New study suggests gender plays a role in surviving mesothelioma

New research is suggesting that women have a higher rate of surviving mesothelioma cancer over mean after being treated for malignant pleural mesothelioma.

The study, published in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery, found that out of 450 men and women with epithelioid mesothelioma (the most common type), women were more likely to develop thrombocytosis (a high count of blood platelets) but responded better to aggressive treatment.

The study also revealed no difference in survival rate when it comes to other forms of mesothelioma. Women who had non-epithelioid mesothelioma such as sarcomatoid or biphasis did not differ in their response to treatment from the men in the study.

The data gathered from the study concluded that women with epithelioid mesothelioma will most likely benefit from intensive treatment and surgery.

“These findings support an aggressive approach to treating MPM including extrapleural pneumonectomy in individuals with favorable prognostic predictors, particularly women with epithelial histology and no other risk factors,” explained the researchers.

Although 90 percent of mesothelioma victims are men, an increasing number of women have contracted the disease. Many are the wives of former asbestos workers who had mesothelioma fibers attach to their clothes and brought it home from work.

Mesothelioma currently affects nearly 3,000 individuals each year in the United States alone. There is no cure for the cancer and it is directly related to exposure of asbestos. Treatment is most likely to succeed within the first 18 months of developing the cancer but survival is rare.

If you or a loved one have been exposed to asbestos or have developed mesothelioma, seek the help of a mesothelioma attorney immediately because you are entitled to receive compensation.

A mesothelioma attorney will fight for your benefits and help you obtain medical treatment. Don’t let another moment go by before scheduling an appointment with a legal professional near you.

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Asbestos study in Minnesota expanded to include larger region of the state

MINNESOTA - A study that focuses on the link between taconite mining and asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma, has expanded to include the state’s Silver Bay region in addition to the previous Iron Range area.

There is a taconite pellet processing and shipping facility in the Silver Bay region that has been operating since the 1950s.

The study began in 2007 and is being conducted by the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health. They are planning on including respiratory health information for the former workers or the facility as well as their families to see how they have been affected.

Being exposed to asbestos can be extremely harmful. Asbestos is the sole cause of mesothelioma cancer, a deadly cancer for which there is no known cure of.

Each year, 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma are discovered in the United States. The cancer is extremely difficult to diagnose and treat because symptoms may not develop for up to 50 years following initial exposure.

Even then, symptoms may not cause enough alarm for a victim to get checked out. Many times, mesothelioma patients only suffer from a cough or fever. Unfortunately, the window period to seek treatment is around 18 months after the cancer develops. Common treatments include surgery, radiation or chemotherapy and have been found to help many patients enter remission.

The study will hopefully lead to new insights about the disease. The project was funded by the state for $5 million after a large number of mesothelioma cases began to surface among taconite miners working in the northeastern part of the state.

Anyone who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma should contact a mesothelioma lawyer immediately. Many times, victims develop the cancer as a result of an employer’s negligence. If you or a loved one have worked in a facility that was known to have asbestos present, a mesothelioma lawyer will help you obtain medical help as well as compensation for your disease. Call today to set up an appointment with a mesothelioma lawyer near you.

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