Incorporating chemotherapy in a regimen of symptom-relieving treatments (such as steroid medications) doesn’t significantly improve survival or quality of life in mesothelioma patients, according to a study published in the May 17 issue of The Lancet. However, one chemotherapy drug—vinorelbine—is promising enough to warrant further study, the authors say.
Because mesothelioma attacks the lining of the lung, it is one of the trickiest cancers to treat. Surgery is complicated because it requires either stripping the lung lining or removing the whole lung, radiation is risky because it can damage healthy lung tissue, and chemotherapy isn’t very effective against this type of cancer, says one of the lead study authors, Richard Stephens, a research scientist with the Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Unit in London, England.
When Stephens and colleagues designed this study back in the late 1990s, most treatments were aimed at simply controlling symptoms (an approach known as active symptom control, or ASC) with regular evaluations, palliative radiation, and steroid drugs. A variety of new chemotherapy drugs have been developed since then, yet even they haven’t shown much promise against the disease. “In mesothelioma even the most active drugs only result in tumor responses in about 20 percent of patients,” Stephens says.
As part of the continuing effort to find more effective treatments, Stephens and his colleagues investigated whether combining ASC with one of two different chemotherapy regimens might lengthen survival or improve symptoms. To that end, they recruited 409 mesothelioma patients (average age, 65) from treatment centers in the United Kingdom and Australia between 2001 and 2006. Some of the patients had been treated with surgery, but none had had previous chemotherapy.
Patients were randomly divided into three groups and given either ASC alone; ASC plus a combination of the chemotherapy drugs mitomycin, vinblastine, and cisplatin (MVP); or ASC plus the chemotherapy drug, vinorelbine.
When they analyzed the data, the researchers didn’t note any real symptom improvement in patients receiving chemotherapy as opposed to those getting ASC alone. There was, however, a small increase in survival in one of the chemotherapy groups. Patients taking ASC plus vinorelbine lived, on average, two months longer (9.5 months compared to 7.6 months) than those in the ASC group. The patients on vinorelbine also experienced a longer period without their cancer progressing.
Even though chemotherapy caused side effects, and it only offered a slight survival advantage, the results were still important considering that this is a disease for which there are currently very few treatment options, Stephens says. “Whilst the use of vinorelbine perhaps only extended survival by a couple of months, this is a start and we need to see how we can build on this.”
Future studies should identify which patients benefit most from treatment—and how much they benefit—so that doctors can better target treatments, Stephens says. Another research prerogative is to test out different drug combinations; for example, adding vinorelbine to other chemotherapy drugs, such as cisplatin or pemetrexed.
Though it did not yield overwhelmingly positive results, this study and others like it can help doctors and patients make better treatment decisions. “You cannot completely change things overnight with one trial,” Stephens says. “We have to learn and build on what we know, and by doing so eventually we can make progress.”
source:http://www.survivingmesothelioma.com/news/view.asp?ID=0016
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Mesothelioma Research: Search For Hope
Mesothelioma research refers to the studies for discovering new facts or information about mesothelioma cancers. Mesothelioma is a life threatening cancerous disease. It affects the lining of abdominal organs and lungs. Only known reason of this disease is exposure to asbestos particles. Diagnosis of mesothelioma is a difficult process. This is mainly because asbestos particles may lie dormant in the body for up to 50 years before appearance of symptoms. Average survival time of mesothelioma patients is 1-2 years. Mesothelioma research is important considering the increasing number of mesothelioma patients every year.
Key Points of Mesothelioma Research
Most of the mesothelioma research going on today is focused towards the effects of asbestos particles on human cells. Scientists undertaking mesothelioma research are studying the process through which asbestos corrupts the healthy cells of the body. Ongoing research about mesothelioma provides a ray of hope that sometime in the future it may become possible to prevent the damaging effects of asbestos particles on human cells.
During the course of mesothelioma research, experts are also performing clinical trials on the mesothelioma patients. They are conducting clinical trials on the patients who are diagnosed for mesothelioma cancers on early stages as well as later stages. Doctors emphasize on trials on both types of patients because both of them equally require relief from mesothelioma cancers. Ongoing mesothelioma research and newer information every day provides hope to mesothelioma victims that any trial can result into the discovery of an effective treatment for mesothelioma cancers.
Sponsors of Mesothelioma Research
Many organizations including the companies responsible for the exposure to asbestos particles are sponsoring mesothelioma research. It is the moral duty of those companies because many people are on brink of death because of their negligence. Law firms are also keeping a close watch on mesothelioma research because many patients are adopting legal course for seeking mesothelioma compensation. A mesothelioma law firm has better chances for getting compensation for its client if they better information about this dangerous disease.
source:http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=20080224_mesothelioma_applied_research_foundation.htm
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Frequency of Mesothelioma Rising
If you work on a construction site and fall from an unstable high platform, breaking a leg, the situation is pretty clear. Your injury is clear and probably the negligence of your employer in not providing a safer platform is clear.
But mesothelioma is a long-delayed disease. The reason there are more cases of mesothelioma and more legal claims being filed about it is that the people who were exposed to asbestos years ago are only now being hit with the results.
What is asbestos?
Asbestos is a term for several naturally-occurring minerals. The ancient Greeks named it, using their word meaning inextinguishable, and that is where our word asbestos comes from. It’s “inextinguishable” because:
· It’s resistant to heat and electricity
· It’s resistant to chemical damage
· It has tensile strength, being of a fibrous nature
· It blocks sound
These qualities make it excellent for building construction, and from the late 19th century until the 1970s, it was used for insulation and as a fire retardant, in vehicle manufacture, appliances, and buildings.
Asbestos fibers
Even the ancient Greeks knew that these tiny air-borne fibers are dangerous, as they noticed that slaves who used it in making cloth developed breathing problems. In the U.S., asbestos fibers were breathed in for the entire working lives of construction workers who are now aged 50 or 60 or older. In other industries too, people breathed this contaminated air, so that the fibers became lodged in the lungs. They are still there, causing cancerous tumors of the lining around the lungs and chest cavity, known as the pleura. Asbestosis is less severe, being an inflammation of the lungs; mesothelioma is cancer in the lungs.
The cancer may also spread to other parts of the body. The name Mesothelioma means cancer of a mesothelium (a lining around body organs) and can occur in any of the body’s mesothelia, such as in the abdominal cavity, the testicles, or the heart.
Mesothelioma symptoms
Anywhere from 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos fibers, symptoms start appearing:
· Coughing
· Chest pain
· Shortness of breath
· Fatigue
· Fluid build-up around the lungs
· Blood when you cough
There may be many small tumors, in locations where the body has been trying for decades to rid itself of the fibers, and failing, because asbestos is “inextinguishable” – it kills off the special cells sent to dispose of its fibers.
In severe cases, one or both lungs may collapse, which is a life-threatening event, as breathing is not possible in a collapsed lung.
On February 5, 2008, the Vancouver Sun reported on a survey done by the British Colombia and Yukon Building and Construction Trades Council. The survey had found that 51% of work-related deaths in 2007 were caused by occupational diseases, most of which were asbestos-related. The executive director of the Construction Trades Council predicts 1,500 asbestos-related deaths in B.C. in the next five years.
Meanwhile Asarco LLC, a large mining company in Texas, is in bankruptcy and struggling to deal with claims from individuals, states, and the federal government. Many of the claims relate to asbestos injuries.
If you suspect you are suffering from asbestos-related symptoms, be sure and see your doctor about it. It could be either asbestosis or mesothelioma. You might also contact an experienced mesothelioma attorney to learn more about your legal options.
source:http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=20080221_diagnosed_with_mesothelioma.htm
But mesothelioma is a long-delayed disease. The reason there are more cases of mesothelioma and more legal claims being filed about it is that the people who were exposed to asbestos years ago are only now being hit with the results.
What is asbestos?
Asbestos is a term for several naturally-occurring minerals. The ancient Greeks named it, using their word meaning inextinguishable, and that is where our word asbestos comes from. It’s “inextinguishable” because:
· It’s resistant to heat and electricity
· It’s resistant to chemical damage
· It has tensile strength, being of a fibrous nature
· It blocks sound
These qualities make it excellent for building construction, and from the late 19th century until the 1970s, it was used for insulation and as a fire retardant, in vehicle manufacture, appliances, and buildings.
Asbestos fibers
Even the ancient Greeks knew that these tiny air-borne fibers are dangerous, as they noticed that slaves who used it in making cloth developed breathing problems. In the U.S., asbestos fibers were breathed in for the entire working lives of construction workers who are now aged 50 or 60 or older. In other industries too, people breathed this contaminated air, so that the fibers became lodged in the lungs. They are still there, causing cancerous tumors of the lining around the lungs and chest cavity, known as the pleura. Asbestosis is less severe, being an inflammation of the lungs; mesothelioma is cancer in the lungs.
The cancer may also spread to other parts of the body. The name Mesothelioma means cancer of a mesothelium (a lining around body organs) and can occur in any of the body’s mesothelia, such as in the abdominal cavity, the testicles, or the heart.
Mesothelioma symptoms
Anywhere from 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos fibers, symptoms start appearing:
· Coughing
· Chest pain
· Shortness of breath
· Fatigue
· Fluid build-up around the lungs
· Blood when you cough
There may be many small tumors, in locations where the body has been trying for decades to rid itself of the fibers, and failing, because asbestos is “inextinguishable” – it kills off the special cells sent to dispose of its fibers.
In severe cases, one or both lungs may collapse, which is a life-threatening event, as breathing is not possible in a collapsed lung.
On February 5, 2008, the Vancouver Sun reported on a survey done by the British Colombia and Yukon Building and Construction Trades Council. The survey had found that 51% of work-related deaths in 2007 were caused by occupational diseases, most of which were asbestos-related. The executive director of the Construction Trades Council predicts 1,500 asbestos-related deaths in B.C. in the next five years.
Meanwhile Asarco LLC, a large mining company in Texas, is in bankruptcy and struggling to deal with claims from individuals, states, and the federal government. Many of the claims relate to asbestos injuries.
If you suspect you are suffering from asbestos-related symptoms, be sure and see your doctor about it. It could be either asbestosis or mesothelioma. You might also contact an experienced mesothelioma attorney to learn more about your legal options.
source:http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=20080221_diagnosed_with_mesothelioma.htm
Sunday, February 3, 2008
NICE OKs mesothelioma drug
Pemetrexed Disodium (Alimta) will now be available across the NHS for malignant pleural mesothelioma in certain cases after NICE threw out an appeal.
After a two-and-a-half-year wait because of approval processes NICE has recommended Pemetrexed Disodium for patients who have WHO performance status of 0 (able to carry out all normal activity without restriction) or 1 (restricted in strenuous activity but able to move around and carry out light work), or who are considered to have advanced disease or for whom surgical resection is considered inappropriate.
Mesothelioma is uncurable but the drug can increase life expectancy and reduce symptoms. At present Pemetrexed Disodium is available in certain areas of the country but its prescription is not widespread across the UK.
source:http://www.legal-medical.co.uk/news/11750.html
After a two-and-a-half-year wait because of approval processes NICE has recommended Pemetrexed Disodium for patients who have WHO performance status of 0 (able to carry out all normal activity without restriction) or 1 (restricted in strenuous activity but able to move around and carry out light work), or who are considered to have advanced disease or for whom surgical resection is considered inappropriate.
Mesothelioma is uncurable but the drug can increase life expectancy and reduce symptoms. At present Pemetrexed Disodium is available in certain areas of the country but its prescription is not widespread across the UK.
source:http://www.legal-medical.co.uk/news/11750.html
Sunday, January 27, 2008
First Time Federal Funding for Mesothelioma Research
The Department of Defense (DoD) Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program was
appropriated $50 million in the Defense Appropriations Bill that the
President signed in mid- November. The Mesothelioma Applied Research
Foundation (Meso Foundation) is excited to announce that, for the first
time, mesothelioma will be included as a research priority within the DoD's
Medical Research Program, to begin February 2008. As a candidate research
area within the program, mesothelioma investigators are eligible to compete
for funding through the program's 2008 grant cycle.
"The Meso Foundation has been working with fifteen senators, led by
Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), advocating the federal government to respond to
the mesothelioma crisis through a commitment of new federal research
dollars," said Chris Hahn, Executive Director of The Meso Foundation. "Our
advocacy efforts in this area for the past several years finally paid off."
Federal medical research projects must be of clear scientific merit and
have direct relevance to military health. Military relevance is a key
feature of the Investigator-Initiated award, a connection that will not be
difficult for mesothelioma researchers to establish for their grant
applications.
There is a long history of asbestos exposure in military service, and a
significant elevated risk of mesothelioma in the military population. In
fact, approximately one third of mesothelioma cases have been shown to
involve Navy and shipyard exposures. Given the long latency of the disease,
even if exposures are reduced, mesothelioma will continue to affect the
veteran and military population for decades to come.
This funding opportunity can serve as a vital resource to the meso
community and is another crucial step toward advancing the research and
treatment of mesothelioma. The Meso Foundation strongly encourages
mesothelioma investigators to consider submitting applications for funding
in 2008, as the interest and engagement shown by the community will likely
be a factor in whether mesothelioma is included as a candidate in future
years.
source:http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/01-23-2008/0004741829&EDATE=
Monday, January 14, 2008
Bernie Banton's legacy is affordable mesothelioma treatment
THE legacy of asbestos campaigner Bernie Banton was sealed today as mesothelioma victims across Australia were universally given cheap access to treatment.
About 600 Australians are diagnosed annually with the killer cancer of the lung or stomach lining, triggered by exposure to asbestos, and the disease is on the rise.
The drug Alimta can increase sufferers' survival time and improve their quality of life, but has been out of reach for many patients at $20,000 or more for six treatments.
From today, the drug will be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, meaning sufferers will pay just $31.30 for each prescription.
Mr Banton's wife Karen today said the 61-year-old had been "ecstatic'' at hearing the news on his death bed that his long-term campaign for the drug to be subsidised had paid off.
The government's drug advisory body made the recommendation three weeks before Mr Banton died in November last year, after controversially knocking it back three times since 2004 because it was not cost effective.
Mr Banton, who already suffered from another asbestos-linked disease, had continued to campaign for the drug's listing even as his health deteriorated after his own diagnosis with mesothelioma three months earlier.
"It was his final battle - which he won,'' Mrs Banton told AAP from her Sydney home.
"It was his final legacy for all Australians to be given a fair go if they find themselves in the unfortunate position of needing to use Alimta.''
The listing would make an enormous difference to the lives of sufferers and their families, Mrs Banton said.
Until today, only about half of Australian sufferers had easy access to the palliative care drug, as state government subsidy schemes only applied in NSW and Western Australia and patients could only access workplace compensation with proof they were exposed at work.
Mrs Banton said her husband was fortunate that his exposure came while he was working in NSW, so his treatment was covered.
But the "ridiculous inequity'' of the system meant some families faced the terrible choice of taking out a second mortgage or selling their home to give their families a fighting chance, she said.
The chemotherapy agent was also already available on the PBS to people suffering non-small cell lung cancer, usually smokers - which Mr Banton had long argued was a "travesty of justice''.
Mr Banton began receiving treatment with Alimta every three weeks after being diagnosed in August with peritoneal mesothelioma, caused by his exposure to asbestos while working for a subsidiary of James Hardie from 1968 to 1974.
He was already a public figure after leading the campaign to force the corporate giant to establish a $4.5 billion compensation fund for thousands of affected Australians.
Mrs Banton said her husband's mesothelioma was not picked up earlier because he already had the symptoms of breathlessness and fatigue from another asbestos-linked disease he suffered, asbestosis, making his fight a "real uphill battle''.
"Had he been diagnosed earlier with the mesothelioma, had he started having the Alimta earlier, I think we would have been enjoying at least one Christmas with him, if not more,'' she said.
"There are people who have done extremely well and are going well three years or longer down the track who have exactly what Bernie had, if they've managed to be diagnosed early enough and get started on the treatment.''
Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia president Barry Robson said mesothelioma was such an aggressive form of cancer that sufferers survived an average of just 155 days from diagnosis.
The chemotherapy agent worked in conjunction with another drug for some patients to slow the growth of the tumour, although it did not work for everyone, he said.
"The pain they are in at the end is horrendous ... with Alimta it's a bit easier and it's a bit easier on the family as well,'' he said.
Health Minister Nicola Roxon said the listing, which will cost about $26 million a year, was an important announcement that followed Mr Banton's tireless campaigning.
"Bernie was a great Australian hero and it is due to his efforts that many people will understand the significance of this decision,'' Ms Roxon said in a statement.
The previous government estimated the listing would benefit about 300 patients a year between 2008 and 2011.
The disease is on the rise as diagnosis can come decades after asbestos exposure, and the number of victims is predicted to hit 18,000 in 2020.
Mr Robson said a "second wave'' of diagnoses was also likely among home renovators in the future.
Alimta became an election campaign issue when then-health minister Tony Abbott was forced into an embarrassing apology to Mr Banton for questioning whether his motives for promoting the drug's PBS listing were "pure of heart''.
It came after Mr Banton criticised Mr Abbott for failing to personally receive a 17,000-signature Alimta petition brought to his Sydney electoral office in October.
The announcement it had received funding came soon after, bypassing the normal process of cabinet approval.
Source:http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22993790-661,00.html
About 600 Australians are diagnosed annually with the killer cancer of the lung or stomach lining, triggered by exposure to asbestos, and the disease is on the rise.
The drug Alimta can increase sufferers' survival time and improve their quality of life, but has been out of reach for many patients at $20,000 or more for six treatments.
From today, the drug will be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, meaning sufferers will pay just $31.30 for each prescription.
Mr Banton's wife Karen today said the 61-year-old had been "ecstatic'' at hearing the news on his death bed that his long-term campaign for the drug to be subsidised had paid off.
The government's drug advisory body made the recommendation three weeks before Mr Banton died in November last year, after controversially knocking it back three times since 2004 because it was not cost effective.
Mr Banton, who already suffered from another asbestos-linked disease, had continued to campaign for the drug's listing even as his health deteriorated after his own diagnosis with mesothelioma three months earlier.
"It was his final battle - which he won,'' Mrs Banton told AAP from her Sydney home.
"It was his final legacy for all Australians to be given a fair go if they find themselves in the unfortunate position of needing to use Alimta.''
The listing would make an enormous difference to the lives of sufferers and their families, Mrs Banton said.
Until today, only about half of Australian sufferers had easy access to the palliative care drug, as state government subsidy schemes only applied in NSW and Western Australia and patients could only access workplace compensation with proof they were exposed at work.
Mrs Banton said her husband was fortunate that his exposure came while he was working in NSW, so his treatment was covered.
But the "ridiculous inequity'' of the system meant some families faced the terrible choice of taking out a second mortgage or selling their home to give their families a fighting chance, she said.
The chemotherapy agent was also already available on the PBS to people suffering non-small cell lung cancer, usually smokers - which Mr Banton had long argued was a "travesty of justice''.
Mr Banton began receiving treatment with Alimta every three weeks after being diagnosed in August with peritoneal mesothelioma, caused by his exposure to asbestos while working for a subsidiary of James Hardie from 1968 to 1974.
He was already a public figure after leading the campaign to force the corporate giant to establish a $4.5 billion compensation fund for thousands of affected Australians.
Mrs Banton said her husband's mesothelioma was not picked up earlier because he already had the symptoms of breathlessness and fatigue from another asbestos-linked disease he suffered, asbestosis, making his fight a "real uphill battle''.
"Had he been diagnosed earlier with the mesothelioma, had he started having the Alimta earlier, I think we would have been enjoying at least one Christmas with him, if not more,'' she said.
"There are people who have done extremely well and are going well three years or longer down the track who have exactly what Bernie had, if they've managed to be diagnosed early enough and get started on the treatment.''
Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia president Barry Robson said mesothelioma was such an aggressive form of cancer that sufferers survived an average of just 155 days from diagnosis.
The chemotherapy agent worked in conjunction with another drug for some patients to slow the growth of the tumour, although it did not work for everyone, he said.
"The pain they are in at the end is horrendous ... with Alimta it's a bit easier and it's a bit easier on the family as well,'' he said.
Health Minister Nicola Roxon said the listing, which will cost about $26 million a year, was an important announcement that followed Mr Banton's tireless campaigning.
"Bernie was a great Australian hero and it is due to his efforts that many people will understand the significance of this decision,'' Ms Roxon said in a statement.
The previous government estimated the listing would benefit about 300 patients a year between 2008 and 2011.
The disease is on the rise as diagnosis can come decades after asbestos exposure, and the number of victims is predicted to hit 18,000 in 2020.
Mr Robson said a "second wave'' of diagnoses was also likely among home renovators in the future.
Alimta became an election campaign issue when then-health minister Tony Abbott was forced into an embarrassing apology to Mr Banton for questioning whether his motives for promoting the drug's PBS listing were "pure of heart''.
It came after Mr Banton criticised Mr Abbott for failing to personally receive a 17,000-signature Alimta petition brought to his Sydney electoral office in October.
The announcement it had received funding came soon after, bypassing the normal process of cabinet approval.
Source:http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22993790-661,00.html
Monday, December 31, 2007
Mesothelioma drug listed on PBS
SUFFERERS of the asbestos-linked disease mesothelioma will have access to cheap treatment from today, after a long campaign to secure federal government subsidy paid off.
The government says the chemotherapy agent Alimta - the only treatment available specifically for the killer cancer of the lung or stomach lining - will be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from today.
Health Minister Nicola Roxon said the listing of Alimta was an important announcement that followed the "tireless campaigning" of Bernie Banton, who died, aged 61, in November from the disease.
"Bernie was a great Australian hero and it is due to his efforts that many people will understand the significance of this decision," she said.
About 600 Australians are diagnosed annually with mesothelioma, but the long lag time between exposure to asbestos and the onset of symptoms means its prevalence is tipped to rise in the future.
Medical studies have estimated 18,000 people will have become victims of the disease by 2020.
Alimta, which can increase survival time and improve a sufferer's quality of life, has been out of reach for many patients at $20,000 or more for six treatments.
From today, sufferers will pay a maximum of $31.30 for each prescription. Eligible concession-patients will pay $5 for each prescription.
The subsidy will cost the government about $26 million annually and is expected to benefit about 300 people a year.
The listing of the drug became an election issue after Mr Banton criticised then health minister Tony Abbott for failing to personally receive a 17,000-signature petition brought to his Sydney electoral office in October.
Mr Abbott was forced into an embarrassing apology after questioning whether the dying campaigner's motives for speaking out were "pure of heart".
A week later, a government-appointed board recommended the drug be added to the PBS after three times rejecting its listing since 2004.
Mr Abbott bypassed the normal process of cabinet approval by immediately announcing the drug's listing.
Until now, only about half of Australians suffering mesothelioma were getting easy access to the palliative care drug through state government subsidy and workplace compensation schemes.
source:http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,22993459-5005962,00.html
The government says the chemotherapy agent Alimta - the only treatment available specifically for the killer cancer of the lung or stomach lining - will be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from today.
Health Minister Nicola Roxon said the listing of Alimta was an important announcement that followed the "tireless campaigning" of Bernie Banton, who died, aged 61, in November from the disease.
"Bernie was a great Australian hero and it is due to his efforts that many people will understand the significance of this decision," she said.
About 600 Australians are diagnosed annually with mesothelioma, but the long lag time between exposure to asbestos and the onset of symptoms means its prevalence is tipped to rise in the future.
Medical studies have estimated 18,000 people will have become victims of the disease by 2020.
Alimta, which can increase survival time and improve a sufferer's quality of life, has been out of reach for many patients at $20,000 or more for six treatments.
From today, sufferers will pay a maximum of $31.30 for each prescription. Eligible concession-patients will pay $5 for each prescription.
The subsidy will cost the government about $26 million annually and is expected to benefit about 300 people a year.
The listing of the drug became an election issue after Mr Banton criticised then health minister Tony Abbott for failing to personally receive a 17,000-signature petition brought to his Sydney electoral office in October.
Mr Abbott was forced into an embarrassing apology after questioning whether the dying campaigner's motives for speaking out were "pure of heart".
A week later, a government-appointed board recommended the drug be added to the PBS after three times rejecting its listing since 2004.
Mr Abbott bypassed the normal process of cabinet approval by immediately announcing the drug's listing.
Until now, only about half of Australians suffering mesothelioma were getting easy access to the palliative care drug through state government subsidy and workplace compensation schemes.
source:http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,22993459-5005962,00.html
Sunday, December 30, 2007
A little bit of hope
Symptoms of incurable lung disease mesothelioma include chest pain, persistent cough and breathlessness. Photograph: Frank Baron
The last three months were the happiest of Arthur's life, because he put his whole life into them. You can't put a price on that."
Cora Tiffin lost her husband, Arthur, to lung disease mesothelioma. She attributes his final three months to taking the drug Alimta.
"The treatment keeps people going longer," says Tiffin. "It doesn't work for everyone but everyone should have the opportunity to try it. What other treatments have we got?
"When Arthur was diagnosed with mesothelioma, it was heartbreaking. But all of a sudden, with Alimta, there was a little bit of hope."
Mesothelioma, a form of cancer affecting the lung lining, is most commonly caused by asbestos and is most prevalent among construction workers who handled asbestos in the 1950s and 1960s before the dangers of the fibrous material were widely known. Set to peak by 2015 with UK cases reaching 2,000 a year, 60,000 cases are expected between now and 2050.
Alimta is one of the most commonly prescribed drugs to tackle the incurable disease. It is reported to significantly extend life expectancy and helps to relieve symptoms including breathlessness, chest pain, persistent cough and loss of appetite. It is available in some areas of the UK, but it is not widely prescribed on the NHS.
Last month, an appeal was held into the decision by the medicines watchdog, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice), to license Alimta. The hearing is the latest hurdle in a long battle to help mesothelioma patients access the drug on the NHS.
Nice decided against licensing Alimta on the NHS in June 2006 but then reversed its decision following an appeal in October 2006, recommending the drug for treatment of patients in the most advanced stages of the disease.
The Alimta lobby - including manufacturers Eli Lilly and 14 patient and support groups - was delighted with the victory, having lobbied hard for almost two years.
But the appeal – brought by Birmingham north and east primary care trust, the Royal College of Physicians and the Association for Cancer Physicians - could result in a new decision to restrict Alimta prescriptions.
Nice, which holds its annual conference this week, must decide whether expensive but effective drugs such as Alimta should be funded out of the NHS budget. In some cases, it has taken the controversial decision that a drug is not financially viable, or even possible, to be licensed.
Alimta is available in most other European countries and was approved in the US by the Food and Drink Authority in February 2004.
But in the UK, even if Nice upholds its decision at the appeal, the process will delay final guidance further and causes disappointment for patients and support groups whose access to the drug is now further postponed or potentially restricted.
Nice's appraisal of Alimta has involved 46 stakeholders, including the Department of Health, two primary care trusts, Eli Lilly, charities and patient support groups. But it will not be known until the day of the hearing which of them has brought the appeal against Nice's decision.
Jeremy Steele, a consultant oncologist who has supported the campaign for Alimta to become available on the NHS, said: "It's a great shame that a small issue around cost will now delay patients' access to the drug further. This has been such a slow and frustrating process.
"The appeal panel was very fair and pointed out that the grounds of the appeals were not based on anything fundamental.
"I'm confident that the drug will still be recommended by Nice, but access for patients will now be at least several months away.
source:http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2007/dec/03/cancer.drug
The last three months were the happiest of Arthur's life, because he put his whole life into them. You can't put a price on that."
Cora Tiffin lost her husband, Arthur, to lung disease mesothelioma. She attributes his final three months to taking the drug Alimta.
"The treatment keeps people going longer," says Tiffin. "It doesn't work for everyone but everyone should have the opportunity to try it. What other treatments have we got?
"When Arthur was diagnosed with mesothelioma, it was heartbreaking. But all of a sudden, with Alimta, there was a little bit of hope."
Mesothelioma, a form of cancer affecting the lung lining, is most commonly caused by asbestos and is most prevalent among construction workers who handled asbestos in the 1950s and 1960s before the dangers of the fibrous material were widely known. Set to peak by 2015 with UK cases reaching 2,000 a year, 60,000 cases are expected between now and 2050.
Alimta is one of the most commonly prescribed drugs to tackle the incurable disease. It is reported to significantly extend life expectancy and helps to relieve symptoms including breathlessness, chest pain, persistent cough and loss of appetite. It is available in some areas of the UK, but it is not widely prescribed on the NHS.
Last month, an appeal was held into the decision by the medicines watchdog, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice), to license Alimta. The hearing is the latest hurdle in a long battle to help mesothelioma patients access the drug on the NHS.
Nice decided against licensing Alimta on the NHS in June 2006 but then reversed its decision following an appeal in October 2006, recommending the drug for treatment of patients in the most advanced stages of the disease.
The Alimta lobby - including manufacturers Eli Lilly and 14 patient and support groups - was delighted with the victory, having lobbied hard for almost two years.
But the appeal – brought by Birmingham north and east primary care trust, the Royal College of Physicians and the Association for Cancer Physicians - could result in a new decision to restrict Alimta prescriptions.
Nice, which holds its annual conference this week, must decide whether expensive but effective drugs such as Alimta should be funded out of the NHS budget. In some cases, it has taken the controversial decision that a drug is not financially viable, or even possible, to be licensed.
Alimta is available in most other European countries and was approved in the US by the Food and Drink Authority in February 2004.
But in the UK, even if Nice upholds its decision at the appeal, the process will delay final guidance further and causes disappointment for patients and support groups whose access to the drug is now further postponed or potentially restricted.
Nice's appraisal of Alimta has involved 46 stakeholders, including the Department of Health, two primary care trusts, Eli Lilly, charities and patient support groups. But it will not be known until the day of the hearing which of them has brought the appeal against Nice's decision.
Jeremy Steele, a consultant oncologist who has supported the campaign for Alimta to become available on the NHS, said: "It's a great shame that a small issue around cost will now delay patients' access to the drug further. This has been such a slow and frustrating process.
"The appeal panel was very fair and pointed out that the grounds of the appeals were not based on anything fundamental.
"I'm confident that the drug will still be recommended by Nice, but access for patients will now be at least several months away.
source:http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2007/dec/03/cancer.drug
Thursday, December 27, 2007
MESOTHELIOMA SYMPTOMS: PLEURAL AND PERITONEAL MESOTHELIOMA CLINICAL SYMPTOMS
Pleural Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma symptoms for pleural mesothelioma may include:
Shortness of breath
Pleural mesothelioma inhibits the ability of the lungs to expand and contract. This can make it difficult to breathe normally. Shortness of breath is a mesothelioma clinical symptom often first experienced when taking steps, or performing light physical activity. Physical tasks that were once performed easily now can cause significant shortness of breath, also known as "dyspnea".
Chest or pleural pain (such as experienced with pleuritis - fluid in the lungs)
Pain often caused by accumulation of pleural fluid (pleural effusion) is another mesothelioma symptom. One of the first steps normally taken in the hospital is the draining of the pleural fluid to relieve the pressure in the chest. Several liters of fluid can typically be drained from the chest, and the fluid may be tested as the first diagnostic technique used to determine if mesothelioma exists. Unfortunately, pleural fluid tends to re-accumulate, causing the chest discomfort and pain to reoccur.
Cough
Patients often report a chronic or persistent coughing as a clinical symptom of mesothelioma.
Weakness
A commonly reported mesothelioma symptom is weakness or malaise.
Loss of weight or appetite
Mesothelioma patients often report as a symptom that they have lost their appetite and are losing weight. This may be caused by the spread of the disease and its effect on other organs.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma symptoms for peritoneal mesothelioma may include:
Abdominal Pain
Peritoneal mesothelioma usually invades the abdominal cavity and causes pain associated with nerves and affected abdominal organs.
Cramping or Diarrhea
The cancer in the peritoneum may affect abdominal organs thereby impairing the ability to have normal bowel movements. The cancer may also cause bowel obstruction.
Inability to Eat
A clinical symptom of mesothelioma reported by many people with peritoneal mesothelioma is the inability to eat. Eating may be painful because of the location of the cancer, and there may also be a severe loss of appetite.
If a person has the symptoms of mesothelioma, it is important to consult a qualified mesothelioma doctor. Mesothelioma symptoms can mean severe pain and suffering. Under the law of most states, pain and suffering from symptoms may be compensated through the award of money damages, usually with the help of an asbestos attorney. Litigation affords people who have suffered symptoms from mesothelioma the opportunity to receive financial compensation and hold the companies accountable for having caused the asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma lawsuits require the assistance of an experienced asbestos cancer attorney.
source:http://www.lpklaw.com/mesothelioma-symptoms.php
Mesothelioma symptoms for pleural mesothelioma may include:
Shortness of breath
Pleural mesothelioma inhibits the ability of the lungs to expand and contract. This can make it difficult to breathe normally. Shortness of breath is a mesothelioma clinical symptom often first experienced when taking steps, or performing light physical activity. Physical tasks that were once performed easily now can cause significant shortness of breath, also known as "dyspnea".
Chest or pleural pain (such as experienced with pleuritis - fluid in the lungs)
Pain often caused by accumulation of pleural fluid (pleural effusion) is another mesothelioma symptom. One of the first steps normally taken in the hospital is the draining of the pleural fluid to relieve the pressure in the chest. Several liters of fluid can typically be drained from the chest, and the fluid may be tested as the first diagnostic technique used to determine if mesothelioma exists. Unfortunately, pleural fluid tends to re-accumulate, causing the chest discomfort and pain to reoccur.
Cough
Patients often report a chronic or persistent coughing as a clinical symptom of mesothelioma.
Weakness
A commonly reported mesothelioma symptom is weakness or malaise.
Loss of weight or appetite
Mesothelioma patients often report as a symptom that they have lost their appetite and are losing weight. This may be caused by the spread of the disease and its effect on other organs.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma symptoms for peritoneal mesothelioma may include:
Abdominal Pain
Peritoneal mesothelioma usually invades the abdominal cavity and causes pain associated with nerves and affected abdominal organs.
Cramping or Diarrhea
The cancer in the peritoneum may affect abdominal organs thereby impairing the ability to have normal bowel movements. The cancer may also cause bowel obstruction.
Inability to Eat
A clinical symptom of mesothelioma reported by many people with peritoneal mesothelioma is the inability to eat. Eating may be painful because of the location of the cancer, and there may also be a severe loss of appetite.
If a person has the symptoms of mesothelioma, it is important to consult a qualified mesothelioma doctor. Mesothelioma symptoms can mean severe pain and suffering. Under the law of most states, pain and suffering from symptoms may be compensated through the award of money damages, usually with the help of an asbestos attorney. Litigation affords people who have suffered symptoms from mesothelioma the opportunity to receive financial compensation and hold the companies accountable for having caused the asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma lawsuits require the assistance of an experienced asbestos cancer attorney.
source:http://www.lpklaw.com/mesothelioma-symptoms.php
Mesothelioma Treatment Options
How is Mesothelioma Cancer Treated?
Treatment for mesothelioma cancer depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient's age and general health. Standard treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Sometimes, these treatments are combined.
* Surgery is a common treatment for mesothelioma cancer. The doctor may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. For cancer of the pleura (pleural mesothelioma), a lung may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy. Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed.
* Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, involves the use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy affects the cancer cells only in the treated area. The radiation may come from a machine (external radiation) or from putting materials that produce radiation through thin plastic tubes into the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).
* Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Most drugs used to treat mesothelioma are given by injection into a vein (intravenous, or IV). Doctors are also studying the effectiveness of putting chemotherapy directly into the chest or abdomen (intracavitary chemotherapy).
To relieve symptoms and control pain, the doctor may use a needle or a thin tube to drain fluid that has built up in the chest or abdomen. The procedure for removing fluid from the chest is called thoracentesis. Removal of fluid from the abdomen is called paracentesis. Drugs may be given through a tube in the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating. Radiation therapy and surgery may also be helpful in relieving symptoms.
Are New Treatments for Mesothelioma Cancer Being Studied?
Yes. Because mesothelioma is very hard to control, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is sponsoring clinical trials (research studies with people) that are designed to find new treatments and better ways to use current treatments. Before any new treatment can be recommended for general use, doctors conduct clinical trials to find out whether the treatment is safe for patients and effective against the disease. Participation in clinical trials is an important treatment option for many patients with mesothelioma.
source:http://www.emaxhealth.com/111/3045.html
Treatment for mesothelioma cancer depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient's age and general health. Standard treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Sometimes, these treatments are combined.
* Surgery is a common treatment for mesothelioma cancer. The doctor may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. For cancer of the pleura (pleural mesothelioma), a lung may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy. Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed.
* Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, involves the use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy affects the cancer cells only in the treated area. The radiation may come from a machine (external radiation) or from putting materials that produce radiation through thin plastic tubes into the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).
* Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Most drugs used to treat mesothelioma are given by injection into a vein (intravenous, or IV). Doctors are also studying the effectiveness of putting chemotherapy directly into the chest or abdomen (intracavitary chemotherapy).
To relieve symptoms and control pain, the doctor may use a needle or a thin tube to drain fluid that has built up in the chest or abdomen. The procedure for removing fluid from the chest is called thoracentesis. Removal of fluid from the abdomen is called paracentesis. Drugs may be given through a tube in the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating. Radiation therapy and surgery may also be helpful in relieving symptoms.
Are New Treatments for Mesothelioma Cancer Being Studied?
Yes. Because mesothelioma is very hard to control, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is sponsoring clinical trials (research studies with people) that are designed to find new treatments and better ways to use current treatments. Before any new treatment can be recommended for general use, doctors conduct clinical trials to find out whether the treatment is safe for patients and effective against the disease. Participation in clinical trials is an important treatment option for many patients with mesothelioma.
source:http://www.emaxhealth.com/111/3045.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
