Mesothelioma Research
Funding for mesothelioma research falls far short of that for other cancers, but new drugs and treatment options are facilitated through important clinical trials. These experimental studies are small and controlled opportunities for scientists to develop effective drugs like Cisplatin and Carboplatin. New cutting-edge clinical trials are being introduced all the time at cancer centers around the world.
Support Group for Mesothelioma Patients & Families
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a form of mesothelioma, join our support group to hear from others who find themselves in the same situation as you. Call (800) 615-2270 to sign up.
Prognosis
The prognosis for mesothelioma is most affected by the stage of the cancer. Both early and late-stage patients have treatment options to improve their prognosis. Many mesothelioma patients live longer than their estimated life expectancy and such outcomes are dependent on a number of prognostic factors, including:
- Stage of cancer
- Type of mesothelioma
- Tumor cell type
- Overall health
- Gender
- Symptoms
- Size and location of tumor
- Blood characteristics
Survivors
Despite the often poor prognosis of someone who has malignant mesothelioma, there are a number of encouraging stories of success – bios of people who are beating the disease and living to celebrate special days with wives, husbands, kids and grandkids. Each mesothelioma survivor has a tale to tell, and there is something to take away from every story.
Legal Help for Mesothelioma
People with malignant mesothelioma often have legal options because of the cause of the disease - exposure to asbestos. Those options include filing a claim with an established asbestos trust fund or filing a lawsuit against a company or companies believed to be responsible for the exposure. A winning claim, a winning lawsuit or a case settlement can help patients recoupmedical expenses and can help secure the financial future for their families.
Fast Fact: A 2011 report from the Government Accountability Office reported that $36.8 billion remained in asbestos trusts. This money was set aside to help compensate people with mesothelioma and their families.
One reason legal options exist is because of liability. Asbestos-related diseases are considered 100 percent preventable. Asbestos mining companies, manufacturers of asbestos-containing products, and employers who did not inform workers about potential exposure all could have some liability issue if they fail to prevent exposure to asbestos. Communicating with an experienced mesothelioma lawyer helps patients and families understand how legal options can help cover other damages.
Settlements
Most mesothelioma lawsuits are settled out of court - before they to go trial. A paper trail of occupational asbestos exposure can lead defendants to get out from under lawsuit costs as soon as possible. Settlements can range from moderate to large sums, it all depends on the case.
Verdicts
The outcome of an asbestos-related lawsuit can vary because each case is unique and comes with its own set of facts, but juries have returned with verdicts of $337.million (for Alfred Todak), $30.3 million (for Susan Buttitta) and $22 million (for Eugene McCarthy and Walter Koczur).
Recent Mesothelioma News
Researchers at the National Cancer Institute recently uncovered a better way to use immunotoxin drugs like SS1P to kill mesothelioma cancer cells without harming the healthy ones. The key was finding the right drug combination to work as immune suppressors, which allowed the immunotoxin to work more effectively. The results were impressive, as a large percentage of patients with advanced mesothelioma found their tumors shrink during a recent trial with SS1P.
University of Pennsylvania researchers also came up with a recent advancement in the staging of mesothelioma, which should allow doctors to diagnose the disease earlier and treat it more effectively. Their study involved previously overlooked posterior intercostal lymph nodes, which were examined for the first time in patients who had undergone radical pleurectomies
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