Quoted from http://www.ajronline.org/content/198/2/359.abstract

Epithelial Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma After Extrapleural Pneumonectomy: Stratification of Survival With CT-Derived Tumor Volume

Abstract

 

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of CT-derived tumor volume, with control for other prognostic factors, for stratifying survival after surgery-based multimodality treatment of a large cohort of patients with epithelial malignant pleural mesothelioma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS. We retrospectively reviewed 338 patients with mesothelioma who underwent extrapleural pneumonectomy between 2001 and 2007. The study cohort comprised 88 patients with epithelial subtype tumors, DICOM-format CT scans, and data regarding neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy. Tumor volume was calculated, and Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox regression analyses were performed to compare the estimated survival functions of patient subgroups based on volume and other covariates related to outcome (sex, age, preoperative platelet count, hemoglobin concentration, WBC count, clinical and pathologic TNM category, and administration of neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy). A multivariate regression model was derived on the basis of the most significant univariate predictors.

RESULTS. The median estimated tumor volume was 319 cm3 (range, 4–3256 cm3). In univariate analysis, tumor volume, hemoglobin concentration, platelet count, pathologic TNM category, and administration of adjuvant chemotherapy or radiation therapy met the criteria for inclusion in the reverse stepwise regression analysis. In the final model, tumor volume, hemoglobin concentration, and administration of adjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy were identified as independently associated with overall survival.

CONCLUSION. With control of prognostic covariates, CT-derived tumor volume can be used to stratify survival of patients with epithelial mesothelioma after extrapleural pneumonectomy and should be included in prognostic evaluation of patients for whom resection is being considered.

Quoted from http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/asbestos-victims-get-cash-boost/story-e6frf7kf-1226243527082

Asbestos victims get cash boost

• From: AAP
• January 13, 2012 1:22PM

A MULTI-million dollar injection of funding for asbestos victims will make New South Wales a world leader in the treatment of mesothelioma, a cancer specialist says.

The NSW Government today announced the Asbestos Diseases Research Institute would receive $3.5 million to improve outcomes for people with asbestos-related cancer and their families.

The money comes from the State Government’s translational cancer research program, which will also award $3.47 million to researchers working on the diagnosis and treatment of blood cancers.

Chief Cancer Officer and CEO of the Cancer Institute of NSW Professor David Currow says the translational cancer grants will benefit cancer patients across the state.

Australia had the world’s highest incidence of malignant mesothelioma, a fatal cancer caused by asbestos, Professor Currow said in a statement today.

[Article continues at original source]

Quoted from http://www.jnccn.org/content/10/1/26.extract

Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

NOTE:  Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 250 words of the full text.

Overview

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that is estimated to occur in approximately 2500 people in the United States every year.1,2 These NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) focus on malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), which is the most common type; mesothelioma can also occur in other sites (e.g., peritoneum, pericardium, tunica vaginalis testis). The disease is difficult to treat.

NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

NCCN Categories of Evidence and Consensus

Category 1: Based upon high-level evidence, there is uniform NCCN consensus that the intervention is appropriate.

Category 2A: Based upon lower-level evidence, there is uniform NCCN consensus that the intervention is appropriate.

Category 2B: Based upon lower-level evidence, there is NCCN consensus that the intervention is appropriate.

Category 3: Based upon any level of evidence, there is major NCCN disagreement that the intervention is appropriate.

All recommendations are category 2A unless otherwise noted.

Clinical trials: NCCN believes that the best management for any cancer patient is in a clinical trial. Participation in clinical trials is especially encouraged. median overall survival is only approximately 1 year. MPM occurs mainly in older men (median age, 72 years) who have been exposed to asbestos, although it occurs decades after exposure (20-40 years later).3,4

The incidence of MPM is leveling off in the United States, because asbestos use has decreased since the 1970s; however, the United States still has more cases than anywhere else in the world.5,6 Although asbestos is no longer mined in the United States, it is still imported.6 The incidence of MPM is increasing in other countries, such as Russia, Western Europe, China, and India.1,5,7-11 Mortality rates from MPM are highest in the United Kingdom, Netherlands, and Australia, and are increasing in several other countries, such as Japan, Argentina, and Brazil.7

[Full Text of this Article]

Quoted from http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/early/2011/12/16/09031936.00040911.abstract

A breath test for malignant mesothelioma using an electronic nose

Abstract

Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is a rare tumour usually caused by asbestos exposure. MM is difficult to diagnose in its early stages and is invariably fatal. Earlier detection of MM could potentially improve survival. Exhaled breath sampling of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using a carbon polymer array (CPA) electronic nose recognises specific breath profiles characteristic of different diseases. VOC breath profiling can distinguish between patients with lung cancer and controls, but there is only one prior report in MM, and the potential confounding effect of other asbestos-related diseases was not highlighted.

A CPA electronic nose will distinguish patients with MM from those with benign asbestos-related diseases (ARDs) and normal subjects with high sensitivity and specificity.

Eighty patients (MM n=20, ARDs n=18, controls n=42) participated in a cross-sectional, case control study. Breath samples were analysed using the Cyranose 320, using canonical discriminant analysis and principal component reduction. Repeatability was assessed by evaluating the samples in duplicate.

20 MM, 18 ARDs and 42 control subjects could be distinguished by their breath profiles. 10 MM subjects created the training set. Smellprints from 10 new MM patients were distinguished from control subjects with an accuracy of 95%. Patients with MM, ARDs and control subjects were correctly identified in 88% of cases.

Exhaled breath VOC profiling can accurately distinguish between patients with MM, ARDs and healthy controls. The CPA eNOSE is a novel method for distinguishing patients with MM. This could eventually translate into a screening tool for high risk populations.