• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

DuBose Law Firm, PLLC

Main navigation

  • Our Attorneys
    • Ben K. DuBose
    • Greg W. Lisemby
    • Brett M. Powers
  • What We Do
    • Mesothelioma
    • Serious Personal Injury
    • Employment / Labor Law
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
You are here: Home / Archives for Mesothelioma medical treatment/research / Mesothelioma treatment

Mesothelioma treatment

How Does COVID-19 Affect Lung Cancer Patients?

April 15, 2020 By Ben DuBose

The novel coronavirus, commonly called COVID-19, primarily affects breathing as it is a respiratory disease. But specifically, how does COVID-19 affect lung cancer patients?

Since there is currently no vaccine or treatment directly targeted for COVID-19, people with lung cancer need to be particularly aware of guidelines for protection strategies against the disease by following CDC directions. There are many causes of lung cancer, but exposure to asbestos is a major cause. Asbestos can also lead to the fatal lung disease, malignant mesothelioma.

How does COVID-19 affect lung cancer patients?

Since people with lung cancer are in one of the more high-risk groups for acquiring COVID-19, know the basics of prevention:

• Practice social distancing – Stay home as much as possible. If outside your home, wear masks and gloves, wash your hands with soap and water before and after any encounter with others or with in-store products for at least 20 seconds, and maintain a minimum of six feet between yourself and others. This includes during doctor visits and other medical appointments.

• Get tested – Since lung cancer classifies as high-risk, get tested if there are new symptoms beyond normal. Others who fall into this category are adults over 65, adults with other serious diseases, and those who are taking chemotherapy drugs or have other immunity issues. Symptoms include a dry cough, trouble breathing, and a temperature of 100.4 or over.

• Speak with a doctor – In all cases, if you or a loved one has lung disease, it is highly recommended to speak with their doctors to determine any guidelines the doctor may suggest for your specific situation. Here you can also access and print an informative handout produced by the Lung Cancer Research Foundation.

Should I really be concerned?

In a word, yes. Currently, the United States leads the world in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths. However, the number may be much greater as many people experience COVID-19 with no symptoms. That doesn’t mean they can’t pass the virus on to others, so social distancing is extremely important – especially for high-risk individuals.

Remember, there is no treatment geared specifically for COVID-19 and there is no preventative vaccine. The only protection is squarely on each individual to do their best to follow all CDC guidelines.

What drugs are being used?

Some medications have shown promise but there are currently no COVID-19 specific drugs approved through a completed study.

Vaccines virtually eliminated smallpox and polio in past decades. Scientists are currently working toward developing vaccines that could end, or lessen the effects of, coronaviruses as well. In this month, there are almost 80 vaccine development initiatives ongoing. Best case timeline for vaccine development is 18 months.

Are lung cancer patients more susceptible to COVID-19?

While patients with lung cancer do not appear to be more likely to get COVID-19, if they do acquire the disease, complications are more likely. If a patient is undergoing immunosuppressive treatment, such as chemotherapy, their immune system may not be able to fight it off, however. Cancer patients, overall, should be more vigilant about all the precautions. Following all guidelines provides the best chance of avoiding contraction of COVID-19.

Filed Under: Asbestos, Cancer, COVID-19, Dallas mesothelioma lawyer, Louisiana asbestos attorney, Lung cancer medical treatment/research, mesothelioma research, Mesothelioma treatment Tagged With: coronavirus, COVID-19, COVID-19 and lung cancer, lung cancer attorney Dallas, lung cancer lawyer dallas

First New Mesothelioma Therapy Approved by FDA in Over 15 Years

May 28, 2019 By Ben DuBose

The first new mesothelioma therapy approved by the FDA is based on a trial. In this single-arm STELLAR trial, the median overall survival rate was 18.2 months with patients with unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic malignant pleural mesothelioma who received TTF plus chemotherapy. This combination of treatments comprises the NovoTTF-100L System along with pemetrexed and platinum-based chemotherapy for front-line treatment.

History of new mesothelioma therapy

Bill Doyle, executive chairman of Novocure, the developer of NovoTTF-100L stated, “Since 2000, we have been developing and commercializing Tumor Treating Fields (TTF) to extend survivals in some of the most aggressive forms of cancer. FDA approval of NovoTTF-100L provides patients with the first FDA-approved treatment for MPM in more than 15 years and, as our first FDA-approved torso cancer indication, marks a major milestone for Novocure. We are thankful for the patients, caregivers and health care providers who partnered with us to make this possible.”

What is malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM)?

Strongly linked to asbestos exposure, MPM is a rare malignancy. Approximately 3,000 people are diagnosed with MPM each year in the US. This new therapy is welcome news as there was only one FDA-approved therapy prior to the NovoTTF-100L approval. That treatment consisted of pemetrexed plus cisplatin.

In addition to extending life, this new mesothelioma therapy approved by the FDA, is noninvasive, delivering TTF directly to the region of the tumor. No increase in serious systemic wide effects were noted with this new therapy.

Results showed patient overall survival at:
• 21.2 months for epithelioid malignant pleural mesothelioma (53 patients)
• 12.1 month for non-epithelioid malignant pleural mesothelioma (21 patients)
• 62% of those in the STELLAR study were alive at one year.
• Disease control when at least one CT scan was given as a follow-up was 97% (72 patients).

Mary Hesdorffer, NP, executive director of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, said “MPM is a devastating disease, with only 10 to 20 percent of patients being candidates for surgery to remove the tumor. Typically, mesothelioma patients who cannot have surgery receive palliative care to mitigate their symptoms. NovoTTF-100L provides unresectable MPM patients with a treatment option that may improve survival. We are encouraged by the FDA approval and hope it is just the beginning of innovation in the treatment of this aggressive disease.”

Filed Under: Asbestos, Dallas mesothelioma lawyer, Louisiana asbestos attorney, Mesothelioma medical treatment/research, mesothelioma research, Mesothelioma treatment Tagged With: Asbestos, Dallas mesothelioma lawyer, Louisiana mesothelioma lawyer, Mesothelioma, Mesothelioma lawyer New Mexico, mesothelioma lawyer oklahoma, mesothelioma research

Studies Continue in Search of a Mesothelioma Cure

October 11, 2018 By Ben DuBose

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.

Filed Under: Asbestos, Dallas mesothelioma lawyer, Mesothelioma, Mesothelioma medical treatment/research, mesothelioma research, Mesothelioma treatment Tagged With: advancements in treatment of mesothelioma, Dallas mesothelioma lawyer, mesothelioma attorney, mesothelioma clinical trials

Innovative Study that Inhibits Cancer Metastases

May 16, 2018 By Ben DuBose

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, the National Cancer Institute, and Cleveland Clinic, as well as four other institutions, conducted an innovative study that inhibits cancer metastases through the use of epigenetics.

Epigenetics is the key

Epigenetics is the “study of biological mechanisms that will switch genes on and off.” That is an extremely simplified explanation, but that is the method used by these researchers. In the study, bone cancer (osteosarcoma) cells were halted in their spread to the lungs of mice. This is a major triumph as there is presently no widespread, approved and targeted anti-metastatic therapy for the disease. If metastases is prevented, fatalities from cancers can be reduced significantly.

Peter Scacheri, professor of genetics and genome sciences at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and member of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center stated, “More than 90 percent of all cancer deaths are the result of tumor metastasis, not primary-site tumors. While many of the genes responsible for metastasis have been identified, the mechanisms that control these genes are not well defined. Our findings demonstrate that altered gene-enhancer activity is fundamental to a cancer cell’s ability to metastasize.”

These gene-enhancers, actually short segments of DNA, act like switches to activate genes. This is a necessary process for normal development. There are tens of thousands of these in a single cell! Sometimes, however, the process goes awry and contributes to the formation and spreading of tumor cells. This study showed that the on-off switches of metastasized cancer cells are in different positions than those in the primary tumor.

The experiment to inhibit cancer metastases

The researchers consistently noticed certain bunched groups of enhancers (metastatic variant enhancer loci – Met-VELs) were close to cancer genes in the lung metastases of patients with osteosarcoma. This indicated that were crucial to the metastatic process. They then saw that osteosarcoma cell growth in the lung can be diminished with BET inhibitors (current anti-cancer drugs in clinical trials). These interrupt the Met-VELs function in influencing gene expression. They also found that a certain Met-VEL-linked gene, Tissue Factor (F3), must be present for metastatic colonization. This interruption of signaling and the blood clotting factors of F3 prevented metastasis.

“Our experiments show that removing a single enhancer of the F3 gene in tumor cells virtually eliminates their ability to metastasize in mice,” said Scacheri. “Collectively, our findings establish that enhancer elements endow tumor cells with metastatic capacity and that targeted inhibition of genes associated with enhancer alterations, or deleting altered enhancers themselves is sufficient to block metastatic colonization and proliferation. While our work focused on lung metastasis in osteosarcoma, the findings have implications for other types of metastatic cancer as well.”

The benefits

This experiment changes the way researchers look at stopping cancer metastasis. Most research focused on gene mutation, not how – or even if – specific genes could be turned off or on. Studies in how tumors are formed and the differences in cancer cells versus normal cells has also been a primary area of study – usually in the early stages of a disease. At that point, treatment generally targets primary tumors, not those cancer cells that have traveled elsewhere in the body.

With this study, an entirely new treatment possibility may exist. This may not only affect osteosarcoma metastasizing to the lungs, but may mean the primary tumors of other cancers will be stopped before invading secondary areas of the body. This could be a new way to tackle the spread of mesothelioma and give hope to those diagnosed with this fatal disease.

The knowledge and creativity of scientists and researchers worldwide must be applauded as they continue to develop new and more effective treatments for cancers and other devastating diseases.

Filed Under: Cancer, Dallas mesothelioma lawyer, Lung cancer medical treatment/research, Mesothelioma medical treatment/research, mesothelioma research, Mesothelioma treatment, News Tagged With: cancer metastases, cancer treatment, Dallas mesothelioma lawyer, mesothelioma attorney dallas, mesothelioma metastases, new mesothelioma treatment

How Does Asbestos Exposure Develop Into Deadly Mesothelioma?

April 3, 2018 By Ben DuBose

It is a proven fact that asbestos exposure can develop into deadly mesothelioma. But how does this happen to healthy cells? Microscopic asbestos fibers are inhaled into the lungs, yet the deadly mesothelioma disease can appear in physically remote mesothelial cells¹.

Latest experiments

Arti Shukla, Ph.D., associate professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine and a UVM Cancer Center member, along with colleagues, used two groups of cells – lung epithelial cells¹ and macrophages¹ – in their study because these two cell groups are the first that asbestos fibers encounter when inhaled. These cells were divided into two groups: one exposed to asbestos fibers and the other left alone to grow normally. They grew for three days.

At that time, they collected the exosomes² released by the cells. By examining the proteins in the exosomes, they found the group exposed to asbestos had a great deal of suspicious proteins as opposed to the non-exposed group. The exosomes containing the suspicious proteins were then added to healthy mesothelial cells. After four days, they found significant changes to many cancer-related genes in the previously healthy mesothelial cells.

Why is this important?

This study suggests that exosomes, with their ability for intercellular communication, can alter cellular genetics – even from a distance. It also indicates these exosomes and their proteins, can act as biomarkers pointing to the development, or even the progression, of asbestos-related disease.

Shukla states, “Our findings suggest that cells in one region of the body are capable of sending messages to cells in a distant location, and can cause significant genetic changes. This communication from injured or diseased cells to healthy cells has the potential to initiate changes that might lead to cancer or other diseases.”

Editor-in-chief of The FASEB Journal, Thoru Pederson, Ph.D., adds, “These intriguing findings go a good ways toward explaining the conundrum of how a pulmonary irritant triggers distant effects. They also add to the burgeoning array of studies that link exosome-based communication to pathogenic events.”

In summary, this is an important step toward treating – and  perhaps one day curing – mesothelioma.


Vocabulary of the disease

¹Cell types involved:

Mesothelial cells: These cells form a slippery, non-adhesive protective layer, the mesothelium, in the body’s serous cavities and internal organs.

Epithelial cells: These are the body’s safety shield. Your skin is comprised of millions of these cells, but they also line all your organs, intestines, blood vessels, and throat.

Macrophages: This is a type of white blood cell, carried by your blood to the site of infections. When epithelial cells are damaged, they release chemicals to attract macrophages. They can clean up harmful bacteria, viruses, and dead cells.

²Exosomes: These are very small vesicles that carry RNA and proteins. They were once thought of as merely garbage cans for cell debris, but now are the focus a great deal of scientific interest. Researchers found they enable intercellular communication that may lead to minimally invasive diagnostics.

Filed Under: Asbestos, Dallas mesothelioma lawyer, Mesothelioma, Mesothelioma medical treatment/research, mesothelioma research, Mesothelioma treatment Tagged With: Asbestos, asbestos cancer, asbestos lawyer dallas, asbestos lawyer Louisiana, asbestos lawyer New Mexico, asbestos lawyer oklahoma, asbestos lawyer pennsylvania, asbestos lawyers texas, Dallas mesothelioma lawyer, Louisiana mesothelioma lawyer, Mesothelioma, mesothelioma attorney dallas, mesothelioma lawyer, Mesothelioma lawyer New Mexico, mesothelioma lawyer oklahoma, mesothelioma lawyer pennsylvania, mesothelioma lawyer texas, mesothelioma research, Mesothelioma treatment

  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Page 4
  • Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Mesothelioma, Lung Cancer & Serious Personal Injury Attorneys of DuBose Law Firm has decades of experience fighting for mesothelioma & personal injury victims.

Call 877-857-2914 today for free case evaluation.

Recent Posts

  • Final Rule: Independent Contractor Status under the Fair Labor Standards Act
  • Martin Luther King, Jr. – A Voice of Wisdom
  • Record Decline in U.S. Cancer Death Rates
  • Less Traffic, More Fatalities
  • Can Employers Require Workers to Become Vaccinated against Covid-19?

Archives

Blog Categories

  • Asbestos
    • Abatement
    • Articles
    • asbestos in talc
    • Cancer
    • Conference
    • Legal News
    • News
    • On the Job Exposure
    • Power plants
    • US Congress
  • Asbestos legal issues
  • Asbestos safety regulations
  • DuBose Law Firm News
    • Dallas employment lawyer
    • Dallas mesothelioma lawyer
    • Dallas personal injury lawyer
    • Louisiana asbestos attorney
    • Personal Injury
      • Dallas electric scooters
      • electric scooters
      • self-driving car
    • Press Releases
  • International asbestos developments
    • Earth Day environment
  • Laws
    • Employment Law
    • FLSA
  • Louisiana attorney
  • Lung cancer medical treatment/research
    • COVID-19
  • Medicare and Medicaid
  • Mesothelioma medical treatment/research
    • Mesothelioma
    • Mesothelioma treatment
  • mesothelioma research
    • nanotechnology
  • Miscellaneous
    • Congressional bills
    • COVID-19
      • Health
      • Pandemic
    • Holidays
      • Cinco de Mayo
      • Flag Day
      • July 4th
      • Labor Day
      • Martin Luther King
      • MLK Day
      • Thanksgiving
      • Veterans Day
    • Oil & Fracturing
    • oilfield injury
    • Veterans
  • Overtime Pay
    • FLSA wage laws
  • Personal Injury
    • Cosmetics
    • Distracted Driving
    • e-cigarettes
    • Elder abuse
    • Hand Sanitizers
    • Insurance
    • Personal injury law
    • Popcorn Lung
    • Safety
  • U.S. Navy exposure
  • Uncategorized

Secondary Sidebar

Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer

  • Mesothelioma
  • Mesothelioma Frequently Asked Questions
  • Mesothelioma Related Blog Posts
  • How to Pick an Asbestos Lawyer
  • Asbestos Information
  • Asbestos Exposure U.S. Navy List of Ships
  • Lung Cancer Claims
  • Lung Cancer is Not Just a Smoking Disease

Serious Personal Injury

  • How to Pick a Serious Personal Injury Attorney
  • Medical Litigation
  • Motor Vehicle Accidents
  • Oil Field & Gas Field Injuries
  • Personal Injury Frequently Asked Questions
  • Product Liability
  • Workplace Injuries

Employment and Labor Law Attorneys

  • Employment and Labor Law
  • Medical Leave and FMLA
  • Discrimination
  • Harassment
  • Wrongful Termination
  • Overtime Pay – Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
  • Are you a Healthcare Worker not being paid overtime wages?
  • Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act – WARN Act
  • Business Interruption Claims During COVID19 Pandemic
  • Unpaid Overtime for Dispatchers
  • Arbitration Clauses, How they impact your life

Footer

Dallas, Texas – Main Office

DuBose Law Firm, PLLC
The Adelfa B. Callejo Building
4310 N. Central Expressway
Dallas, Texas 75206
Office 214.389.8199 • Fax
214.389.8399
877-857-2914

New Orleans, LA Office

DuBose Law Firm, PLLC
829 Baronne Street
New Orleans, Louisiana 70113
Office 504.581.9322 • Fax
504.324.0155

HELPFUL FREQUENTLY USED PAGES

  • Dallas Mesothelioma Lawyer
  • New Orleans Mesothelioma Lawyer
  • Mesothelioma
  • Asbestos Information
  • How to Pick an Asbestos Lawyer
  • Mesothelioma Frequently Asked Questions
  • Serious Personal Injury
  • Personal Injury Frequently Asked Questions

Copyright DuBose Law Firm © 2021 · ; Log in