Mesothelioma News Blog

While the great majority of mesotheliomas are in either the pleura or the peritoneum, malignant mesotheliomas sometimes occur in other parts of the body, including the testicles (a variety of peritoneal mesothelioma) and the heart (a variety of pleural mesothelioma.) These are also caused by exposure to asbestos fibers. Benign mesotheliomas occur less frequently than malignant mesotheliomas. They are generally thought to be unrelated to asbestos exposure. Two thirds of benign mesotheliomas occur in females. (Kittle: Mesothelioma Diagnosis and Management, Year Book Medical Publishers, 1987). Unfortunately, cystic benign mesotheliomas have a high incidence of local recurrence. (Katsube: Cystic Mesothelioma of the Peritoneum; Cancer 1982, 50:1615; Moore: Benign Cystic Mesothelioma; Cancer 1980, 45:2395) A July 1998 article by G.S. Letterie in the journal "Gynecology and Obstetrics" describes therapy with anti-estrogen tamoxifen as a non-surgical option for cases of symptomatic recurrent cystic mesotheliomas.

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Cancer research trials are carried out to try to find new and better treatments for cancer. Trials that are carried out on patients are known as clinical trials. Clinical trials may be carried out to: * test new treatments, such as new chemotherapy drugs, gene therapy or cancer vaccines * look at new combinations of existing treatments, or change the way they are given, to make them more effective or to reduce side effects * compare the effectiveness of drugs used to control symptoms * find out how cancer treatments work * see which treatments are the most cost-effective. Trials are the only reliable way to find out if a different operation, type of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or other treatment is better than what is already available. Taking part in a trial You may be asked to take part in a treatment research trial. There can be many benefits in doing this. Trials help to improve knowledge about cancer and develop new treatments. You will also be carefully monitored during and after the study. Usually, several hospitals around the country take part in trials. Blood and tumour samples Many blood samples and bone marrow or tumour biopsies may be taken to help make the right diagnosis. You may be asked for your permission to use some of your samples for research into cancer. If you are taking part in a trial you may also be asked to give other samples which may be frozen and stored for future use, when new research techniques become available. These samples will have your name removed from them (made anonymous) so you can’t be identified. The research may be carried out at the hospital where you are treated, or it may take place at another hospital. This type of research takes a long time, so you are unlikely to hear the results. The samples will, however, be used to increase knowledge about the causes of cancer and its treatment. This research will, hopefully, improve the outlook for future patients.

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