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Journal Articles on Mesothelioma: Cancer Information for Patients and Families

Journal Articles on Mesothelioma: December, 2007

December 29th, 2007. Podoplanin is a Better Immunohistochemical Marker for Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma Than Calretinin

Overall sensitivities and pecificities were 84% and 99% for antipodoplanin, and 86% and 96% for D2-40. These findings suggest that cytoplasmic podoplanin expression may be useful in the diagnosis of sarcomatoid mesothelioma, although it should be used with caution on biopsy material.

December 28th, 2007. Gene copy number analysis in malignant pleural mesothelioma using oligonucleotide array CGH

32-->qter. The results suggest that gene copy number losses are a major mechanism of MM carcinogenesis and reveal a recurrent pattern of copy number changes in MM.

December 25th, 2007. Malignant pleural mesothelioma: surgical management in 285 patients

Conclusions: Extrapleural pneumonectomy can be performed with similar 30-day mortality as other procedures for malignant pleural mesothelioma with a median survival better than subtotal pleurectomy, exploration without resection, and biopsy alone. However, extrapleural pneumonectomy has significant morbidity and a 3-year survival of only 14%.

December 25th, 2007. Soluble Mesothelin-Related Peptide Level Elevation in Mesothelioma Serum and Pleural Effusions

Conclusions: These data support SMRP as a promising marker for MPM in both serum and pleural effusion fluid, and justify prospective screening studies of SMRP in combination with other markers for screening of asbestos-exposed cohorts.

December 25th, 2007. Localised malignant pleural mesothelioma: a separate clinical entity requiring aggressive local surgery

Conclusion: Our results suggest that surgery is indicated in treating localised MPM even in T4 (diffuse chest wall involvement) tumours but pleuropneumonectomy is not necessary. These tumours seem to have a different biological behaviour compared to diffuse MPM but further research, including identification of possibly different biological markers is necessary.

December 25th, 2007. Phase II study of pemetrexed in combination with carboplatin in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM)

Conclusion: This combination of carboplatin and pemetrexed is moderately active and the toxicity is acceptable.

December 22nd, 2007. Acne inversa complicated by squamous cell carcinoma in association with diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma arising in the absence of predisposing factors: a case report

It is thus tempting to speculate that genetic mutations involving chromosome 1p. 21–22 may account for the development of both diseases.

December 22nd, 2007. Fra-1 governs cell migration via modulation of CD44 expression in human mesotheliomas

Lastly, in contrast to normal lung tissue, tissue microarrays revealed that Fra-1 was expressed in 33 of 34 human MMs, and that all CD44+ tumors were SV40-. These results suggest that Fra-1 is associated with cell migration in human MMs and that Fra-1 modulation of CD44 may govern migration of selected MMs.

December 22nd, 2007. Utility of anti-L523S antibody in the diagnosis of benign and malignant serous effusions

Conclusions: Anti-L523S antibody is a useful marker for the detection of malignant cells in serous effusions and it can have significant utility in differentiating reactive mesothelial cells from malignant mesothelioma and metastatic carcinoma in combination with calretinin and CK5/6 staining.

December 22nd, 2007. Cancer incidence among women and girls environmentally and occupationally exposed to blue asbestos at Wittenoom, Western Australia

A significant exposure-response relationship was present for mesothelioma, but not for lung cancer. Forty years after the asbestos mine and mill at Wittenoom were closed, there is a high toll from cancer among the former female residents of the town and company workers.

December 21st, 2007. Preclinical evaluation of MORAb-009, a chimeric antibody targeting tumor-associated mesothelin

The preclinical data obtained from our studies warrants pursuing clinical testing of MORAb-009. We have in fact initiated a Phase I clinical study enrolling patients with mesothelin-positive pancreatic, mesothelioma, non-small cell lung and ovarian cancers.

December 21st, 2007. Symptoms and patient-reported well-being: do they predict survival in malignant pleural mesothelioma? A prognostic factor analysis of EORTC-NCIC 08983: randomized phase III study of cisplatin with or without raltitrexed in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma

Conclusion: Results suggest that the PI, pain, and appetite loss may be independent prognostic factors in patients with advanced MPM.

December 21st, 2007. Updated treatment of peritoneal carcinomas: a review

Considering the constant increasing of diseases treatable with this procedure, more centres should be activated. The establishment of a clear policy and scientific guidelines is mandatory, in order to perform the CRS+HIPEC safely, minimizing treatment-related morbidity and mortality and maximizing the results in terms of survival and quality of life.

December 20th, 2007. Asbestos related diseases in Italy: an integrated approach to identify unexpected professional or environmental exposure risks at municipal level

Conclusions: Availability long-term national figures and the different etiology of asbestos related diseases are the key features of this exercise that was applied to Italy, but can be replicated wherever registration systems of diseases related to long term exposure to asbestos are available.

December 20th, 2007. Peroxiredoxins in the lung with emphasis on peroxiredoxin VI

Expression of peroxiredoxins is elevated in several lung diseases including lung cancer, mesothelioma and sarcoidosis, although the mechanism for these alterations is not known. The unique properties of Prx VI enable it to play an important role in lung cell function.

December 20th, 2007. Incidence and descriptive epidemiology of mesothelioma in the United States, 1999-2002

4%). Of 40 reporting states, 11 had incidence rates significantly higher than the national rate.

December 20th, 2007. EGFR And PDGFR Differentially Promote Growth In Malignant Epitheloid Mesothelioma Of Short- And Long-term Survivors

Our study provides novel insights into the regulatory mechanisms of signalling pathways in MPM, which differentially promote tumour growth in LTS and STS. We demonstrate that small scale proteomics can be carried out by a powerful linkage of TMA, immunohistochemistry, and statistical methods to identify proteins which might be relevant targets for therapeutic intervention.

December 19th, 2007. Integrated FDG PET-CT imaging improves staging in malignant pleural mesothelioma

Conclusions: PET-CT seems to be a valuable tool in staging of MPM and leads to discordant findings in almost every second patient compared to CT alone. In many cases these differences are clinically relevant and have therapeutic consequences.

December 17th, 2007. Risk of gastrointestinal cancers from inhalation and ingestion of asbestos

The epidemiological evidence detracts from the hypothesis that occupational asbestos exposure increases the risk of stomach, colorectal, colon, and rectal cancer. Findings are briefly summarized below.

December 17th, 2007. The Burden of Cancer at Work: Estimation as the first step to prevention

Conclusions: Estimates for all but leukaemia are greater than those currently used in UK health and safety strategy planning and contrast with small numbers (200-240 annually) from occupational accidents. Sources of uncertainty in the estimates arise principally from approximate data and methodological issues. On balance, the estimates are likely to be a conservative estimate of the true risk. Long latency means that past high exposures will continue to give substantial numbers in the near future. Although levels of many exposures have reduced, recent measurements of others, such as wood dust and respirable quartz, show continuing high levels.