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You are here: Home / Archives for mesothelioma lawyer pennsylvania

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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

National Asbestos Awareness Week Resolution

March 29, 2018 By Ben DuBose

For the fourteenth time, the U.S. Senate introduced the National Asbestos Awareness Week Resolution to be observed April 1-7, 2018. The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) praised the senate and the bipartisan cosponsors, led by Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) for bringing awareness to these preventable asbestos-related diseases. Other cosponsors were Senators Stve Daines (R-MT), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D-RI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D_RI), Kamala Harris (D_CA), Patrick Leahy (D_VT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Edward Markey (D-MA), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). There is expectation that this Fourteenth Resolution, paired with the U.S. Surgeon General’s asbestos warning, will again bring the dangers of asbestos to the forefront and save lives.

Aren’t asbestos problems an issue of the past?

Though asbestos use has declined in the US, deaths caused by asbestos have risen according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There are two primary reasons for this:

First, asbestos-related diseases are generally diagnosed decades after exposure. Exposures from the peak usage years of the 1970s are still showing up as deadly diseases for workers of that era.

Secondly, the import and use of asbestos continues to this day in the US. Even patients in the 25-44 age range are dying from malignant mesothelioma demonstrating the ongoing occupational, environmental, and secondary exposure risks. There is no safe type of asbestos or usage. Fibers of this mineral have been found in makeup marketed to young teens as well as in other consumer products. It is still used in brake pads. Other dangers exist when asbestos used in construction or in manufacturing is disturbed in any way – often in remodeling.

The EPA and asbestos

Currently the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is evaluating the risks of asbestos under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The ADAO emphasizes again the necessity of banning asbestos in the US. The past 13 Senate Asbestos Awareness Resolutions combined with five warnings from the U.S. Surgeon General’s office, and President Obama’s recognition of asbestos as a deadly carcinogen, have all confirmed its undue risk to human health and the environment.

The World Health Organization (WHO) affirms, “Exposure to asbestos, including chrysotile, causes cancer of the lung, larynx, and ovaries, and also mesothelioma (a cancer of the pleural and peritoneal linings”. Asbestos exposure is also responsible for other diseases such as asbestosis (fibrosis of the lungs), and plaques, thickening and effusion in the pleura.”

The EPA and asbestos – how you can help

Since the agency is currently evaluating asbestos risks, it is vitally important for voices declaring the dangers be heard. The cooperation of the EPA is necessary for a total ban to be implemented.

If you understand the issues with asbestos and know a ban is necessary, you can contact your senators to support all efforts for the ban. You can also call an asbestos hotline of the EPA.

• Phone: 800-368-5888 or (in the DC area) 202-566-1970
• Hours: 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. EST
• Type of Coverage: A member of the ASBO staff will answer calls
• Description: The Asbestos and Small Business Ombudsman (ASBO) operates a toll-free hotline for the convenience of small businesses, trade associations, and the general public, seeking free, confidential help as it relates to asbestos and a variety of environmental regulatory topics.

Filed Under: Asbestos, News, US Congress Tagged With: Asbestos, asbestos cancer, asbestos exposure, asbestos lawfirm dallas, asbestos lawyer dallas, asbestos lawyer Louisiana, asbestos lawyer New Mexico, asbestos lawyer oklahoma, asbestos lawyer pennsylvania, asbestos lawyers texas, asbestos lung cancer, Dallas mesothelioma lawyer, Louisiana mesothelioma lawyer, Mesothelioma lawyer New Mexico, mesothelioma lawyer oklahoma, mesothelioma lawyer pennsylvania, mesothelioma lawyer texas, texas mesothelioma lawyer

Potential New Treatment for Mesothelioma

March 7, 2018 By Ben DuBose

In a study by researchers led by Dr. Antonio Giordano at the Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine at Temple University and his colleagues at the University of Siena, Italy, a potential new treatment for mesothelioma appears promising.

This treatment involves repurposing a drug already approved for the treatment of pinworm parasite infections. Since this drug is already approved for one use, getting approval for another use will be less expensive, and even more importantly, can be brought to patient use more quickly than with a new drug. Because mesothelioma, almost always connected to asbestos exposure, is a deadly cancer with no current effective treatment, researchers throughout the world creatively investigate possible methods to stop – and soon cure – this deadly disease.

This anti-parasitic drug is named pyrvinium pamoate. It was found to alter the downstream genes in the WNT signaling pathway – pathways consisting of proteins that pass signals into a cell through cell surface receptors. These genes in the signaling pathway may be the cause of the aggressiveness of mesothelioma and its resistance to conventional therapy.

According to Dr. Giordano, whose study was published in the Journal of Cell Physiology, “The results of this study represent a step forward in the development of new treatments for patients with mesothelioma. Pyrvinium pamoate is able to affect important features of mesothelioma aggressiveness, suggesting that the repurposing of this drug for mesothelioma treatment could represent a new promising therapeutic approach.”

Author of the study, Marcella Barbarino of the University of Siena stated, “These are encouraging results, especially considering that drug repositioning, using already approved drugs for new indications, is a promising strategy to identify active molecules for a more rapid and less expensive clinical translation compared to de novo drug development.”

Sbarro Health Research Organization (SHRO) and the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation funded this study, dedicated to Mr. Vittorio Stortino in his memory.

We are grateful for the work being done to urgently find a cure for this deadly disease and for the hope it gives to all those affected.

Filed Under: Asbestos, Cancer, Mesothelioma, Mesothelioma medical treatment/research, mesothelioma research, Mesothelioma treatment Tagged With: Asbestos, 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

Canadian Health and Environment Groups Propose Asbestos Ban

January 18, 2018 By Ben DuBose

Canada, having closed its last asbestos mine in 2011, is moving forward with a proposal to stop the “use, sale, import and export” of asbestos and asbestos-containing products. The full ban is expected sometime in 2018. Canada reported approximately 1,900 lung cancer cases and 430 mesothelioma cases in 2011. Besides the human suffering and loss of life, each case costs the health system of Canada over $1 million. The danger of asbestos exposure has been known for decades. More than thirty years ago the World Health Organization declared it a human carcinogen.

The proposal is sponsored by the Canadian federal health and environment departments. Catherine McKenna, Environment and Climate Change Minister, stated, “By launching these new tougher rules to stop the manufacture, import, use and sale of asbestos, we are following through on our promises to protect all Canadians from exposure to this toxic substance.”

Is it enough?

According to Kathleen Ruff, long an advocate for a total asbestos ban, said the proposal is a good start, but there is more to be done. She believes the citizens of Canada are unaware of the hazards still present in buildings throughout the country and recommends a national registry of asbestos-containing buildings, as well as comprehensive standards for asbestos abatement. She is also concerned with the exemptions in the proposal – most affecting cleanup around the land of former mines as millions of tons of residue are disturbed. This could potentially release the deadly fibers into the air for workers to inhale.

Time for action

Hassan Yussuff, president of the Canadian Labour Congress, said, “I’m hoping this federal initiative will spur the provinces to do more, because we’ve got far more to do at the provincial level now with the federal government finally getting onside to banning asbestos.”

Though this is overall a necessary move for the country, it will have detractors since certain industries will be affected. These include cement pipe manufacturers, automotive businesses importing brake pads, and any business that imports and uses asbestos-containing parts.

One by one, countries are realizing and acting on the banning asbestos, but it is a struggle. The United States has still not banned its use completely. With a period of decades between exposure and disease diagnosis, the world will continue to lose people from asbestos for the foreseeable future. Canada’s proposal is a step in the right direction.

Filed Under: Asbestos, Cancer, International asbestos developments, News Tagged With: Asbestos, asbestos cancer, asbestos lawfirm dallas, asbestos lawyer Louisiana, asbestos lawyer New Mexico, asbestos lawyer oklahoma, asbestos lawyer pennsylvania, asbestos lawyers texas, asbestos regulations, Louisiana mesothelioma lawyer, Mesothelioma, Mesothelioma lawyer New Mexico, mesothelioma lawyer oklahoma, mesothelioma lawyer pennsylvania, mesothelioma lawyer texas, texas mesothelioma lawyer

Bevacizumab: A Potential Addition to Treatment for Mesothelioma Victims

December 6, 2017 By Ben DuBose

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive cancer, primarily brought on by asbestos exposure. Recent studies by Pavel A Levin and Jonathan E Dowell at the Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, have revealed adding bevacizumab to the combination of cisplatin and pemetrexed gives hope to selected mesothelioma victims by potentially extending life an additional two, to two and a half months.

How does bevacizumab help?

Surgery and radiation have their roles in treatment, but both have limitations. The primary treatment for most patients is systemic chemotherapy.

It is recognized that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor are major biologic factors in this disease. Bevacizumab is a monoclonal antibody that binds VEGF and blocks its interactions with VEGF receptors. That means angiogenesis, the forming of new blood vessels leading to tumors, is blocked by bevacizumab.

At first, a single chemotherapy agent was used, but with limited effectiveness in MPM. In 2004, the combination of cisplatin and pemetrexed was approved with an almost three month increase in overall median survival. This remains the only National Comprehensive Center Network category 1 MPM recommendation – based on the patient tolerating both drugs. Now the addition of bevacizumab to the cisplatin and pemetrexed is included in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines (with a category 2A recommendation) as a feasible first-line treatment for unresectable MPM in suitably selected patients.

What is bevacizumab?

This is an anti-VEGF antibody created in 1997. It then went through multiple studies which finally led to this 2017 report. In this last study, only patients without known side effects to bevacizumab were included as not all MPM patients would benefit from this additional antibody. Since there is currently no way to identify the ideal patient, additional immunotherapy agents are also being investigated with preliminary studies showing encouraging results.

What is next?

Since anti-VEGF therapies possibly increase the effect of immunotherapy in cancer, there is a persuasive rationale for future trials targeting VEGF together with immunotherapy in MPM. A current trial of pembrolizumab and nintedanib is recruiting patients now for a variety of malignancies, including MPM. Additional clinical studies with bevacizumab-based chemotherapy in combination with immunotherapy for patients with MPM are expected.

The takeaway from this new development is that MPM patients who tolerate the chemotherapy agents may extend their lives a few months. However, the larger picture is that there are constantly new research studies and trials that will, hopefully, no longer make mesothelioma the incurable cancer it is today.

 

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

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