In a recent article published in the online publication Modern Pathology, researchers may have found a new biomarker for malignant pleural mesothelioma. They also believe the biomarker may help differentiate malignant mesothelioma from reactive mesothelium.

The biomarker being evaluated is a cell adhesion molecule known as CD146. Previous studies have revealed the molecule’s presence in malignant melanoma, prostate cancer and ovarian cancer. In order to test its diagnostic utility, researchers examined the increased expression of CD146 in malignant pleural mesothelioma and reactive mesothelium using two clones of CD146 antibody on smear specimens of effusion fluids. The two antibodies were OJ79 and EPR3208.

Immunocytochemical stains were measured as zero for negative, one for weak positive, two for moderate positive and three for strong positive. For OJ79, CD146 expression was detected in 15 of 16 malignant pleural mesotheliomas with a median immunostaining measurement of three. For EPR3208, 19 of 21 malignant pleural mesotheliomas displayed a median CD146 expression measurement of two.

In all reactive mesothelium cases, CD146 expression was undetectable when using OJ79 and EPR3208. The researchers concluded that CD146 is a sensitive and specific immunocytochemical marker for distinguishing the difference between malignant pleural mesothelioma and reactive mesothelium.

Current methods for diagnosing pleural mesothelioma often make it challenging for doctors to differentiate it from other pleural conditions. The symptoms of such diseases are very similar and a diagnosis usually requires a doctor who is familiar with pleural conditions.

Testing for another unique biomarker will help doctors distinguish mesothelioma from other conditions, making a correct diagnosis easier for doctors. Early detection and treatment for mesothelioma is crucial for patients hoping to combat the disease.

Additional information on mesothelioma may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

According to a news report, Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has plans to phase out the use of asbestos within the next decade.

Lin Chien-hui, director of Taiwan’s EPA Department of Environmental Sanitation and Toxic Substance Management, said the ban on asbestos will be enforced in two stages.

On July 1, 2015, regulations will be in place to make sure asbestos is no longer used as a sealing material in construction projects. On July 1, 2020, asbestos will be banned for all uses in tiles, linings and extruded cement panels.

The plan to ban asbestos in Taiwan marks a big step towards lowering the incidence of asbestos-related disease. One of these conditions is malignant mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure. As with other asbestos-related diseases, there is no cure for mesothelioma. Mesothelioma patients typically do not survive more than two years after being diagnosed.

More than 50 countries across the world have elected to ban asbestos. In 1989, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency attempted to issue a ban on asbestos-containing products. However, in 1991, the ban was overturned by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. The new ruling resulted in only six types of asbestos products being banned in the United States.

Within the last few years, several organizations have collaborated on introducing legislative bills to ban asbestos in the United States. While none of these bills have been issued into effect, the continuing push for a ban has kept the campaign alive. With more countries across the globe electing to ban asbestos, the pressure rises on the remaining governments that have yet to outlaw use of the toxic substance.

Additional information on mesothelioma and asbestos exposure may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

Seven schools in Virginia Beach, Virginia built between 1956 and 1974 have been found to contain a small amount of asbestos in sealants applied to the walls. Luckily though, recent air samples showed asbestos levels below the regulatory limits set by the Occupation Safety and Health Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

School spokesperson Nancy Soscia said they became aware of the issue after the wall sealant was disturbed by summer maintenance at Plaza Middle School.  After the discovery, other schools in the area were also tested for asbestos levels, including Bayside Middle, John B. Dey Elementary, Old Donation Center, Lynnhaven Middle, Great Neck Middle, and Malibu Elementary.

Passed by Congress in 1986, the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) requires that public school districts and non-profit private schools inspect for asbestos-containing materials and prepare management plans to lower health hazards.

Exposure to asbestos has been linked to a rare form of cancer called malignant mesothelioma. Asbestos exposure can occur by either inhaling or ingesting asbestos fibers. According to the EPA, there is no safe level of asbestos exposure. Other asbestos-related conditions include lung cancer and asbestosis.

The School Board of the City of Virginia Beach Public Schools maintains an asbestos management plan, known as Policy 3-59. Schools officials will continue to monitor the issue through visual assessments every six months, re-inspections every three years and will also provide awareness training for the staff.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was previously used in construction products to act as in insulator and as a way to fireproof materials. Undamaged asbestos-containing materials that are properly managed pose little risk to students and staff at schools, but caution should always be taken. Other asbestos-containing materials that were commonly used in schools include drywall, pipe insulation and floor and ceiling tiles.

Additional information on mesothelioma and asbestos exposure may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

Davie, Florida Mayor Judy Paul is pushing for the removal of asbestos-contaminated piping at a mobile home complex that is slated to be redeveloped into a public park.

The asbestos-cement pipes previously functioned as drinking water and sewer lines for the old mobile home park. Some town staffers formerly claimed the contaminated pipes were safe enough to provide drinking water for the planned park. However, Mayor Judy Paul contends that safe enough should not be the standard when it comes to protecting the public from asbestos exposure.

Asbestos exposure is the primary cause of mesothelioma cancer. Exposure occurs by either inhaling or ingesting asbestos fibers. These fibers have the potential to become lodged in the lining of the lungs, heart or abdominal cavity, where they can cause damage that leads to cancer. Due to the latency period of mesothelioma symptoms, which can range between 20 and 50 years after exposure, the average mesothelioma life expectancy for patients upon diagnosis is four to 18 months.

Mayor Paul stated at a recent town council meeting in August, “There is something I want to put to rest. When the Palma Nova land is developed as a park, I want it on record that we will remove and replace the [asbestos] pipes. It’s just the right thing to do.”

According to town officials, locating and removing the asbestos-contaminated pipes will cost more than $30,000. Removing the toxic pipes requires official approval from the town council, however no vote was taken during August meeting.

Additional information on mesothelioma and asbestos exposure may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

Researchers from the University of Western Australia and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital have further confirmed that higher levels of a particular protein, serum mesothelin, are found in patients with asbestos-related cancer.

Their research has encouraged the use of screening tests such as the MESOMARK™ assay, which measure mesothelin levels for patients at risk for mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer primarily caused by asbestos exposure. Symptoms of this cancer may take decades to arise, which is one of the contributing factors to patients receiving a late diagnosis.

This type of screening test could also potentially lead to an earlier diagnosis for patients, which would greatly improve the effects of treatment. Current treatment options only provide temporary relief from symptoms and do not offer a cure. The average mesothelioma life expectancy ranges between four and 18 months after diagnosis.

In order to further verify the validity of the test, Australian researchers evaluated mesothelin levels of several individuals prior to the development of mesothelioma cancer using the MESOMARK test. The results indicated that 15 percent of those with a high pre-test risk of developing mesothelioma did have elevated levels of mesothelin during the next-to-last reading before diagnosis.

In addition, 40 percent of all the individuals studied who were exposed to asbestos were beginning to experience increasing mesothelin levels at the same stage. The researchers concluded that a significant portion of the patients evaluated had high levels of mesothelin before diagnosis.

In total, those involved with the study included 106 people who later contracted mesothelioma, 99 asbestos-exposed individuals from the Wittenoom Cancer Surveillance Program, and 109 non-asbestos exposed individuals from the Busselton Health Survey.

Screening for mesothelin levels may become an important test for anyone concerned about previous asbestos exposure. Symptoms of mesothelioma cancer and other asbestos-related diseases often do not arise until the condition has already progressed to the advanced stages, making early detection tests that much more important to survival.

Additional information on mesothelioma and asbestos exposure may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

The Pacific Heart, Lung & Blood Institute (PHLBI), a medical research non-profit focusing on mesothelioma cancer, recently launched a new patient resource Web site to help mesothelioma patients and their families.

Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive and rare cancer caused almost exclusively by asbestos exposure. Because of the aggressive nature of the cancer, treating it with just one mode of therapy typically results in a poor response. However, when doctors combine therapies such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, an improvement in survival is commonly recorded.

The recently launched Web site offers information for mesothelioma patients and details the research efforts and accomplishments of Dr. Robert Cameron, a world renowned mesothelioma surgeon. Dr. Cameron is the scientific advisor of the PHLBI, in addition to his roles as the director of the mesothelioma program at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the chief of thoracic surgery at the West Los Angeles Veterans’ Administration Medical Center.

PHLBI’s medical research is under the direction of Dr. Cameron, innovator of the lung-sparing pleurectomy/decortication (PD) surgery for malignant pleural mesothelioma and has performed the procedure on more than 300 patients. Research programs at PHLBI currently focus on immunotherapy, screening, early detection and prevention of mesothelioma.

Utilizing Dr. Cameron’s more than 20 years of experience in treating mesothelioma patients, PHLBI is supported by a leading mesothelioma expert and dedicated to the advancement of mesothelioma research and treatment.

Additional information on mesothelioma and current treatment options may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

After a five-year battle with mesothelioma cancer, 18-year-old Sophie Ellis passed away a little over a week ago. She was Britain’s youngest person to pass away from the asbestos-related disease.

Sophie was only 13 years old when she was first diagnosed with mesothelioma, a rare age for mesothelioma patients. With a latency period typically ranging between 20 and 50 years after asbestos exposure, most patients are diagnosed around the age of 60.

Being exposed to asbestos as a young child can significantly influence the early development of mesothelioma cancer. Although there is no recollection as to how Sophie may have been exposed, it is assumed that asbestos was the culprit since the disease is almost exclusively caused by the toxic mineral.

The majority of mesothelioma patients are males who have previously worked in the shipyard, construction, manufacturing or automotive industry. Other occupations that present an increased risk of contracting mesothelioma include plumbers, electricians, roofers and painters.

While doctors told Sophie she only had months to live, she defied the average mesothelioma life expectancy of most patients by living another five years.

During her battle with the cancer, Sophie always spoke in support of the Mirror’s Asbestos Timebomb campaign. She said, “The cancer has made me braver in a way. It was pretty tough being diagnosed at such a young age and the surgery was painful. I hope more can be done to understand this disease – that’s why I’m backing the Mirror’s campaign.”

In April earlier this year, the cancer spread to her spine and left her paralyzed from the neck down. Sophie left a video tape she made two years ago as a tribute to her life and ongoing battle with mesothelioma.

Additional information on mesothelioma may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

Three years after an invasive surgery to remove her cancerous lung, mesothelioma survivor Janelle Bedel remains cancer-free and now helps to raise public awareness of the asbestos-caused cancer.

Malignant mesothelioma is a cancer caused almost exclusively by asbestos exposure. The disease is known for its aggressive nature and is particularly difficult to treat. Although no cure currently exists, a number of mesothelioma patients who are diagnosed early enough may qualify for a combination of aggressive therapies, such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. This combination of therapies, known as multimodality therapy, presently has the best chance of extending a patient’s mesothelioma life expectancy.

Before her mesothelioma diagnosis, Bedel thought she was struggling with a chronic sinus infection. But when her doctors couldn’t explain the cause of her back pain and the swelling in her lungs, Bedel began researching her symptoms online. Her research led her question if she was facing mesothelioma, a rare cancer that primarily affects older men with a history of occupational asbestos exposure.

Bedel’s research led her in the right direction and at the age of 31 she was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma. After imaging scans, tests to confirm diagnosis and some chemotherapy, Bedel went to New York for an invasive surgery to remove her affected lung.

Bedel said her surgeon, mesothelioma expert Dr. Valerie Rusch, “said at the least she could go in and open me up, and if she can remove it all she will, and if she can’t she won’t touch me… It was like an up-and-down roller coaster. I didn’t know when I woke up if she’d done anything.”

But Bedel’s surgery was a success and her improvement after surgery was starkly different when compared to previous treatment. “That time with recovery, I was a lot happier. It didn’t bother me what I had to do or how hard it was,” shares Bedel.

Since that surgery she has undergone a challenging recovery with physical therapy, radiation and side effects from various medications. Now Bedel gets to allocate more energy to raising mesothelioma awareness – earlier this summer she participated in the International Symposium on Malignant Mesothelioma in Washington D.C. “It’s where doctors meet up and researchers and scientists and patients. I got to meet a lot of patients and other people who had had the same surgery I did, which was cool,” explains Bedel.

At the symposium Bedel had the opportunity to share her story with U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh, Sen. Richard Lugar, and Rep. Mike Pence and lobbied for signatures on House Resolution 771, a resolution to designate Sept. 26 as national Mesothelioma Awareness Day. The motion only needs 12 more signatures to move forward in the political process.

Amid preparing her sever-year-old son for the upcoming school year, Bedel also recently set in motion a mesothelioma fundraiser, the Miles for Meso 5K. The fundraiser will take place Sept. 25 at the Rush County Fairgrounds in Rushville, Indiana. The entry fee is $20 and all proceeds go to the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation.

Additional information on mesothelioma and survivors may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

Although there is no cure for malignant mesothelioma, headway is being made in extending the life span of mesothelioma patients by combining traditional therapy with unique treatments such as immunotherapy.

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare cancer caused almost exclusively by asbestos exposure. The cancer rarely responds positively to one mode of treatment. Medical professionals have learned that combating the cancer requires more than one mode of treatment. Known as multimodality therapy, this approach combines treatments such as chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy or some unique form of treatment like immunotherapy to improve mesothelioma life expectancy.

In most cases, the patients who qualify for this aggressive treatment approach are those diagnosed in an early stage of cancer development. Since there is no cure for mesothelioma, researchers have been turning to novel treatments like immunotherapy to improve multimodality therapy.

According to mesothelioma researchers Dr. Sutapa Mukherjee and Dr. Bruce W. S. Robinson (authors of the chapter “Immunotherapy of Malignant Mesothelioma” in the book Mesothelioma), “Evidence exists that mesothelioma cells are susceptible to immune mechanisms. Mesothelioma cells can be killed directly by lymphocyte effector mechanisms.”

There are two forms of immunotherapy used in mesothelioma, known as passive and active. Passive immunotherapy involves treatment with antibodies that may be administered alone or attached to other compounds, such as chemotherapeutic drugs. Active immunotherapy involves the stimulation of the immune system with vaccines or biological agents like macrophages (white blood cells).

Authors of the chapter “Immunotherapeutic Approaches and Vaccination Strategies” in the book Malignant Mesothelioma explain, “Although malignant mesothelioma does not belong to the group of classically immunogenic tumors, such as malignant melanoma and renal cell carcinoma, in which spontaneous regression is sometimes reported, there is good evidence that the immune system can recognize this tumor… Furthermore, spontaneous regression has been reported in this disease, associated with evidence of immune responsiveness.”

Recent studies suggest immunotherapy could play a positive role in the treatment of mesothelioma, and clinical trials continue to experiment with the therapy as applied to malignant mesothelioma. Patients can browse ClinicalTrials.gov for past and current trials investigating immunotherapy and mesothelioma.

Additional information on mesothelioma and immunotherapy may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

In an effort to reduce risk of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases, asbestos abatement is set to begin August 23 on the Town Beach North Pavilion in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

The Town Beach North Pavilion structure dates back to the 1950s, when asbestos was commonly used in many construction materials. The pavilion presently contains asbestos in the wall paneling and roofing. Plans to replace the pavilion were dropped by the Town Council in June over conflicts regarding the $9.5 million proposal. It was at that time that the Town Council agreed to repair the degrading structure.

Asbestos is a toxic and naturally occurring mineral known to cause terminal health conditions such as malignant mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer. Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma annually. Prognosis is generally poor since the disease is usually undetected until it has progressed to later stages of development.

The local company Vortex will be performing the asbestos mitigation. Vortex is known for their asbestos removal in Narragansett’s contaminated schools. The company verified the presence of friable asbestos (which can release toxic fibers) in the roofing of the changing rooms and confirmed the asbestos in the wall paneling was encapsulated and safe. The company plans to pressure wash and paint the roofing of the changing rooms, a means of encapsulating and sealing off the asbestos fibers. Thus, the asbestos material itself will not be removed, but covered up to prevent the release of toxic fibers.

Town Manager Grady Miller explains, “The Parks and Recreation Department is in the process of notifying pass holders by letter about the project to alert them about the issue and to inform them that the changing rooms will be unavailable to them for the duration of the project. During the project, the restrooms, first aid area and concession stand will remain open to the public as they are outside of the project area.”

Asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma are primarily caused by repeated and heavy exposure to asbestos. This level of exposure typically occurs in a workplace setting, making occupational exposure to asbestos the leading cause of asbestos-related disease.

For more information on asbestos exposure and mesothelioma, please visit the Mesothelioma Center.