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
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Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos. In this disease, malignant cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the body's internal organs. Its most common site is the pleura (outer lining of the lungs and internal chest wall), but it may also occur in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity), the heart, the pericardium (a sac that surrounds the heart) or tunica vaginalis.
Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or they have been exposed to the dust and fiber in other ways. Washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos can also put a person at risk for developing mesothelioma. Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking. Compensation via asbestos funds or lawsuits is an important issue in mesothelioma.
The symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural effusion (fluid between the lung and the chest wall) or chest wall pain, and general symptoms such as weight loss. The diagnosis may be suspected with chest X-ray and CT scan, and is confirmed with a biopsy (tissue sample) and microscopic examination. A thoracoscopy (inserting a tube with a camera into the chest) can be used to take biopsies. It allows the introduction of substances such as talc to obliterate the pleural space (called pleurodesis), which prevents more fluid from accumulating and pressing on the lung. Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or sometimes surgery, the disease carries a poor prognosis. Research about screening tests for the early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing.
Wikipedia
Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or they have been exposed to the dust and fiber in other ways. Washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos can also put a person at risk for developing mesothelioma. Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking. Compensation via asbestos funds or lawsuits is an important issue in mesothelioma.
The symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural effusion (fluid between the lung and the chest wall) or chest wall pain, and general symptoms such as weight loss. The diagnosis may be suspected with chest X-ray and CT scan, and is confirmed with a biopsy (tissue sample) and microscopic examination. A thoracoscopy (inserting a tube with a camera into the chest) can be used to take biopsies. It allows the introduction of substances such as talc to obliterate the pleural space (called pleurodesis), which prevents more fluid from accumulating and pressing on the lung. Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or sometimes surgery, the disease carries a poor prognosis. Research about screening tests for the early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing.
Wikipedia
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