Blog: Mesothelioma - Page 3

Mesothelioma lawyers at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm highlight a recent study conducted by French researchers, which found that two types of common mineral fibers may increase the risk of mesothelioma. The two fibers, mineral wool and silica, are used abundantly in many of the same industries that used asbestos. Previously, asbestos was the only known …

Mesothelioma lawyers at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm report of a new blood test developed by NYU Langone Medical Center that may detect mesothelioma in its earliest stages. This is a critical development, as the average mesothelioma patient is given less than a year to live, which is often the result of late detection. The cancer …

A study was recently published in Cancer Cell International that suggests that an ingredient in green tea, known as epigallocathechin-3-gallate (EGCG), induces cell death in mesothelioma cell lines. When introduced into the body in specific dosages, researchers found the agent to cause the mesothelioma cells to self-destruct. Mesothelioma lawyers at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm are excited to …

Cancer researchers and experts from around the globe are agreeing that, with better prognostic tools and more tailored chemotherapy plans, treatment of mesothelioma could improve drastically in the next few years. Malignant pleural mesothelioma is notoriously resistant to traditional cancer therapies, such as chemotherapy, radiation and surgical resection. This contributes to the disease’s extraordinarily low …

The treatment of mesothelioma is highly personal and unique to each individual patient. Today, there is no set standard for care for the disease, as the therapeutic options remain controversial. Most doctors recommend a multi-modal treatment strategy, which combines traditional options such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Mesothelioma lawyers at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm highlight …

Victims of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses have a right to a fair and just trial against the companies that knowingly exposed them to asbestos. Most victims, however, are subjected to drawn-out proceedings, and are never able to obtain justice before their illnesses overtake them. Mesothelioma lawyers at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm highlight the story of …

Mesothelioma lawyers at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm are happy to report that the Pacific Meso Center (PMC) Research Laboratory celebrated its grand opening on February 13, 2013. The first of its kind, PMC is dedicated exclusively to the treatment, prevention, and overall research of malignant pleural mesothelioma. Located in Los Angeles, California, PMC is a …

Malignant mesothelioma is a notoriously chemotherapy-resistant cancer, which contributes to the diseases’ extraordinary number of fatalities associated with the disease. Researchers at the University of Michigan recently released a study that found potential to match specific tumors with known cancer drugs, paving the way for more targeted and, ultimately effective, cancer treatment. Mesothelioma lawyers at Pintas & …

A mesothelioma patient at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York was treated with a new therapy called GL-ONC1 for the first time on February 6, 2013. The patient is involved in a Phase I clinical trial, conducted to determine the efficacy of GL-ONC1 in malignant pleural effusions. An estimated 30% of lung …

More and more frequently, cancer patients are looking to alternative medicine practices to promote and improve healing. Alternative treatments vary, from ancient remedies to modern-day biotechnology. One of the newest treatments is sound therapy, which is a methodology based on the analysis of the patient’s voice patterns. Mesothelioma lawyershighlight these alternative treatments, many of which have …

Recent experiments by researchers at the John A. Burns Schools of Medicine at the University of Hawaii point to a new potential immunotherapy vaccine. The therapy is based on the survivin protein, which is over-expressed in most cancer cells and absent in normal, healthy tissue. Mesothelioma lawyers point to this experimental vaccine as it may be the …

Verastem Inc., recently entered into an agreement with Laboratory Corporation of America (LabCorp) to aid in the development of a new mesothelioma drug and a companion diagnostic. Mesothelioma lawyers are hopeful that the new drug, which is set to begin clinical trials in 2013, will curb the number of patients succumbing to this disease. Verastem is a …

Mesothelioma lawyers at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm report of a recent mesothelioma lawsuit in Philadelphia. The case was filed against Owens-Illinois, to which the jury assigned 100% liability for the death of an 84-year-old mesothelioma victim. The man’s estate argued that he was exposed to Owen-Illinois’ Kaylo pipe insulation for a number of years while working in …

Many mesothelioma patients are interested in non-conventional cancer treatments. Therapies vary, from acupuncture to hypnosis to specialized diets aiming to activate the body’s own immune system to destroy cancer cells. One of these specialized diets, esteemed by many, is the Gerson Diet. Developed by Dr. Max Gerson in the 1930s, the therapy was originally intended …

A form of gene therapy is among the most promising new experimental treatments for mesothelioma. The treatment is a novel cancer suicide gene therapy. Mesothelioma lawyers are hopeful that this new development will provide hope and better prognoses for those suffering from the rare lung cancer. Reports of this new therapy were recently published in the Journal …

The American Cancer Society, along with the Lung Cancer Alliance and other medical agencies throughout the country, is now endorsing low-dose CT screening for those at risk for lung cancer. Mesothelioma attorneys hope that this new screening method will help save the lives of asbestos exposure victims through earlier detection. This development was spearheaded by the …

Pleurodesis is a procedure performed on mesothelioma patients to relieve some of the disease’s more debilitating symptoms. Mesothelioma patients often develop malignant pleural effusions, which is the abnormal buildup of fluid in the linings of the lungs, and unfortunately leads to a decrease in quality of life. Effusions cause shortness of breath, coughing, dyspnoea, and …

This past year, mesothelioma research and development erred toward three main fields of study: biomarkers, immunotherapy, and anti-angiogenic drugs. In cell biology, biomarkers are specific molecules that enable researchers to detect and isolate unique cell types (such as mesothelial cells). WT-1 is one of these biomarkers. This molecule is a protein that binds to specific …

The Compassionate Allowances system was set up by the U.S. Social Security Administration to provide benefits quickly to those applicants with serious, life threatening medical conditions. Social Security benefits are usually handled on a case-by-case basis, and can take an extended amount of time to gain approval. Compassionate Allowances allow the Administration to target the …

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is notoriously difficult to detect, treat, and battle. There is not yet an established, standardized form of treatment, because current approaches are unsatisfactory and have not been proven to substantially prolong survival. To date, the expected survival for mesothelioma patients is about one year, mostly attributed to late …