Joint Study By Rosetta Genomics And NYU Langone Medical Center Identifies Single MicroRNA Biomarker For Prognosis Of Mesothelioma Patients

Rosetta Genomics, Ltd. (NASDAQ: ROSG), a leading developer and provider of microRNA-based molecular diagnostics, announced today that the results of a joint study with the NYU Langone Medical Center were published online on February 16th, 2010, and are set to be published in the March 1st issue of the American Association for Cancer Research's journal, Cancer Research. The study, "Hsa-Mir-29c* is Linked to the Prognosis of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma," demonstrates the potential of a single microRNA to act as an independent prognostic factor for time to progression as well as survival after surgery. The abstract of the study may be viewed online here.

In the study, 142 MPM tumors were analyzed for microRNA expression levels using Rosetta Genomics' proprietary microRNA-based array and qRT-PCR technologies. The results clearly demonstrate that higher levels of miR-29c* in MPM predict a more favorable prognosis. Not only was the microRNA able to separate MPM patients by time to progression after surgery, but it also stratified these patients by their survival.

When examining Time to Progression (TTP) of MPM, the expression level of miR-29c* enabled the identification of two groups with significantly different median TTP: 4 months versus 14 months in the study's training set, and 5.5 months versus 12.8 months in the study's test set.

When examining survival rates for MPM, the expression level of miR-29c* enabled the identification of two groups as well: median survival of 8 months versus 32 months in the study's training set, and median survival of 9.1 months versus 21.6 months in the study's test set. This new diagnostic capability may help physicians apply more aggressive therapeutic modalities to the poor prognosis group.

Furthermore, the study found that over-expression of miR-29c* in mesothelioma cell lines resulted in significantly decreased proliferation, migration, invasion and colony formation.

"This is an exciting discovery which may have significant clinical impact on the treatment of MPM," said Harvey Pass, M.D., Professor and Chief, Division of Thoracic Surgery and Thoracic Oncology at NYU Langone Medical Center, and the lead investigator of this study. "While MPM is an aggressive cancer, our study showed that we can use a single microRNA to identify subgroups of patients who differ significantly in their time to progression and survival. When applied to a clinical setting, these findings may enable clinicians to apply multimodality therapy to the most appropriate patients. Furthermore, I think it is remarkable that a single biomarker can provide such insights into disease prognosis."

"In addition to the significant clinical importance of being able to forecast outcomes of MPM, this study demonstrates the tremendous potential microRNAs hold as biomarkers," noted Kenneth A. Berlin, President and CEO of Rosetta Genomics. "NYU Langone Medical Center chose Rosetta Genomics' platform technology for this study as it was the most technologically advanced, offering an extremely high sensitivity and specificity suitable for studying microRNAs in the clinical setting. The results of this study further validate the strength of our microRNA platform technologies and our ability to leverage that strength to help advance the standard of care."

About microRNAs

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are recently discovered, small RNAs that act as master regulators of protein synthesis, and have been shown to be highly effective biomarkers. MicroRNAs' unique advantage as biomarkers lies in their high tissue specificity, and their exceptional stability in the most routine preservation methods for biopsies, including Formalin Fixed Paraffin Embedded (FFPE) block. It has been suggested that their small size (19-21 nucleotides) enables them to remain intact in FFPE blocks, as opposed to messenger RNA (mRNA), which tends to degrade rapidly in samples preserved by this method. In addition, early preclinical data has shown that by controlling the levels of specific microRNAs, cancer cell growth may be reduced. To learn more about microRNAs, please visit http://www.rosettagenomics.com.

About miRview™ Products

miRview™ are a series of microRNA-based diagnostic products offered by Rosetta Genomics. miRview™ mets accurately identifies the primary tumor site in metastatic cancer and Cancer of Unknown Primary. miRview™ squamous accurately identifies the squamous subtype of NSCLC, which carries an increased risk of severe or fatal internal bleeding and poor response to treatment for certain therapies. miRview™ meso diagnoses mesothelioma, a cancer connected to asbestos exposure. miRview™ tests are designed to provide objective diagnostic data; it is the treating physician's responsibility to diagnose and administer the appropriate treatment. In the U.S. alone, over 100,000 patients a year may benefit from the miRview™ mets test, 60,000 from miRview™ squamous, and 60,000 from miRview™ meso, with similar numbers of patients outside the U.S. The company's tests are now being offered through distributors around the globe. For more information, please visit http://www.mirviewdx.com.

Source
Rosetta Genomics

New Research Could Help Provide Answers To Mesothelioma

The British Lung Foundation is working with the June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund to support new research which could lead to better treatments for mesothelioma, an incurable asbestos-related cancer that affects the tissues lining the outside of the lung and the chest wall (pleura).

Following a competitive grant application process, Dr Stefan Marciniak at the UniversityofCambridge was selected from a large field of excellent applicants, to be awarded the funding for his project, which will study the relationship between cell stress and mesothelioma. The grant is worth £118,839 and will run over two years.

Dr Marciniak heads a research group at the University ofCambridge. He is also a chest physician, specialising in diseases of the pleura. Through his research he hopes to gain a better understanding of why the cancer progresses. This will help scientists to create new ways of combating the disease.

The study will look at proteins which are produced by a part of the cell called the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Previous research by this group has shown that when these proteins are not made correctly, ER stress occurs and that ER stress is increased in mesothelioma cells. To investigate whether ER stress is linked to the progression of this cancer, the team will analyse tissue samples of mesothelioma. Furthermore, they hope to determine whether the amount of ER stress can predict the speed at which mesothelioma develops and the success of chemotherapy treatments.

Speaking about the research, Dr Stefan Marciniak, said: "I am thrilled to be awarded the June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund grant by the British Lung Foundation. As a chest physician I treat patients with pleural disease. I hope to be able to take my findings out of the laboratory to improve the treatments available to my patients in the future."

Dr Noemi Eiser, Honorary Medical Director for the British Lung Foundation, said: "Someone dies from mesothelioma in the UK every five hours. Research grants, like the June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund, are so important in furthering our understanding of this cruel lung disease. This study could really make a difference to the way we treat people with the disease in the future."

Spokesperson from June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund, Dr Kate Hill said: "The June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund is committed to supporting research that will find new ways to provide real benefits for patients. Choosing just one research study to fund from amongst the high quality applications we received was a difficult decision. We are convinced that Dr Marciniak's work has the potential to make a major contribution to current knowledge about mesothelioma and its treatment."

Later this year, the British Lung Foundation will launch their annual Action Mesothelioma Day on 2nd July. The day aims to raise awareness of the disease and improve the care and treatment for patients. It will also highlight the risk of asbestos exposure, particularly amongst the at-risk groups e.g. tradespeople. For more information go to www.lunguk.org/actionmeso

Notes

1.The British Lung Foundation is the only UK charity working for everyone affected by lung disease. The charity focuses its resources on providing support for people affected by lung disease today; and works in a variety of ways (including funding world-class research) to bring about positive change, to improve treatment, care and support for people affected by lung disease in the future.

2.It provides information via the website http://www.lunguk.org.

3.The June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund is an independent UK mesothelioma charity (Registered No 1121784). The Fund supports mesothelioma research projects, contributes to clinical trials with novel drug therapies, raises awareness of the disease amongst healthcare professionals and the public at large and provides information and advice for mesothelioma sufferers and their carers. For more see http://www.junehancockfund.org.

4.Mesothelioma is a malignant cancer which develops between 15 and 60 years after exposure to asbestos in the two-layered membrane surrounding the lungs and lining the inside of the rib cage (pleura).

5.Mesothelioma kills one person every five hours in the UK, yet only six per cent of people are aware of the disease.

6.The rising number of deaths from the condition is linked to the use of asbestos in the building industry up until the mid 1980s.

7.The number of mesothelioma deaths each year in the UK has increased from 153 in 1968 to around 2000 today

8.Experts predict that we will face a mesothelioma epidemic between 2011 and 2015 as the death toll rises over the next decade

9.30,000 people are thought to have died of mesothelioma already; a further 90,000 are expected to die of the disease by 2050

Source
British Lung Foundation

ADAO Praises Senate For Passage Of Sixth Annual Resolution That Establishes "National Asbestos Awareness Week"

The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), the largest U.S. organization serving as the voice of asbestos victims, today applauds the United State Senate for the passage of S.RES.427, a resolution that declares the first week of April as "National Asbestos Awareness Week" and urges the Surgeon General to warn and educate Americans of the severe hazards of asbestos exposure.

"We are grateful to the U.S. Senate for unanimously passing S. RES. 427 that will increase public awareness about asbestos, a known human carcinogen," said Linda Reinstein, CEO and Co-Founder, ADAO. "For the past six years, ADAO has seen that a week of awareness enables agencies, institutions and organizations to promote regulatory compliance and enforcement. Americans deserve and want to know how to prevent asbestos in their homes or in the workplace."

Asbestos exposure can cause asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis. Studies estimate that during the next decade, 100,000 workers around the world will die of an asbestos related disease - equaling 30 deaths per day.

ADAO will hold its Sixth Annual International Asbestos Conference on April 10, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. The Honorable Richard Durbin, United States Senator, will receive the ADAO Tribute of Hope Award for his gallant efforts to protect public health and promote worker safety.

Source
Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization

Weitz & Luxenberg Continues Efforts To Help People With Asbestos Cancers

Weitz & Luxenberg P.C. would like to highlight a sobering statistic: In 2009, over 219,000 people were diagnosed with lung cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. For over 13,000 of those people, their cancer was caused by exposure to asbestos or another pollutant. In response to the ongoing danger of asbestos exposure, Reps. Steve Cohen (D-TN), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Louis Capps (D-CA), Gwen Moore (D-WI) and Betty Sutton (D-OH) have sponsored a Congressional proclamation declaring the first week of April 2010 National Asbestos Awareness Week.

"There is great need for continued research, education and assistance for people with asbestos diseases," said Joseph Patrick Williams, an attorney in the firm's Asbestos Litigation Unit. Williams applauded the ongoing efforts of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), which holds its sixth annual conference this month.

"We hear from Navy veterans, construction workers, boiler tenders, and many others who are now facing serious asbestos-related illness many years after they were exposed," Williams said. He pointed to the death of former Variety columnist Army Archerd in September 2009 and the passing of National Football League Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen in March 2010. Both men succumbed to mesothelioma, a cancer which as yet has no cure, though medical treatments have been improving.

How we can help

Weitz & Luxenberg has been helping people to recover monetary compensation for asbestos related illnesses for over 20 years. Last year, the firm obtained a $2.16-million settlement for the family of a New York City construction worker who died of mesothelioma; in 2008, our attorneys secured $16.25 million in a case involving the first successful asbestos verdict against a dental supply company, and in 2007, Weitz & Luxenberg achieved a $37 million asbestos verdict in two lung cancer cases in a reverse bifurcated trial. People who have been harmed by asbestos may contact the firm to learn more by visiting http://www.weitzlux.com.

Source
Weitz & Luxenberg P.C.

Millions Awarded To Asbestos Victims, UK

UNISON has revealed that nearly £2 million has been awarded to members who have suffered from deadly asbestos-related diseases in the last year alone.

The figure, released on International Workers Memorial Day (28 April), highlights the risk that many workers face just doing their day-to-day jobs.

General Secretary, Dave Prentis, will join public sector staff across the UK in a minute's silence at midday, to remember colleagues who have become victims of asbestos and other work-related diseases or those killed or injured in the workplace.

The UK's largest public sector union has fought for justice for thousands of workers, who have been put in danger by their employers, including staff who have suffered permanent injuries as a result of violence while on duty.

In the case of asbestos, many generations of workers have been exposed to it in oil refineries, hospitals, chemical plants, schools, building sites, shipyards, factories, building sites and while taking their lunch in canteens.

Dave Prentis said:

"Health and safety has barely been mentioned during the election campaign, but we want to see preventable accidents becoming a priority.

"Tighter regulations and more inspections - which have declined dramatically - would help tackle the problem.

"It is shocking that so many workers have died, or been seriously injured, because employers have failed to take the necessary steps to protect them.

"Too many employers put short-cuts before the safety of their staff and many workers still suffer in silence, losing their physical and mental health before management are forced to take action.

"UNISON helps members and their families get compensation for injuries and illness. The compensation for asbestos related injuries and deaths, goes some way towards getting justice for the victims, helping them pay for their treatment and funding the families left behind, but it will never make up for the tragic loss of life."

Regional breakdown for the compensation awarded for UNISON members suffering from asbestos related diseases, such as mesothelioma, asbestosis and pleural thickening, in the last year:

Eastern - £255,961.82

East Midlands - £140,949

Greater London - £106,013.50

Northern (NE and Cumbria) - £394,761.10

South West - £108,000

Wales - £85,000

West Midlands - £140,078

Yorkshire and Humber - £599,868.17

Source
UNISON

Fresh enquiry outlines public health results USA

Longitudinal studies of firefighters, rescue workers and other personnel who responded to the collapse of the World Trade Center following the September 11, 2001 attacks have confirmed the presence of a positive relationship between the intensity and duration of their exposures to airborne pollutants and the severity of their pulmonary symptoms.

Results of the study, conducted by a consortium of researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Columbia University, New York University, Johns Hopkins University, The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, show exposure-related increases in new-onset cough, wheeze, shortness of breath, and bronchial hyperreactivity more than 2 years after the disaster.

In addition, follow-up of pregnant women who were inside or near the WTC buildings on September 11 found a two-fold increase in the incidence of small for gestational age (SGA) infants. The study results will appear in the May issue of Environmental Health Perspectives, the monthly peer-reviewed journal of the NIEHS. An electronic copy of the report is available on the online section at http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov.

The study was funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, one of the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and grants from The New York Community Trust and United Way of New York City. Additional support was provided by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Our results indicate that the environmental exposures following the WTC disaster were associated with profound adverse effects on respiratory health," said Dr. Philip J. Landrigan, chair of the Department of Community and Preventive Medicine and director of Environmental and Occupational Medicine at Mount Sinai, and principal author of the study.

"The collapse of the towers generated thousands of tons of particulate matter comprised of cement dust, glass fibers, asbestos, lead, aromatic hydrocarbons, and organochlorine compounds, many of which significantly increased the subjects' susceptibility to bronchial spasms and asthma," said Landrigan. "These respiratory effects were most pronounced in subjects who were in or around the WTC buildings during the first 12 hours of the disaster."

Previous studies have documented the acute traumatic consequences of the September 11 attacks, most notably the occurrence of 2,726 deaths, including 343 firefighters and 60 police officers. Early clinical assessments noted a high prevalence of respiratory symptoms, including persistent cough, in firefighters and rescue workers exposed to the WTC dust.

The present study was designed to yield a comprehensive assessment of the health impacts of the chemical contaminants on first responders, construction workers and volunteers who worked initially in rescue and recovery, and then for several months clearing rubble and debris, and on residents who lived in the surrounding area.

For their exposure assessment, the researchers focused on five primary classes of contaminants taken from samples of settled dust following the collapse of the twin towers. These included airborne particles, dioxin and other related compounds, asbestos, which was used for fire insulation in the construction of the North Tower, aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzopyrene and benzoperylene, and lead and other trace elements.

Analysis of the data revealed that firefighters were among the most heavily exposed populations. Of the 10,116 firefighters who were evaluated, 332 displayed persistent cough accompanied by other respiratory symptoms so severe as to require at least 4 weeks leave of absence. "The prevalence of this 'World Trade Center' cough was directly related to the intensity of the exposure," said Landrigan.

Among firefighters without the cough, many were diagnosed with bronchial hyperreactivity, a chronic condition which triggers bronchial spasms in response to ambient air pollutants such as cigarette smoke and automobile exhaust. This condition was observed in 23 percent of those with a high level of smoke exposure, and in 8 percent of those with moderate exposure. "We believe the high alkalinity of the dust was a major contributing factor to the high incidence of bronchial hyperreactivity," said Landrigan.

Among ironworkers involved in clean-up and recovery, many of whom spent several months in and around the disaster site, almost one-third experienced a chronic cough that began shortly after employment at the site, 24 percent reported new onset of phlegm production, and more than 17 percent reported new onset of wheeze. About half of all workers reported at least one new symptom since they had begun working at the site.

Preliminary data from clinical evaluation of residents living within a 1.6-kilometer radius of the WTC site indicate that previously healthy subjects had a greater increase in cough, wheeze and shortness of breath than did residents living a greater distance from the site.

The primary health effect observed in pregnant women who were inside the towers or within 10 blocks of the WTC at the time of the disaster was a two-fold increase in the incidence of small for gestational age infants as compared to pregnant women from a demographically similar population not known to have been in Manhattan at the time.

"We had hypothesized that long-term exposure to air pollutants generated by the collapse of the towers might be associated with an increased risk of small for gestational age births," said Dr. Trudy Berkowitz, an epidemiologist with Mount Sinai. "Based on the results of subsequent studies, we have ruled out the potential role of post traumatic stress disorder in these adverse pregnancy outcomes."

Researchers are also concerned about long-term health consequences of asbestos exposure in the wake of the disaster. Asbestos, principally chrysotile, was used in the construction of the North Tower during the early 1970's. While some of this asbestos had been removed over the preceding 30 years, hundreds of tons remained on September 11 and were blasted free.

Ambient air samples showed that asbestos levels in the WTC area were initially elevated following the September 11 attacks, but fell to within federal standards after the first few days. "More research is needed to determine whether long-term exposure to asbestos fibers might lead to an increased risk of lung mesothelioma, a rare cancer that has been linked to asbestos exposure," said Landrigan. "Previous studies have shown the short chrysotile fibers found in the WTC dust to be the predominant fiber in lung mesothelioma tissue."

NIH/National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

New Drug for Mesothelioma

The FDA recently approved a new drug used to treat malignant pleural mesothelioma, a rare cancer usually associated with asbestos exposure.

The drug is called Alimta, or pemetrexed disodium, and it's distributed by Eli Lilly and Company. Alimta is intended to be used along with cisplatin.

Only about 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year in the U.S. Patients live, on average, nine to thirteen months after diagnosis.

In a randomized clinical trial, patients receiving Alimta along with cisplatin lived an average of 12 months after the trial began, compared with nine months for those on cisplatin alone.

Alimta must be supplemented with vitamin B-12 and folic acid to decrease the incidence and severity of adverse effects.

Those effects include low white blood count, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, rash and diarrhea. Since the drug suppresses the bone marrow, patients are warned to report signs of infection, such as fever and chills

FDA (USA).

Asbestos made cancer ticking bomb in the West

Doctors say that developed countries are on the verge of an asbestos disease epidemic. They say that at least 100,000 people (mainly men) will die from mesothelioma (article in the British Medical Journal).

This cancer is caused by inhalating asbestos. It takes about fifty years to develop.

In the UK, 1,800 people get this disease each year. Doctors are saying that (in the UK) these numbers will rocket soon.

During the 1960s to 1970s hundreds of thousands of people were exposed to asbestos (in the Western World). Before the health risks of asbestos became known it was used as an insulator in buildings and industry.

The types of people who are most at risk today are those who worked as plumbers, builders and shipyard workers during that time.

Doctors say that as several schools and hospitals were constructed with asbestos (insulation) teachers and doctors/nurses may also be at risk (even though these are not mentioned, I wonder why they did not include school children).

Add to this list the wives and daughters who washed their husband's/father's overalls (if they were asbestos workers) and we have quite a few people.

In 1983 restrictions in the use of asbestos were introduced in the UK.

Doctors and experts say that the rates of mesothelioma will peak some time in the future. 'The peak of the epidemic is expected in 2015 to 2020 when the death rate is likely to be 2,000 per year in the United Kingdom,' said Professor Tom Treasure of Guy's Hospital in London.

He said other European countries and Australia are facing a similar rise in disease.

The USA (which introduced asbestos restrictions before the UK did) has probably already seen its peak (or is seeing it now).

Doctors should look out for the signs of this disease.

Experts believe there are still about 100,000 people who are alive today who will die from this disease.

Blood examination can discover asbestos cancer

A simple blood test could detect early signs of deadly 'asbestos cancer', scientists have claimed.
Patients with mesothelioma - often caused by exposure to asbestos - often die within a few years of diagnosis.
But in a study published in The Lancet, researchers say checking levels of a key protein can identify over 80% of cases at an early stage.
Earlier detection would mean doctors could treat the patient using chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery.
Mesothelioma affects the mesothelial tissue surrounding the lungs.
The aggressive cancer develops decades after asbestos exposure.
But not all those who worked with asbestos go on to develop the cancer, and Australian scientists were looking for a way of identifying who was at risk.
Asbestos exposure
Researchers from the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Australia, developed a test to assess blood concentrations of soluble mesothelian related (SMR) protein, which has been shown to be an indicator of other cancers.
The scientists believed high levels of SMR might also be seen in asbestos cancer patients.
They obtained blood samples from patients attending respiratory clinics in Perth between 1997 and 2002 and tested their SMR levels.
Thirty-seven people out of 44 with mesothelioma had high SMR levels - an 84% accurate detection rate.
Out of seven people who had been exposed to asbestos who also had increased blood concentrations of SMR, three went on to develop mesothelioma and one lung cancer within five years of the study.
But none of the 33 people exposed to asbestos who had normal concentrations of SMR developed mesothelioma in that time.
And only three out of 160 patients with other cancers or other inflammatory lung diseases, and none of the 28 controls who had not been exposed to asbestos had raised SMR levels.
The researchers said their findings indicated SMR could be a useful way to monitor the growth of mesothelial tumours because concentrations were seen to increase during tumour progression.
Improving patients' chances
Dr Bruce Robinson, who led the research, said: 'On the basis of our data we propose that measurement of SMR concentrations in serum is a useful adjunct in the diagnosis of mesothelioma.
'Blood SMR concentrations should be monitored in asbestos-exposed individuals who are at risk of developing mesothelioma to determine if early therapeutic intervention improves patients' outcome.'
He added: 'Importantly for the hundreds of thousands of asbestos-exposed people who are at risk of this cancer, the test can detect the cancer several years before it presents.'
Dr Siow Ming Lee, a lung cancer specialist and spokesman for Cancer Research UK: 'These findings are interesting but they need to be validated in a larger study.
'You would need to make sure that the test did not give a false-positive result - and be aware that the presence of the protein could indicate other cancers as well.'

Fresh NCCN Guidelines For Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Demonstrated At Yearly Conference

A new addition to the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines™), the NCCN Guidelines for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM), was presented at the NCCN 15th Annual Conference. Lee M. Krug, MD of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and a member of the NCCN Guidelines Panel discussed recommended treatment options for patients with MPM as well as first-line therapy regimens.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant cells are found in the mesothelium, a protective sac that covers most of the body's internal organs. Pleural mesothelioma refers to the thoracic-based form of the disease, the most common type of mesothelioma.

Although asbestos exposure is a major risk factor for mesothelioma, it can remain latent for more than 20 years and may require a predisposition to the disease. In addition, it can also occur in individuals that previously experienced radiation exposure (e.g. treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma).

Dr. Krug noted that, "Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. In addition, a physician's initial evaluation of a patient may reveal pleural effusion, but it can often be missed on pleural fluid cytology."

Common symptoms of mesothelioma are shortness or breath or chest pain among others including tumor fevers, sweats, weight loss, and pneumonia.

A surgical biopsy is often required to effectively diagnose a patient with mesothelioma according to Dr. Krug. PET scans can aid in staging as well, detecting unexpected metastases in 10 percent of cases.

Prognostic factors include gender, lymph node status, and histology, but Dr. Krug also pointed to other potential markers that may be indicative of the disease.

"Serum markers may also have prognostic significance as studies show that patients with mesothelioma have higher levels of Soluble Mesothelin-Relation Protein (SMRP) and Osteopontin," said Dr. Krug.

Like any cancer, treatment for mesothelioma depends on many factors including the stage of the cancer, where the cancer is, and how far the cancer has spread. Dr. Krug described treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation that may benefit patients as described in the NCCN Guidelines for MPM.

Surgical procedures for MPM can range from a pleurectomy/decortication for those patients with early stage disease to more aggressive procedures, such as extrapleural pneumonectomy. Extrapleural pneumonectomy includes the removal of pleura, the lung, diaphragm, and pericardium, but can result in major complications and should only be performed by experienced surgeons.

"The role of aggressive surgery remains controversial," said Dr. Krug. "As outlined in the Principles for Surgical Resection for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma in the NCCN Guidelines, physicians need to be highly selective when choosing potential candidates for this procedure."

Surgery alone can be inadequate due to residual disease and a high rate of relapse, so the NCCN Guidelines recommend a combined modality therapy approach for select patients noted Dr. Krug.

The NCCN Guidelines consist of a section detailing the Principles of Radiation Therapy for MPM that stress the need for a multimodality approach including evaluation of the patient by radiation oncologists, surgeons, medical oncologists, diagnostic imaging specialists, and pulmonologists.

"Radiation is recommended as an adjuvant therapy to improve local control after surgery, and it is also an effective palliative treatment for relief of chest pain that is often associated with mesothelioma," said Dr. Krug.

Dr. Krug explained that MPM was historically felt to be chemoresistant, but that recent studies have shown that certain regimens can benefit patients and also can be added for systemic therapy either before or after surgery.

"The NCCN Guidelines recommends pemetrexed (Alimta®, Lilly USA, LLC) with cisplatin (Platinol®, Bristol-Myers Squibb) or carboplatin (Paraplatin®, Bristol-Myers Squibb) as the optimal first-line combination chemotherapy regimen for patients, though others can be considered based on comorbid conditions," said Dr. Krug. "On the other hand, there are extremely limited data on the benefit of second line therapy. A few specific regimens are listed as second line options in the NCCN Guidelines."

The NCCN Guidelines are developed and updated through an evidence-based process with explicit review of the scientific evidence integrated with expert judgment by multidisciplinary panels of physicians from NCCN Member Institutions. The most recent version of this and all the NCCN Guidelines are available free of charge at http://www.NCCN.org.

Source: National Comprehensive Cancer Network

Surviving Through Desmoplastic Mesothelioma, Just What actually are Your Odds

Desmoplastic Mesothelioma has consequences on three thousand persons annually are named to have Desmoplastic Mesothelioma in the USA entirely. Lamentably, Desmoplastic Mesothelioma is in reality an acute and generally virulent sort of cancer which leaves by asbestos exposure. This sort of sickness comes about when tiny asbestos fibres are breathed in and get adhered to the linings of the lungs.

Hence that adds up to the supreme question, just what are the hypotheses of pulling through Desmoplastic Mesothelioma? Even so, not a lot of patients of Desmoplastic Mesothelioma survive much more than 5 years following the testing has been made. Desmoplastic Mesothelioma survival chances are expanded when the sickness is caught early. Throughout it's first stages, this sort of cancer can be hard to name. After it is ascertained and named, it is quite often in its advanced phase and too late to get a unequivocal cure. According to reliable sources, fewer than 10% of mesothelioma patients find the possibility to brave much more than five years, whilst around 40 pct of people endure more than a year soon after a diagnosis. As you read through this article you can find a ton of info with regards to Desmoplastic Mesothelioma.

Several factors determine success involving all types of melanoma including Desmoplastic Mesothelioma. Those contain:
* The actual present phase associated with the melanoma. The phases with the Desmoplastic Mesothelioma cancer range from Stage One, which usually mainly implies that the growth is localized in the upper body lining, to Stage 4, which means that the cancer has multiplied to additional essential internal organs.

* The histology (cell system type) in the cancer tumour. Desmoplastic Mesothelioma cancer could come as epithelial, which usually provides much better prognosis, desmoplastic,sarcomatoid, or biphasic.

* The patients healthy situation and age. The malignant types of Desmoplastic Mesothelioma are often recognized in subjects higher than the age group of 55. Usually, the older the sufferer is, or perhaps the more long-term health problems related with the condition, the much less probability there is for mesothelioma survival.

* Being able to see if the cancer is operable or not can be decided by the shape and place.

* The degree of the signs and symptoms, like as whether liquid build up is discovered in the lung area or abdominal.

Desmoplastic Mesothelioma is a critical affliction that demands fast medical focus. Although there is no proven remedy for Desmoplastic Mesothelioma, a variety of healing options are accessible in order to reduce the ailment from dispersing and in addition to reduce discomfort and hurting for the sufferer.

These kind of healing alternatives may well raise the likelihood for Desmoplastic Mesothelioma success. In respect to numerous experiments, patients administered with radiation treatment or surgical treatment or a mix of the pair, possess a survival rate that is at least eighteen months after commencing the steps.

Today, numerous new solutions are now being looked at throughout the globe in governed clinical tests. The modern remedies are Gene Therapy, Heat Therapy, Photodynamic Therapy, and Immunotherapy.

Desmoplastic Mesothelioma may be a incredibly serious disease and demands to be taken really significant. Ideally it is found in the first stages. If not, Desmoplastic Mesothelioma could be lethal. Ideal solution is to get examined often.

Virginia: A Chronicle of Asbestos Usage

The Appalachians, which use up Virginia and a lot of other USA. states, have deposits of asbestos, a naturally happening mineral that can induce mesothelioma, a virulent form of cancer. Virginia bears a number of asbestos densities along the Blue Ridge Mountains and Maryland state boundary, west of Washington, D.C.

In Virginia, 2 mines were determined to contain asbestos sediments. While these asbestos-containing mines have been shut down, Virginia still engages a vermiculite mine in Louisa. By itself, vermiculite is a secure material applied for insulation. Yet, asbestos can pollute other minerals as they're mined.

During 2000, the Louisa vermiculite mine underwent testing to identify the presence of asbestos. The tests, which were conducted by the Mine Safety and Health Administration, evaluated 30 air samples. Each air sample showed a hazardous level of asbestos. Also, 12 samples of ore and rocks also showed a presence of two other types of asbestos. The Virginia mine has been likened to the well-publicized vermiculite mine in Libby, Montana, where 200 people in the town developed asbestos-related diseases.

The Virginia vermiculite mine sells approximately 100,000 tons of asbestos-contaminated vermiculite every year to be used in hundreds of products across the country. Many researchers feel that the risk of asbestos-related illnesses extends beyond those employed in the Virginia mine. People in town have reportedly been using the waste rock for many years. Likewise, workers of companies who produce and sell the contaminated vermiculite may also have a chance of developing an asbestos-related illness.

Virginia's history of asbestos use extends beyond its mines. Used for its heat resistance and insulating properties, asbestos could be found in a number of Virginia industrial locations, such as oil refineries, factories and power plants. Virginia shipyards, such as the Newport News Shipyard, also used the mineral in many ways. The shipbuilding industry became very active during the world wars, and studies show that many Veterans and federal contractors died from asbestos-related diseases as a result of working in the shipyards.

Asbestos was also used in the power generation industry. The mineral was used on mechanical equipment, machinery and pipes. During normal operations or repair, asbestos-containing machinery could release tiny fibers into the air. If inhaled, the asbestos fibers can build up and eventually cause lung cancer, mesothelioma or asbestosis.

Approximately 1400 Virginians have died as a result of an asbestos-related disease between 1980 and 2000. Many of these individuals were diagnosed with asbestosis, which causes a scarring of the lung tissue. Although asbestosis does not always result in death, its prognosis typically worsens when discovered during the later stages.