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Journal Articles on Mesothelioma: Cancer Information for Patients and Families

Archive for the 'Causation' Category

Articles dealing with the factors influencing the development of mesothelioma; occupational asbestos exposure is among the most common, but also genetic predisposition, smoking, and other contributing factors.

Causation news feed.

January 2nd, 2009. Epigenetic Profiles Distinguish Pleural Mesothelioma from Normal Pleura and Predict Lung Asbestos Burden and Clinical Outcome

We have added to the growing body of evidence that cellular epigenetic dysregulation is a critical mode of action for asbestos in the induction of pleural mesothelioma. Importantly, these findings hold great promise for using epigenetic profiling in the diagnosis and prognosis of human cancers.

December 25th, 2008. Proteome analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage in individuals from Metsovo, nonoccupationally exposed to asbestos

Proteomic analysis (2D-electrophoresis/Mass Spectrometry) of BAL in Metsovites nonoccupationally exposed to asbestos revealed increased albumin fragments, alpha1-antitrypsin, S100-A9 and HSP27, suggesting ongoing inflammation. In those without pleural calcifications, increased expression of acid ceramidase, glutathione-S-transferase and presence of calcyphosin, all involved in cell cycle regulation and death as well as in the detoxification of mutagenic and toxic agents, lend further support to our thesis of possible "protection against neoplasia" in Metsovites with pleural calcifications.

December 23rd, 2008. Malignant mesothelioma

Compensation issues must also be considered. Life expectancy in malignant mesothelioma is poor, with a median survival of about one year following diagnosis.

December 18th, 2008. Spontaneously immortalized mouse mesothelial cells display characteristics of malignant transformation

Conclusion: These findings have implications for interpretation of in vitro transformation studies, demonstrating broad similarity between spontaneous and induced genetic changes.

December 18th, 2008. Asbestos-related occupational lung diseases in NSW, Australia and potential exposure of the general population

Although the hazards of asbestos are well known in developed countries, awareness of its adverse health effects is less in other parts of the world, particularly when exposure occurs in non-occupational settings. Experience of asbestos use and its adverse heath effects in developed countries such as Australia have resulted in development of expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of asbestos-related diseases as well as in screening and this can be used to help developing countries facing the issue of asbestos exposure.

December 17th, 2008. Simian virus 40 sequences in blood specimens from healthy individuals of Casale Monferrato, an industrial town with a history of asbestos pollution

Conclusions: SV40 sequences are present in blood samples of healthy donors from Casale Monferrato with a prevalence similar to that reported in previous investigations of healthy donors from asbestos-free areas. Altogether these data suggest that SV40 is circulating in the human population.

November 26th, 2008. Etiology, epidemiology, biology. Occupational respiratory cancers

In contrast, the search for an occupational exposure that should be routine in all cases of lung cancer, is generally more difficult because of the number of occupational aetiological factors and the absence of criteria that allow distinction of an occupational cancer from a tobacco related one. Therefore attention should be paid to the identification of occupational exposure in order to set up primary prevention programmes to prevent exposure still present in the working environment and, on the other hand, to identify the subjects entitled to the acknowledgement of occupational disease and/or to obtain the compensation available to asbestos victims.

October 31st, 2008. Crocidolite and Mesothelioma

The authors performed a detailed analysis of cases in which crocidolite was identified in the absence of amosite. Most of such cases were identified in recent years, a finding of concern since crocidolite is considered the most potent fiber type with respect to the pathogenesis of mesothelioma.

October 23rd, 2008. The mortality of women exposed environmentally and domestically to blue asbestos at Wittenoom, Western Australia

Conclusion: Women who were former residents of Wittenoom, exposed to asbestos in their environment or in their home, have excess cancer mortality, including mesothelioma, compared with the Western Australian female population.

October 22nd, 2008. A case of non-tuberculous mycobacteriosis with pleurisy with a past history of dense exposure to environmental asbestos

A final diagnosis of NTM was confirmed via open biopsy of the lung. Our case suggests that in addition to tuberculosis, NTM should be taken into consideration as a complication of silicosis.

October 18th, 2008. Lung fiber burden in the Nottingham gas mask cohort

The decline in concentrations with time confirms the hypothesis that crocidolite and, by inference, other amphibole fibers are slowly removed from the lung, but since the longer more carcinogenic fibers were cleared more slowly it is unclear to what extent this clearance explains the slowing down of the increase in mesothelioma mortality from about 40 years from the most recent exposure. The exact biostatistical models which most closely conform with the data remain open to question.

October 10th, 2008. Mortality from Occupational Exposure to Relatively Pure Chrysotile: A 39-Year Study

Conclusions: Occupational exposure to relatively pure chrysotile within permissible levels was not associated with a significant increase in lung cancer or with mesothelioma. Decreased overall mortality of workers indicates a healthy worker effect, which - together with the relatively small cohort size - could have prevented small risks to be detected.

October 9th, 2008. Health Effects of Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials (III)

Recent reports suggest that carbon nanotubes, fiber-shaped biopersistent nanoparticles, resemble asbestos in the pathogenesis of granuloma and mesothelioma. As such we summarize health effects of environmental and manufactured nanoparticles in the literature so far including our studies, in this report.

October 8th, 2008. Mesothelioma and Environmental Exposure: A Newly Developed Animal Model for Fiber Exposure

Following the 12-month exposure, lack of mesothelioma induction was detected in all groups. Results suggest that the mechanism of mesothelioma formation is not a consequence of peritoneal physical exposure to the fibers.

October 8th, 2008. Pooled analysis of NAT2 genotypes as risk factors for asbestos-related malignant mesothelioma

04). These results suggest that NAT2 polymorphisms do not exert a strong effect on individual susceptibility to MM.

October 7th, 2008. Functional inactivation of NF2/merlin in human mesothelioma

Our results support the hypothesis that the disruption of NF2 signalling is essential for the development of human mesothelioma. In tumors where no NF2 truncation can be detected, NF2 is rendered inactive by phosphorylation of Ser 518 and this can be explained at least in part by an increased expression of CPI-17.

September 30th, 2008. Acrylamide Carcinogenicity

The mode of action remains unclear for acrylamide-induced rodent carcinogenicity, but support for a genotoxic mechanism based on in vitro and in vivo DNA reactivity assays cannot be ruled out. In addition, the pattern of tumor formation in the rat following chronic exposure supports a genotoxic mode of action but also suggests a potential role of endocrine modification.

September 27th, 2008. Treatment of peritoneal mesothelioma in pediatric patients

Treatment was well tolerated, and three of these patients have achieved long-term survival. The fathers of three of the patients worked in the construction industry and may have been the source of indirect asbestos exposure.

September 24th, 2008. The relationship between malignant mesothelioma and an asbestos cement plant environmental risk: a spatial case–control study in the city of Bari (Italy)

Conclusion: Evidence of an association between mesothelioma risk and EAE is highlighted. The role played by the RMR in increasing the public health local authorities awareness is stressed. Keywords Asbestos-cement plant - Environmental-neighborhood exposure - Mesothelioma register - Spatial case–control study - Public health - Italy

September 23rd, 2008. Predicted mortality from malignant mesothelioma among women exposed to blue asbestos at Wittenoom, Western Australia

Conclusion: The high toll from mesothelioma in this cohort of women and girls will continue well into the future.