Mesothelioma Awareness

Mesothelioma Research: A Collaborative, International Endeavor

Mesothelioma research is conducted as a collaborative effort by medical experts the world over. No known cure has been discovered, but treatment and diagnosis have improved thanks to those efforts. We now know that asbestos exposure in high doses and accumulated exposure over a period of years can cause malignant cancer to develop in the lungs, abdomen, and heart. As with all medical research, advances in mesothelioma research are reliant upon funding, resources, and intelligence. With advances in research technologies come new ways to research a specific disease’s origins, behaviors, implications, and effects.

Mesothelioma is both rare and unique with an extended latency period of up to fifty years. This makes mesothelioma research more difficult because memories of asbestos exposure fade and in some cases there is no way to know for certain when and where the exposure took place. Studying the cause, or source, of any disease is a very big portion of figuring out how to cure or treat it. We know much about mesothelioma, but there is so much more that we don’t yet know. As is the case with most malignant cancers, details of the many aspects of mesothelioma are still a mystery.

The History of Mesothelioma Research

The critical link between asbestos and mesothelioma was first discovered in 1909, but it wasn’t until 1918 that the US Department of Labor insisted that more research was required to mitigate the seemingly uncontrollable deaths related to asbestos. Though the first case of asbestosis was documented in an 1899 abstract titled “Curious Bodies”, mesothelioma research is still in its infancy due to its extended latency period. Because it takes so long for patients to develop mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos, concluding that the disease was triggered by the fibers of the naturally occurring substance wasn’t completely apparent until much later.

Mesothelioma is a relatively new cancer brought on primarily by exposure to a carcinogen (a cancer causing agent) such as asbestos. Asbestos is the leading cause of mesothelioma, though it has also been linked to a few other carcinogens, including radiation exposure. The chances of developing mesothelioma depend on many factors, though medical experts are still unsure of the absolute triggers for the development of this malignant cancer.

Mesothelioma Research has Yielded Important Information

• Mesothelioma is directly related to asbestos exposure in most cases, so we learned that it’s possible to control the cause of this type of cancer.
• The latency period for mesothelioma can be more than fifty years, so we know to discuss asbestos exposure as soon as possible with a doctor for early detection.
• Traditional cancer treatments work when the cancer is detected early and not as much in later stages, as it is with all cancers.
• There are other contributing factors such as lifestyle and inherited predispositions to cancer. Not all people who have been exposed to asbestos will develop mesothelioma.
• Mesothelioma will likely decline after 2020, when the last uncontrolled asbestos exposure cases have been diagnosed.
• Some people can and do defy the average prognosis of less than a year, statistics apply to groups and not individuals.
• A disease that was once simply called “lung cancer” is now a preventable, treatable illness.

Mesothelioma Research Funding from the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation

A leading source of national mesothelioma research, funding, and organizer of the International Symposium on Malignant Mesothelioma, the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (curemeso.org), provides financial assistance directly to those who have recently been diagnosed with mesothelioma. Mesothelioma research grant opportunities are also offered by the foundation for organizations that would like to participate in the search for answers to this disease. They are particularly interested in mesothelioma research leading to early diagnosis of mesothelioma, creative new treatment methods, and precise prognosis techniques.

The Mesothelioma Applied research foundation has already provided over six million dollars to mesothelioma research. They utilize a peer review program to assess the needs and outcomes of a proposed mesothelioma research project and monitor the progress made utilizing their funds. Clinical trials are made available through such funding, which they hope will ultimately lead to exciting treatments for mesothelioma patients.

Around the world, major universities and hospitals alike are working ardently to find new information about mesothelioma. Their research may one day provide new hope for patients facing a dismal prognosis. Mesothelioma research doctors at Yale, UCLA, and John Hopkins have published numerous reports about the behavior of mesothelioma cancer, asbestos, and the application of clinical trial treatments in animals and humans. Still, much more research is needed to diagnose and treat mesothelioma.

Personal Mesothelioma Research

Are you looking for answers because you or a loved one fears the worst about you own exposure to asbestos? While mesothelioma is a scary cancer that kills about 3,000 Americans each year, not all people that have been exposed to asbestos will develop malignant mesothelioma. Some mesothelioma research indicates that there are several factors that are at play during the development of mesothelioma and only a doctor can diagnose you. By being equipped with the right information and seeking medical assistance, mesothelioma can be diagnosed in earlier stages in some cases. Depending on the resources available to you, you may be the person who has to push for appropriate analysis and diagnostic procedures.

If you are researching the possibility that you or a loved one might be affected by asbestos or are concerned that you may have mesothelioma, here are some questions for your doctor.

1. What might be causing my symptoms? Is mesothelioma possible? (It is important to disclose any known exposure to asbestos.)
2. What tests can I participate in to discover the cause of symptoms?
3. Will I need to have surgery?
4. What are the best possible treatments for my symptoms in the mean time?
5. I also have other illnesses, will this affect them? Will any of the treatments or tests affect them?
6. Is there a specialist for my condition? How can I get an appointment with them?
7. Do you recommend any other sources of information about this disease?

Don’t assume a diagnosis of mesothelioma will be made simply because you or a loved one has been exposed to asbestos. Asbestosis can also cause many of the symptoms of mesothelioma and sufferers of asbestosis may not develop mesothelioma. Your doctor will recommend the best course of action based on your symptoms. This will include testing for other conditions first. If you feel that your doctor is not addressing your concerns, seek a second opinion. Keep in mind that mesothelioma is a rare cancer and there are many other common conditions that exhibit similar symptoms.

For More Information on 'Mesothelioma Awareness', Please read the related Pages given below: 

• Mesothelioma Support: There is Support Available to Help