The family of a father and son who both passed away from mesothelioma is holding a fundraiser to raise money for mesothelioma research through a charity they began after the passing of their loved ones.

Harry Gray, 67, and his 45-year-old son Stephen both died after they were diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, a rare cancer caused almost exclusively by asbestos exposure. The Gray family then founded the Harry and Stephen Gray Mesothelioma Snowdrop Memorial Fund, and have already raised more than $16,000 to be donated toward mesothelioma research.

The family is hosting another fundraising event on June 27, 2009, the two-year anniversary of Stephen’s passing. Carole Orton, Stephen’s sister, noted the event will be “about remembrance while also raising money for the charity and raising awareness.”

Though mesothelioma is unknown by many, Orton notes the importance of raising money for causes that receive less attention, stating, “People often raise funds for bigger charities and forget the smaller ones like ourselves, but this is a very important cause. This is just a little charity and we try to do our best to make people aware of this.”

The event will feature a live band, raffles and a myriad of activities. Tickets may be purchased for $4.89.

In addition to raising money, increasing awareness about mesothelioma and mesothelioma causes is an important part of the event. Orton, an auxiliary nurse, said Teesside, the area in England where the Gray family resides, “is a very industrial place, so mesothelioma is a very serious problem.”

Mesothelioma develops when asbestos fibers are inhaled or ingested into the body where they can become lodged in the lining of several body cavities, causing inflammation, infection and cancerous cell growth. Harry passed away in 2003 after working with asbestos-containing products as a lagger in the shipping industry. Stephen was exposed to asbestos while working in power stations.

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

According to state health officials of North Dakota, enough volunteers have signed up to study the health hazards of erionite, an asbestos-like mineral.

Terry O’Clair who is in charge of the air quality division for the state Health Department, said 33 people signed up for the study, which will determine whether or not they have been affected by long-term erionite exposure.

Initially, state health officials and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had hoped for 50 people to sign up for the study to receive chest X-rays and CT scans, which will be sent to a team of researchers at the University of Cincinnati.

“Our target number was at least 42, but with 33, it’s still enough to go forward,” O’Clair said. In addition to receiving chest X-rays and CT scans, each volunteer will be given $100 for participating in the study.

Due to its resemblance to asbestos, one of the primary mesothelioma causes, many believe exposure to erionite may lead to the development of mesothelioma. Ed Murphy, a geologist in North Dakota, first notified the EPA about the erionite in western North Dakota three years ago after learning the mineral was being linked to mesothelioma in Turkey.

Although the erionite found in North Dakota is slightly different than erionite found in Turkey, health officials are still concerned about the possible connection between exposure and mesothelioma. In Turkey, erionite is considered to be a carcinogen.

The EPA says erionite is found in at least 12 states in the West, but not at the same levels found in western North Dakota where the mineral has been used on many rural roads. The EPA has also stated that erionite has been shown to cause cancer in lab rats, but the mineral remains unregulated by the agency.

Murphy has volunteered for the study and stated, “We need to see what the health effects are. The only way to find out is through these types of tests.”

Those who were targeted for the study were individuals who likely had long-term exposure to erionite, including gravel pit workers, truck drivers and maintenance crews.

Additional information about mesothelioma may be found through the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

The family of a woman who passed away from mesothelioma received $2 million after a jury deliberated for three days following a three-week trial.

Juanita Rodarmel of Bloomington, Illinois passed away after developing mesothelioma, a rare cancer caused almost exclusively by asbestos exposure. The case stated Rodarmel was exposed to the toxic mineral when she washed the clothing of her first husband, Leslie Corry, a former employee of Union Asbestos & Rubber Company.

Secondhand exposure to asbestos frequently occurred when workers who handled asbestos-containing materials unknowingly brought asbestos fibers into the home in their hair or on their clothing and skin. If the fibers were inhaled or ingested by the family members of the workers, they could become lodged in the body, causing inflammation and infection. Overtime, this can result in the development of an asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma.

Rodarmel’s first husband was employed as an asbestos worker in the Bloomington plant of UNARCO Industries, Inc. in the 1950s. The lawsuit was filed against eight companies, including Union Asbestos & Rubber Company, UNARCO Industries, Inc., Pneumo Abex, LLC, Honeywell International, Inc., Johns-Manville, Raybestos-Manhatten, Owens-Illinois, Owens Corning and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.

The case stated the companies conspired, along with manufacturers, to hide information about the hazards of asbestos exposure from employees. Along with the $2 million awarded to Rodarmel’s family, $100,000 in punitive damages against Pneumo Abex and $400,000 in punitive damages against Honeywell International were also awarded.

A mesothelioma diagnosis often occurs 20 to 50 years after initial exposure to asbestos. Like Rodarmel, mesothelioma patients typically take several decades to express symptoms of the cancer, allowing the illness to progress to later developmental stages before any treatment is typically administered.

Additional information about mesothelioma may be found through the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

The biotechnology company MolMed, based in Italy, has announced positive results for their Phase II trial of NGR-hTNF for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma. The trial consisted of 57 malignant pleural mesothelioma patients that were previously treated with chemotherapy.

According to MolMed’s Web site, NGR-hTNF is a compound based on the combination of a tumor homing peptide (NGR), peptides that hone in on tumors, with the human Tumor Necrosis Factor (hTNF). The resulting molecule increases vascular permeability and has a direct biological antitumor activity, making NGR-hTNF useful as both a therapeutic option and as a part of a combination therapy with most chemotherapy methods.

In 2008, NGR-hTNF was granted Orphan Drug designation for the treatment of malignant mesothelioma in Europe and in the United States.

During the trial, one group of patients received the drug every three weeks and the other received it each week. Both groups received low doses of the drug intravenously, meaning the medication was injected directly into a vein.

The results of the trial demonstrated a median overall survival rate of one year. The disease control rate during the trial was 46 percent, which was maintained for a median total duration of 4.7 months.

MolMed also found there was a significant difference in the progression-free survival rate at six months between the patients who received NGR-hTNF each week and those who received the drug every three weeks. The group of patients that received the drug each week showed a median progression-free survival rate of 36 percent while the group that received the drug every three weeks showed a median progression-free survival rate of 13 percent.

With the conclusion of the trial, MolMed plans to start another Phase II trial of NGR-hTNF in combination with cisplatin for lung cancer. Cisplatin is a chemotherapy drug that is often combined with newer medications to increase the effectiveness of treatment. For pleural mesothelioma, one of the most effective treatment options available involves cisplatin and another chemotherapy drug called Alimta.

In addition to malignant mesothelioma, NGR-hTNF is undergoing trials for colorectal cancer, heptocellular carcinoma, small-cell lung cancer and ovarian cancer.

Additional information about mesothelioma may be found through the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

The daughter of a man who passed away from mesothelioma coordinated the 12th annual Cancer Survivor’s Day event at a Spartanburg, South Carolina hospital June 7, 2009.

The event, hosted by Gibbs Cancer Center, a nationally recognized cancer treatment and research facility associated with Spartanburg Regional Medical Center (SRMC), took place in the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium from 2 to 5 p.m.

Lori Anne Morrow, a nurse at SRMC, coordinated the event but noted this year’s event was a little bittersweet since her father passed away in May 2009 and could not attend.

In the past, Morrow’s father volunteered at the event and operated a spotlight. Before the event Morrow stated that although her father wouldn’t be there physically, she knew he would be there in spirit.

The event, which averages 1,200 attendees annually, was free and featured a country western band to enhance the Wild West theme. According to Morrow, the theme was selected to symbolize the “new horizons taking place in cancer research and survivorship.”

Doctors served dinner and a video was shown to remember those who have passed away from cancer.

Morrow said the event was created to celebrate anyone diagnosed with cancer, stating, “The minute you’re diagnosed, you’re a survivor. People think you have to survive cancer to beat cancer.”

“We get to see a lot of these people more than they see their families,” Morrow said of those battling cancer. She said the event is “like a big family reunion almost. It’s a positive aspect for something not always positive.”

Morrow’s father passed away from malignant mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer that affects the membrane that lines several body cavities. Mesothelioma is caused almost exclusively by asbestos exposure. It may take several decades for a patient to demonstrate symptoms of mesothelioma after initial exposure to asbestos, allowing the cancer to reach later levels of development.

Additional information about mesothelioma may be found through the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

A former high school wrestling coach passed away from mesothelioma at the age of 83, and is remembered as a coach who, according to a rival coach, “could teach you how to win.”

Bert Kraus was a guidance counselor and coached wrestling for 14 years at Lyons Township High School in La Grange, Illinois, building an impressive winning record. He also officiated matches at the NCAA Division 1 Championships and earned honors by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association.

Kraus died May 27, 2009 at his home in Frankfort, Michigan where he was retired and enjoyed playing golf regularly. Kraus passed away after a year-long battle with malignant mesothelioma, a rare cancer almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure.

Kraus was a co-founder of the Midlands Wrestling Championships, a nationally recognized tournament where college teams, clubs and individuals compete at the end of every year.

The event was organized by Kraus and Ken Kraft, a wrestling coach at Northwestern University. The two men launched the first tournament in 1963 at the YMCA in La Grange and it was an instant success. The next year, the tournament moved to a larger location and continues to draw top wrestlers annually.

Since the beginning of the tournament, 92 wrestlers who have competed in the tournament have later competed in the Olympics.

Kraus volunteered as the tournament director for many years and his family was actively involved as well, selling snacks and helping with additional tasks.

“He just had that special quality,” Kraft said of Kraus. “He worked so well with people.”

Dave Suchomel, who wrestled under Kraus’ guidance in the 1960s, remembers him as a coach who taught with clarity and precision, stating Kraus focused on technique and “stressed knowing where you were both in the match and on the mat to know what you needed to do to win.”

A service to honor Kraus will take place July 5, 2009 at 2 p.m. in La Grange.

Additional information about mesothelioma may be found through the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

Research conducted by F. Vandermeers and co-authors has provided insight into a new treatment combination for malignant mesothelioma patients.

According to research published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research, the addition of valproate, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, with the traditional combination of pemetrexed and cisplatin may improve the effectiveness of this more common form of treatment for mesothelioma tumors.

The research was performed because current chemotherapeutic regimens are often ineffective, as mesothelioma tumor cells are typically resistant to treatment. The researchers initially hypothesized that the unresponsiveness of mesothelioma tumors to conventional therapeutic agents might be due to inappropriate gene expression resulting from epigenetic modifications (which are changes in physical gene expression caused by mechanisms other than alterations in DNA sequence).

While evaluating the effect of valproate, the researchers learned that valproate increases apoptosis (natural cell death) induced by pemetrexed and cisplatin in mesothelioma cells. They also realized that valproate efficiently stimulates the production of reactive oxygen species, which are small molecules that include oxygen ions, free radicals and peroxides.

The presence of valproate, either alone or combined with pemetrexed and cisplatin, is enhanced with the processing of a certain protein know as truncated Bid and also when cytochrome c (another protein) is released from mitochondria. This result improves the proapoptotic effectiveness of pemetrexed and cisplatin.

According to F. Vandermeers and other colleagues, the combination of valproate with pemetrexed and cisplatin prevents tumor growth in mouse models of epithelioid mesothelioma.

The researchers also stated that the “observations support the potential additional efficacy of valproate in combination with pemetrexed and cisplatin for treatment of malignant mesothelioma.”

Additional information about mesothelioma may be found through the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

A man diagnosed with mesothelioma is singing the praises of hospice care, stating his time at St. Helena Hospice in Essex, England has given him a new lease on life.

David Shirra was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer, in late 2007. Mesothelioma is almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure and Shirra worked with asbestos frequently as a docker.

Following his mesothelioma diagnosis, 71-year-old Shirra and his wife, Doreen, were shocked, stating the news hit them like “a bolt out of the blue.” His family, especially his teenage granddaughter, took the news very hard.

Shirra’s time at St. Helena’s not only helped enjoy his life again, but it helped his granddaughter accept his diagnosis after she enrolled in an art therapy course offered by St. Helena Hospice.

“I am sure that a lot of people out there think of hospice as a place to go to die, but it is not. They have been a lifesaver to me,” Shirra stated.

Though a mesothelioma cure does not exist and prognosis for patients is typically poor, Shirra stated that the support of hospice has inspired him to keep living.

“I might break world records and live for another 20-odd years! At least we can try,” he said. “When the time comes to go, I shall kick and scream, but at least I shall be happy that I had 70-odd years.”

Mesothelioma patients often experience difficult breathing, and Shirra says when he would go to bed at night “it would be like drowning.” He experienced relief through hospice stating, “Since they showed me how to breathe, I have had no trouble.”

Shirra also praises the staff at St. Helena Hospice noting they “are really interested in you as well. It is not just a check-list. It is like a second family here. Nothing is too much trouble. They are like guardian angles.”

Socializing with other hospice patients is also enjoyable for Shirra. Like Shirra, any patients are facing incurable diseases, and Shirra says the hospice environment allows him to feel at ease discussing serious issues.

“I talk to people outside and they say, ‘How are you?’,  but you can’t go too deep into your problems. Here most of us have the same sort of problems so we just relax and talk to each other.”

Shirra adds, “If I hadn’t come to the hospice, I don’t think I would be so happy and relaxed. I think I would’ve given up the ghost.”

Additional information about mesothelioma treatment and mesothelioma may be found through the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

Three tenth-grade students from British Columbia recently designed a bill intended to end Canada’s mining and export of asbestos to developing countries. The students include Hayley McDermid, Claire Hinchliffe and Chloe Staiger.

Twenty of Canada’s most noted health, environment and labor organizations support the students’ endeavors and have asked Canadian Parliamentarians to truly consider the bill. Nathan Cullen, a Member of Parliament, presented their bill to the House of Commons.

Diana Daghofer, Co-Chair of Prevent Cancer Now, said, “We support these students 100 percent. We hope that Canada’s political leaders are listening to them and to the massive Canadian and international backing for a ban on the production, use and export of this deadly substance.” Prevent Cancer Now is a Canadian organization that aims “to make the primary prevention of cancer a priority through education, legislation and policy changes.”

The students initially received the opportunity to present their bill to the House of Commons by winning a Create Your Canada contest, organized by Cullen and designed to involve young people in Canada’s parliamentary process.

Kathleen Cooper of the Canadian Environmental Law Association said, “Canadians should be very proud of the initiative taken by these students. We must also direct resources and assistance to affected communities in Canada and stop continuing to support a toxic and dying industry.”

Exposure to asbestos is one of the proven mesothelioma causes. In addition to mesothelioma, other illnesses that may result from asbestos exposure include lung cancer and asbestosis. In 2005, 61 percent of occupational deaths in Canada were the result of asbestos exposure, totaling 340 people.

The developing countries that continue to receive asbestos from Canada include India, Pakistan and Vietnam. According to Kathleen Ruff of the Institute on International Affairs, “It is time to end the double standard whereby we export a product that we refuse to use in Canada because of the threat we know it poses to public health.”

Currently, Canada exports more than 200,000 tons of asbestos each year. The last remaining active asbestos mine in Canada is located in Quebec and exports 90 percent of all the asbestos it produces.

In October 2008, Canada had the opportunity to vote and add asbestos to the United Nations Watch List at the Rotterdam Convention, but elected not to do so.

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

Results from a recent study suggest that radiation treatment used for patients with Hodgkin’s lymphoma may actually increase the risk of developing malignant mesothelioma.

Past studies have revealed a relationship between radiation and an increased risk for developing mesothelioma, a rare, but highly aggressive cancer that typically affects the lining of the lungs. In a recent study, 2,567 patients with Hodgkin’s lymphoma were examined by researchers for an increased mesothelioma risk.

Patients were at least five-year survivors of Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and were previously treated with chemotherapy or radiation or a combination of both. Follow up after 18 years revealed that 13 patients developed mesothelioma at least five years after they were treated for Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

The 232 patients treated with chemotherapy alone showed no signs of mesothelioma development.

While exposure to asbestos is widely regarded as the most common cause of mesothelioma, some patients who develop this cancer have no known history of asbestos exposure. Radiation treatment, simian virus exposure, organic chemicals and chronic inflammation have also been suggested as risk factors for mesothelioma development in humans.

Though the link between radiation and the development of mesothelioma exists, the cause of the cancer is most commonly attributed to asbestos exposure. Once asbestos fibers are inhaled or ingested into the body, they can become lodged in organs or body cavities, causing inflammation or infection. Overtime, this can lead to the development of mesothelioma.

A mesothelioma diagnosis often occurs 20 to 50 years after initial exposure to asbestos, often making diagnosis difficult. Though a cure does not exist, treatment options such as chemotherapy, radiation and surgery may be available to mesothelioma patients.

Additional information about mesothelioma and mesothelioma treatment may be found through the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.