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Thursday, June 2, 2011
Mesothelioma Screening Using Plasma Samples May Increase Accuracy of Diagnosis
Biomarkers are one of the most relevant tools for the early diagnosis of mesothelioma. Although the cancer is typically not detected until its later stages, new screening tests look for the presence of these proteins in a patient’s blood or tissue samples to detect mesothelioma.To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of these tests, an Australian study explored the sensitivity of two blood-based biomarkers, mesothelin and osteopontin, in blood serum and plasma samples from 176 patients. The results showed that plasma samples provided a more accurate biomarker reading than blood serum samples collected from the same patient.To measure the sensitivity of the biomarker content in blood serum and plasma levels, researchers from the National Research Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases at the ...
Spice Extract May Induce Death of Mesothelioma Cells
Curcumin, a derivative of the spice turmeric, has come into the medical spotlight as a potential agent in treating mesothelioma. Recent in vitro and in vivo studies have investigated the turmeric-based compound’s ability to induce apoptosis, or programmed cell death. Curcumin has also been studied in conjunction with chemotherapy drugs to measure its affect on the impact of chemotherapeutic treatment.Malignant mesothelioma, which develops in the linings of certain internal organs, frequently alters cell cycles and apoptosis pathways. This makes the cells very difficult to kill via chemotherapy or radiation therapy. As a result, strategies to make the cells more responsive to treatment are a major focus of mesothelioma research.After observing biological and molecular responses by malig...
Novel handheld PET probes provide intraoperative localization of PET-avid lymph nodes
Conclusions This novel tool may be used synergistically with the PET scan examination to maximize intraoperative nodal selection and sampling. Content Type Journal ArticlePages 1-8DOI 10.1007/s00464-011-1696-zAuthorsSegundo J. González, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USAJoyce Wong, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USALorena González, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USAPeter Brader, Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USAMaureen Zakowski, Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USAMithat Gönen, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatisti...
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Pathology of the Pleura: What the Pulmonologists Need to Know
AbstractPrimary and metastatic pleural neoplasms, and non-neoplastic pleural diseases, can have similar clinical, radiographic, and gross features. However, treatments and prognoses of these diverse pleural conditions vary greatly. Accurate diagnosis of pleural disease is therefore extremely important; and histologic interpretation of pleural biopsies is vital to rendering an accurate diagnosis. Smaller biopsies contribute to the difficulties in accurately characterizing pleural lesions; and immunostains are frequently employed in their assessment. Diffuse malignant mesothelioma, the most common primary pulmonary neoplasm, is rare; however, other less common primary pleural neoplasms, including solitary fibrous tumor, the most common benign primary pleural neoplasm, occur. These neoplasm...
Novel Anti-Mesothelioma Strategy
A drug commonly used to treat kidney cancer may increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy for mesothelioma, according to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology. Temsirolimus, a kinase inhibitor, blocks the action of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), a protein that regulates cell growth, which can slow tumor growth. It's used to treat advanced renal cell carcinoma. But researchers in Austria have found that temsirolimus also may slow the growth of malignant pleural mesothelioma cells... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
Mesothelioma Risk for Power Plant Workers Exposed to Asbestos
Asbestos dust is a toxic material that may lead to hazardous health problems such as mesothelioma. In the majority of cases, industrial workers are unknowingly exposed while at work, often times for an extended period. Thankfully, many industrialized countries have enacted a ban on asbestos, although the United States has chosen to regulate the toxic material despite many efforts to completely ban asbestos.“Retrospective exposure assessment to airborne asbestos among power industry workers,” a recent study, analyzed the extended asbestos exposure of German power plant workers. Asbestos was commonly used in the insulation of power plants to protect sensitive equipment and wires from the intense heat associated with power generation.The study tracked 8,632 former or still active power ...
Mesothelioma Surgery Eligibility Determined by Several Factors
When developing a treatment plan for a mesothelioma patient, a cancer specialist will consider several factors to determine the most effective mode of therapy. Surgery is one of the most commonly performed traditional treatments, and certain mesothelioma tumors are potentially resectable. When deciding whether or not a mesothelioma is operable, a doctor will often weigh several factors to ensure that the procedure will be safe and beneficial.Mesothelioma SurgeryGenerally, most stage I mesotheliomas and a small number of stage II and III tumors are deemed resectable. Although not all early-stage cancers are removable, when the disease is detected near the beginning of its progression, the chances for a successful surgery are greatly improved. Patients whose cancer is diagnosed and treat...
New Diagnostic Test Facilitates Earlier Detection in Pleural Mesothelioma Patients
On April 4 in Orlando, Fla., a research team led by Dr. Harvey Pass discussed the results of a novel test used to detect pleural mesothelioma in its early stages. These researchers believe the incidence of pleural mesothelioma in the United States is approximately 3,000 new cases per year and is not expected to peak until about 2030.The test, “Multiplex SOMAmer Assay” by Somalogic Inc., uses SOMAmers, which are chemically modified single-stranded DNA molecules that specifically bind to proteins associated with pleural mesothelioma. Malignant mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer, is most commonly found in the protective lining of the lungs, called the pleura.The major goal of the new diagnostic test is to detect pleural mesothelioma early enough to effectively treat it. ...
Peritoneal mesothelial hyperplasia associated with gynaecological disease: a potential diagnostic pitfall that is commonly associated with endometriosis
ConclusionsFlorid peritoneal mesothelial hyperplasia can occur in association with a variety of gynaecological disorders. Recognition of this phenomenon and appreciation that it can produce worrisome histological patterns, particularly when associated with endometriosis, is key to reaching the correct diagnosis. (Source: Journal of Clinical Pathology)
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