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New Test for Cancer Diagnoses Shows Promise

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Currently, tests to determine if there are cancer cells in a person take at least a week before getting results, but a new test for cancer diagnoses shows promise with results seen in ten minutes.

What is this test?

This test is based on a discovery by researchers at the University of Queensland’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN). What they discovered is a one-of-a-kind DNA signature that seems to be common to all types of cancer. They found this unique DNA in intense clusters of methyl groups in certain locations.

One of the researchers at AIBN, Professor Matt Trau, explained, “Virtually every piece of cancerous DNA we examined had this highly predictable pattern. It seems to be a general feature for all cancer. It’s a startling discovery.” This discovery was followed by another showing that when these methyl clusters are inserted into a solution, the cancer DNA pieces fold into 3-dimensional nanostructures and, at that point, can stick to gold.

Once researchers found this, they created a test using gold nanoparticles that change color if 3D nanostructures of cancer DNA are present. “This happens in one drop of fluid. You can detect it by eye, it’s as simple as that,” revealed Professor Trau. This is basically the same technology as using strip indicators to test for pregnancy.

Cancer diagnoses benefits found so far:

• Works on all types of cancers tested to date
• Simple – no complicated and expensive lab equipment needed
• Fast – results in 10 minutes
• Portable – eventually could test via mobile phone
• Accuracy – as high as 90% in some cancers

Is there a downside?

This test is new. It is not perfect. Will it give too many false positive diagnoses? Does it truly identify all types of cancer – or were researchers just fortunate in which ones were tested? Only time will tell, but the future appears to be very promising.

What is the future?

This technology was tested on 200 samples using cells from various types of cancers as well as healthy cells, but a great deal more testing is needed before this is generally accepted and available.

The simplicity and affordability of this test could mean life or death for many. Researchers tested their discovery on multiple types of breast cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, and lymphoma – all with good results. Hopefully it will soon be tested on asbestos lung cancer and mesothelioma as a quick diagnosis could accelerate treatment.

Dr. Abu Sina, an AIBN researcher, said, ”It works for tissue derived genomic DNA and blood derived circulating free DNA. This new discovery could be a game-changer in the field of point of care cancer diagnostics.” That is the hope for all and a research worth watching.

Veterans Day is a National Thank You to All Who Served

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While Veterans Day began as “a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as ‘Armistice Day’,” we now set aside November 11th as a time to honor our military men and women as a national thank you to all who served and are serving our country.

The history

1919

Armistice Day was proclaimed by President Woodrow Wilson in a message one year after the end of World War I. In it he stated, “To us in America the reflection of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service, and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of nations.”

1924

In June, 1924, Congress requested a resolution from President Calvin Coolidge to deliver an annual proclamation for the observance of November 11th with “appropriate ceremonies.”

1938

Congress approved an Act on May 13, 1938 making each November 11th a legal holiday, “dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as ‘Armistice Day’.”

1945

In 1945, Raymond Weeks, a World War II veteran from Birmingham, Alabama, determined all veterans, not just those who served in WWI, should be celebrated. He led a delegation to Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, who also supported the idea of a national Veterans Day. In many ways, Mr. Weeks is the “Father of Veterans Day” as we know it today.

1947

The first national celebration was held in Alabama and led by Mr. Weeks.

1954

On May 26, 1954, President Eisenhower signed a bill establishing Armistice Day as a national holiday. Just a week later, Congress amended the new law by changing the name from Armistice Day to Veterans Day.

1971

In accordance with the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, Veterans Day was moved to the fourth Monday of October. However, seven years later it was returned to November 11th, but celebrated on either Friday or Monday if it occurs on the weekend.

How can we say thank you to all who served?

Many who served, especially those on ships, were exposed to asbestos in addition to the dangers of their service. From WWII through Vietnam, veterans faced this unseen danger. Many ships continued in service long after Vietnam. In fact, of the almost 3,000 Americans diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma annually, a significant percentage of them served in the U.S. Navy.

Though the asbestos fibers were unseen, they were throughout the ships: fireproofing, steam lines, pumps, boilers, condensers, evaporators, distillers, turbines, deck material, and electrical equipment.

Since there can be 50 years between exposure and diagnosis, service men and women still suffer from diseases brought about through exposure on ships. In those same years, those at home were also exposed through building materials or other occupations.

Banning asbestos in the United States is long overdue. Let your voice be heard by contacting the EPA and letting them know you want a ban. There is no safe level of exposure. While we can’t turn back the clock for our military men and women who suffered exposure, we can say “thank you” by working to prevent exposure to their children and grandchildren. Click here to find out how you can be heard.

Studies Continue in Search of a Mesothelioma Cure

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Mesothelioma is a disease primarily caused by asbestos exposure and is usually fatal within a short period of time, however studies continue in search of a mesothelioma cure. This is not a simple task, as researchers are still not sure of the reason asbestos fibers encourage cancer in some individuals. With the long latency period between exposure and diagnosis, people will be fighting this disease for many decades to come. That means that new treatments to defeat the disease are urgently needed.

In the past, and currently, treatments often consisted of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or surgery. These have extended the lives of many patients and they still do. However, as noted by the American Cancer Society, there are new studies and treatments that carry the promise that they may do more than extend life for a few months and actually bring about a cure.

What are the latest treatments?

While there are treatments currently in use, they are often limited in their effect and generally extend life a little longer rather than cure the disease. New ideas and studies take place all the time. Some of the newest treatments still under testing are listed below.

Immunotherapy

Clinical trials are underway using a patient’s own immune cells to attack their cancer. These cells are removed from the blood, taken to the lab where they are manipulated to react to tumor cells. They are then put back into the patient’s body through a blood transfusion. The presumption is these transformed immune cells will encourage the patient’s immune system to kill the cancer cells.

One other immunotherapy in trials uses tremelimumab, a drug that encourages the immune system to attack full force as it targets specific immune cells.

Gene therapy

This innovative treatment uses modified viruses and injects them into the cancer cells. Once an infection is created, the virus introduces new selected genes into the cells, which makes the cells easier to destroy. In some tests, the gene present in the virus assists in turning on the immune system to attack the cancer cells.

Virus therapies

Still in the early stages of testing, a specially created virus is put into the pleural space of the cancer cell. In the desired outcome, the virus would directly infect and then kill the cancer cells, or indirectly, the immune system would be encouraged to kill the cancer cells.

Targeted drugs

While chemotherapy has been used for some time but with limited success, there are newer chemotherapy drugs in tests that may do much more. These drugs are targeted to a specific type of cell or protein instead of standard chemotherapy that affects the whole body. This means there are usually fewer side effects.

Photodynamic therapy

While it sounds futuristic, there are a number of clinical trials in process that study the use of photodynamic therapy (PDT). Veins are injected with a light-activated drug. Once in the body, it spreads into cancer cells throughout the body. After a few days, a tube with a special red light on the tip is placed into the chest, usually after a surgery. The drug is activated by the light producing a chemical change that kills the cancer cells. Because all this happens only within the cancer cells, there may be fewer side effects.

Encouraging progress

The knowledge that studies continue in search of a mesothelioma cure should be an encouragement to anyone diagnosed with the disease or who have a experienced extended exposure to asbestos. Contact your doctor or this link to view current trials and, perhaps, find a new trial that interests you. There is hope, and we need to support those who are researching for ways to combat and kill mesothelioma before it continues its deadly toll.

Mesothelioma Awareness Day and ADAO, the Group that Started it All

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The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, ADAO, was the group that started it all. It began in 2004 when two people, Doug Larkin and Linda Reinstein, who had loved ones suffering from mesothelioma saw a need and worked to find a way to stop this deadly disease. They found it through the ADAO as they began spreading the message about asbestos and mesothelioma.

Today is Mesothelioma Awareness Day, started by ADAO, and a perfect time to look at this amazing organization that makes fighting for past, current, and future victims of asbestos its goal.

The journey

Caring for, and watching their family members die, put the founders in contact with others going through the same painful journey – a journey that could be prevented for the generations to come if the mineral at the heart of it all could be banned. Fourteen years later, it is still not banned in the United States, but is in many parts of the world.

This group started slowly but gathered momentum as other victims and their family members learned of its existence. Today, thanks to people from all walks of life: patients, caregivers, and a host of donors and volunteers, the ADAO boasts a network of over 50,000 people who share in this quest to eradicate mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases from the world.

More than a ban

While the ADAO does strive for a ban, their mission goes beyond that with three initiatives: education, advocacy, and community.

Education

The ADAO has gathered a built an extensive library that is shared throughout the globe, along with a website brimming with information about asbestos and what you can do. There are speakers at conferences and events around the world presenting opportunities to interact and share information with others on similar missions. Each year, the ADAO hosts its own conference, the International Asbestos Awareness Conference where the latest information on the status of prevention and treatments is shared. In 2019, the conference will be in Washington, D.C. on April 5-7.

Advocacy

Since 2004, the ADAO has presented 13 staff briefings for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. They’ve created and sponsored a bill, the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act, that is supported by both the House and the Senate. This bill would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to finally – and permanently – remove the possibility of all human or environmental asbestos exposure.

Community

Caring for someone suffering from mesothelioma is an isolating experience. Linda Reinstein experienced that as she cared for her husband and knew it was an important part of the ADAO mission to support those with the disease and those caring for them. There are groups throughout social media to provide contacts and support without leaving home, there are campaigns, like “Share Your Story” and “6 Word Quotes” that educate about the dangers of asbestos and unite those living with the aftermath of exposure.

The fight continues

Until asbestos is banned throughout the world and there is no one suffering any longer from this disease, the ADAO will continue to fight to educate, support, and bring the issues of exposure to those in government who can make a difference.

You can sign a petition to the EPA for a final ban on asbestos, follow the ADAO on Facebook and Twitter, and get their eNewsletter – all ways to stay informed.

On September 26th We Remember Asbestos Victims and Push Forward for a Ban

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The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) takes asbestos exposure seriously as they have heard the stories of thousands who have died, and so each year on September 26th they remember asbestos victims and push forward for a ban on this deadly mineral.

While many countries around the world have banned the use and import of asbestos, it is still legal in the United States. It is proven to be a cancer-causing substance for those exposed as there is no safe level of exposure to asbestos.

Mesothelioma Awareness Day

This year the ADAO has moved from a Mesothelioma Awareness Day on September 26th to proclaiming September a Mesothelioma Awareness Month to increase the reach to people that can be educated to the threat of asbestos use and the need for caution when working with any material that may contain asbestos.

How can we remember asbestos victims and push forward for a ban?

• Right now you can sign a petition to ban asbestos. By clicking this link, you’ll be directed to a page where you can sign. The more legislators who see the interest of citizens for a ban, the more they can push the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to increase the current rules, recognize the dangers, and get to the point of an outright ban.

• Join the chat on Twitter September 26th, from 12-1 PM ET. Go to #ENDMeso – for that hour, you’ll find questions about asbestos awareness as well as comments from people personally affected by asbestos exposure and mesothelioma, a deadly disease directly connected to exposure. The purpose is to create a global conversation between experts, victims, advocates, and anyone concerned about the dangers and the long delay in stopping the use of asbestos in the US.

• Light a candle on September 26th for the Mesothelioma Warriors lost to the disease and those who continue to fight for their lives.

• Participate in the 9th Annual Miles for Meso 5K Race and 3K Walk/Fun-Run. Last year $30,000 was raised to help fund awareness and education efforts. The race in in Alton, Illinois, but is available to anyone through the ADAO’s Virtual Team where you can join in from the front of your computer.

The urgency of a ban

Mesothelioma is a disease that often takes decades to appear after exposure. It currently has no cure. Because of the long lag between exposure and diagnosis, people exposed today may not develop the disease until 2050! This cycle needs to stop now and asbestos must be banned to stop it.

In addition to the steps you can take outlined above, you can donate to the ADAO as a partner in the fight for a ban. You can directly contact the EPA and your legislators. You can be an advocate for the health of many by adding your voice to stop the import and use of asbestos now.