Author: Joseph Belluck
Nurses Make A Difference to Mesothelioma Patients
Nurses are an integral part to anyone’s recovery. During my father’s battle with mesothelioma, there were countless nurses on his medical team, cheering him on, taking care of him, and becoming his friends. They were each very special to me and my family, and we still appreciate all that they did to make my Dad feel like he mattered, and that he was being cared for by caring people.
When Dad had his pleurectomy at NYU Langone, there was a nurse’s aide named Doris. Dad enjoyed his time with her so much; I remember leaving the hospital when he was released back to the hotel and she wasn’t working at the time. We left a note on the white board in the room, thanking her and reiterating their inside joke once more, hoping that it would still be there when her next shift began.
Dad spent a fair amount of time in treatment facilities and hospitals, and he would always talk about the nurses as though they were his buddies. I know that they have an incredibly hard job that must wear them down at times. I just pray that my father was a bright light in their day, as they were in his.
On behalf of mesothelioma patients and their families, thank you for all you do. Your hard work and dedication do not go unnoticed.
Riding the Mesothelioma Roller Coaster
My family and I have been riding the so-called “mesothelioma roller-coaster” for over six years now. The ups and downs of this disease are never-ending and, even though my father has since passed away, they continue.
When my Dad was diagnosed, it was instant confusion followed by anger mixed with sadness, anxiety, and grief. Upon completion of surgery and chemotherapy, it was relief and happiness. I remember telling my husband after Dad got a report from the doctor that there was no evidence of disease, that I had thought that I would never be able to truly smile again. During the clinical trial, the good reports kept coming, and we shared so many happy memories in that time that I will always treasure.
When the news came that some mesothelioma had returned, it was back to square one, but in a different way this time. Now, we were educated, and it seemed like the sense of shock of what we were dealing with was muffled a bit. We knew what mesothelioma was this time, the prognosis, the implications of treatment, and so did our close friends and family members. After the radiation that followed, Dad was once again showing no evidence of disease. We thought that once he recovered from the effects of the treatment, he would be back to his old self again, just like before.
That was until the morning that he passed away. Less than an hour before he was gone, I spoke to my father who told me that he was feeling better and better. He told a friend he thought that he was turning a corner toward complete recovery. Ultimately, this was not to be. I don’t need to document the gamut of emotions that I felt that day, but I think it is important to realize that my emotions are still all over the place. The roller coaster ride continues.
Every day, I feel sadness and grief at the loss of the man who shaped me, but gratitude for his presence in my life. I feel joy and warmth thinking back on the memories we made while, at the same time, mourning those we didn’t get a chance to create. I laugh remembering his smile and sense of humor, while shedding tears in knowing that I don’t get to hear it anymore. The aftermath of mesothelioma is something that I will carry with me forever, but I will always keep on loving my father and remembering his beautiful life.
Mesothelioma Patients Eye Combination Therapy Given FDA Priority Review for Bringing “Significant Survival Benefit” To Lung Cancer Patients
In October 2016, MesotheliomaHelp reported the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the immunotherapy drug atezolizumab (TECENTRIQ, Genentech Oncology) for the treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose disease progressed after platinum-based chemotherapy. Now, Genentech reports the FDA has granted priority review for Tecentriq when used in combination with bevacizumab (Avastin), paclitaxel and carboplatin (chemotherapy), for lung cancer patients.
The status was given based on results from the Phase III IMpower150 study, according to the May 6 press release from Genentech announcing the approval. The trial was established to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Tecentriq with the triple drug combination compared with patients receiving the triplet without Tecentriq. Tecentriq is designed to target PD-L1 expressed on tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating immune cells and to enable the activation of T cells, according to the company.
“Our Phase III results showed TECENTRIQ in combination with Avastin, paclitaxel and carboplatin has the potential to provide a significant survival benefit in the initial treatment of metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer,” said Sandra Horning, M.D., chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development. “We are working closely with the FDA to bring this treatment regimen to people with this type of lung cancer as soon as possible.”
Lung cancer is by far the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society. The ACS estimates about 234,030 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in 2018, with approximately 154,050 Americans dying from the cancer. Nearly 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma, with close to the same number losing their lives to it each year.
Pleural mesothelioma is an asbestos-caused cancer affecting the lining of the lungs. Although there are clinical differences between lung cancer and mesothelioma, the treatment protocol for the two cancers are similar. Mesothelioma is a terminal cancer with limited treatment options. Any new breakthrough or approval in the treatment of NSCLC is considered a win for mesothelioma patients as well.
A Priority Review designation will direct overall attention and resources to the evaluation of applications for drugs that, if approved, would be significant improvements in the safety or effectiveness of the treatment, diagnosis, or prevention of serious conditions when compared to standard applications, according to the FDA.
https://www.fda.gov/ForPatients/Approvals/Fast/ucm405405.htm
A Priority Review designation means FDA’s goal is to take action on an application within 6 months. Genentech reports the FDA is expected to make a decision on approval by September 5, 2018.
Find out more about the IMpower150 clinical trial at ClinicalTrials.gov.
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02366143
Sources :
- Genentech
https://www.gene.com/media/press-releases/14715/2018-05-06/fda-grants-priority-review-to-genentechs - American Cancer Society
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/non-small-cell-lung-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
Family Members Want to Care for Their Loved Ones with Mesothelioma
For many different reasons, sometimes it’s hard to ask for help. You don’t know who to ask, you don’t want to impose, you’re embarrassed, or you don’t want to admit that you need the assistance. These can ring true for anyone, but I’ve found it to be quite prevalent in the mesothelioma community.
This group is made up of warriors! It’s a group of strong, resilient, and let’s face it… sometimes stubborn (and that’s not a bad thing!) people who are steadfast in their fight. They don’t want to make others feel as though they are putting them out, or be what they think is a burden on their loved ones. I am here to tell you, that no caregiver feels that way.
We are caregivers because we care and want to give anything we can to those we love. We are honored to support you in any way that you need. I know that there were times where my father hated asking me for things; I’m an adult, I lived three hours away, and I had “my own life.” Just because I am married with a business and a family doesn’t mean that he wasn’t still very much a part of that life. Things were added, but in no way was he subtracted.
I was so blessed to be there for my Dad during his surgery and recovery. I was able to be there to help during the clinical trial and visit multiple times during his radiation therapy when he was in NYC for weeks. I am blessed to have a life that allowed me to travel to be with my parents and make frequent trips back to my hometown. Dad also visited me at my home, and my husband and I loved doting on him, making him the king of the castle!
So, as Dad would say, “the moral of the story” is to never be afraid to ask your loved ones for help. Don’t push them away when all they want is to be pulled closer. You are loved by many, and those people are just waiting for a chance to help. God bless all caregivers and the ones they care for… in any capacity!
Chemicals Identified As Potential Targets for Lung Cancer May One Day Be Focus for Personalized Mesothelioma Treatments
After five years spent testing and retesting over 200,000 different compounds as candidates to be used in the treatment of lung cancer, researchers narrowed the list down to 170 chemicals. Now, the team plans to delve deeper into the mechanisms of the compounds and to assess the effectiveness against other types of cancers. Potentially, mesothelioma and other aggressive cancer patients will benefit from the new discovery.
The team of researchers from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, using the Center’s “unique lung cancer cell library,” set out to identify therapeutic triads, according to an April 19 press release. The search required testing against a trifecta of criteria including finding chemicals that kill cancer cells, biomarkers that predict who would respond, and the therapeutic targets on which those active chemicals work.
The 170 chemicals were tested against 100 lung cancer lines to confirm they all met the three sets of criteria. The resulting chemicals are called the Precision Oncology Probe Set, or POPS. This testing approach is considered unusual for cancer research with the team looking at drugs first, then cancers.
“Almost all cancer research is gene-first, or target-first. We began with the potential drugs,” said Dr. Michael Roth, Professor of Biochemistry and a member of the Simmons Cancer Center.
The researchers report that these findings are “a significant step forward toward personalizing cancer care.” They report that for most of the compounds they identified a biomarker that can lead to the development of precision medicine. This means patients with those biomarkers can receive individualized care.
Personalized care targeted to the unique characteristics, such as the biomarkers, of a mesothelioma patient increases the chance of success, and can extend their survival and improve their quality of life. For most mesothelioma patients, life expectancy is less than a year after diagnosis and they often struggle with daily living tasks. There is no cure, and there are limited treatments for the asbestos-caused cancer.
UT Southwestern researchers are known for their innovative approach to cancer research with their findings bringing hope to the mesothelioma community. MesotheliomaHelp has reported on UT’s research into chili peppers in combating cancer and into a new target in fighting the KRAS gene in cancer. They have also conducted mesothelioma clinical trials.
UT Southwestern Medical Center is one of the few institutions in the country with a treatment and research program dedicated to mesothelioma, according to its website. To find out more about UT Southwestern’s research and treatment for mesothelioma, visit the Mesothelioma program’s website.
Read the full study in the March 28 issue of the journal Cell.
https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(18)30308-8
Sources
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/newsroom/articles/year-2018/170-lung-cancer-drugs.html - Mesothelioma program’s website
https://utswmed.org/conditions-treatments/mesothelioma/ - UT Southwestern Medical Center
https://utswmed.org/conditions-treatments/mesothelioma/
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