asbestos use is not curbed. Prof Julian Peto, of London School of Hygiene and Topical Medicine and the Institute of Cancer Research, says UK has the highest national mesothelioma death rate with over 2000 losses each year.

Former Major League Baseball player Charlie Metro has just died after battling with rare cancer mesothelioma. Metro was 91 years old. Although asbestos is known to be the cause of mesothelioma, as well as lung cancers and asbestosis, not much is known about how or when Metro was exposed to the toxic chemical.

In an interview in 2007 Metro reminisced of working summers in the Western Pennsylvania coalmines along side his father, a full time miner. Metro survived a blast that killed seven other workers, to which he said, “And I said ‘To heck with it’ after that.” Perhaps it was these times in the coalmines that provided Metro with eventually fatal asbestos exposure.

The mining industry is well known for asbestos exposures. Workers are often exposed to raw asbestos in situations of limited air supply and ventilation, raising the chance for inhalation of asbestos fibers. Asbestos dust and fibers can also be trapped on clothing, shoes and in hair, and brought home to family members and loved ones.

Having given up on a career in mining, Metro began his baseball career in 1940. He played for the Detroit Tigers before moving into management. Metro worked as a manager, and scout for decades. Always connected with the baseball world, Metro continued to work as a consultant after his retirement.

Mesothelioma affects about three thousand Americans each year. It is grimly characterized by a short life expectancy following diagnosis. Proper diagnosis is difficult to reach for several reasons. Mesothelioma develops over decades, often taking twenty to fifty years to show symptoms. Many mesothelioma patients have no idea they were ever exposed to asbestos so they are unaware that they could possibly be developing mesothelioma. Also, mesothelioma symptoms mimic those of bronchitis and pneumonia, creating opportunities for false diagnoses and further postponing appropriate treatments.

There are two types of mesothelioma, pleural mesothelioma, which affects the lining of the lungs, and peritoneal mesothelioma which affects lining of other abdominal cavities such as the heart. Pleural mesothelioma is the more common of the two. Both pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma are characterized by a system of irregularly patterned malignant tumors.

Mesothelioma treatments are available. Today, health care providers are using a combination of surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation therapy to treat mesothelioma. However, there is no known mesothelioma cure. Many patients are choosing a regime of palliative care that focuses on better breathing, pain management and quality of life without fighting the cancer directly.

Italian researchers have set a new record for most in-depth study of mesothelioma. Using synchrotron soft x-ray imaging and florescence microscopy scientists were able to take a closer look at the cause, formation and development of mesothelioma tumors.

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer affecting about three thousand Americans each year and an estimated twenty thousand worldwide. Mesothelioma rates are expected to rise as its main cause, toxic chemical asbestos, continues to be used worldwide. At the current rate of unprotected asbestos use, a peak in mesothelioma and related respiratory illnesses is inevitable. In spite if being considered an ‘orphan disease’ because it affects less than two hundred thousand people at a time, mesothelioma receives much attention from researchers and scientists who are working to find a cure for this aggressive cancer.

Asbestos is the known cause of mesothelioma. Once inhaled asbestos dust and fibers begin a mutative process in lung lining and lining in of other abdominal cavities. This begins growth of irregularly patterned tumors, which characterize malignant mesothelioma. Most commonly undetected for twenty to fifty years, mesothelioma has a long latency period. When symptoms do demonstrate they mimic those of pneumonia and bronchitis, making this disease very difficult to diagnose.

Mesothelioma patients may not know they were ever exposed to asbestos, giving them no cause for concern. Once proper diagnosis is made, life expectancy ranges between six months and five years. There are mesothelioma treatments available; surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are all used to fight mesothelioma. Palliative treatments are also available for patients who choose to focus on pain management and quality of life.

Italian researchers found that the iron content in asbestos fibers may be the body to react by trying to isolate the foreign matter. Tissues surrounding asbestos fibers build a ‘pod’ around the area called an ‘asbestos body.’ These bodies are characteristic of mesothelioma and similar cancers.

The researchers report having “revealed the location, distribution and elemental composition of asbestos bodies and associated nanometric structures.” Magnesium may be a part of the ‘asbestos body’ building process as affected areas tested high for the substance. Silicon was also found in high counts close to the fibers.

In an article in Particle and Fibre Toxicity journal, the researchers report, “The new results obtained by simultaneous structural and chemical analysis of tissue specimens have provided clear evidence that magnesium, in addition to iron, is also involved in the formation mechanisms of asbestos bodies.”

A study by the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada has tested the effects of fish oil on cancer patients. Specifically, the fish oil was used to maintain healthy body weight during preparation, treatment and recovery from cancer treatments.

Cancer patients consistently struggle to keep up healthy body mass. Not only does the disease fight against patients’ natural support systems, but the strong chemotherapy drugs used against the cancer also tax the patients’ resources. Surgery and other procedures weaken the patient even further, minimizing the natural abilities to fight the disease and handle the treatments. Healing and recovery happens faster in healthy patients, and cancerous tissues respond better to chemotherapy in a healthy body.

Mesothelioma patients are one group that would greatly benefit from healthier body weight during treatment. Mesothelioma is a rare respiratory cancer that takes years to develop. By the time it has been diagnosed patients immune systems and regular functions have been greatly taxed. Loss of body mass furthers the weakness and can hinder potentially good responses to treatment.

Mesothelioma is caused by asbestos fibers which can be inhaled or ingested after becoming airborne. These fibers are found in countless materials and components used across the world in industries such as construction, fuel refining, shipbuilding and munitions manufacturing. Although asbestos is relatively safe when it is contained, if it becomes disturbed and dust and fibers escape, there is a great potential health threat.

The University of Alberta study based its approach on the fact that a healthy diet and overall good patient health was a heavy indicator of treatment response and disease control. Keeping up patients body weight could potentially help save lives.

The study included forty patients diagnosed with non small-cell lung cancer. Sixteen of these were given fish oil while twenty-four comprised the control group. A daily does of 2.2 grams of fish oil was given to those sixteen patients to aid in maintaining “weight and muscle mass during chemotherapy.”

Results showed that sixty-nine percent of patients receiving daily fish oil gained or maintained muscle mass, while only twenty-nine percent of those not receiving fish oil did the same.

Patient health is vital for all cancer patients before, during and after treatments. Mesothelioma patients are often diagnosed later in life as the disease is characterized by a latency period of twenty to fifty years. Mesothelioma treatments usually include several rounds of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy—a lot for a patient to endure. The fish oil study may be the beginning of new treatment preparation for the thousands of Americans fighting mesothelioma each year.