Mesothelioma Healths

Mesothelioma Research

Most research regarding Mesothelioma is at present targeting the early detection of Mesothelioma. The problem with Mesothelioma along with most other asbestos related diseases is the long time that it takes for the disease to be diagnosed. It is this long period before diagnosis that makes Mesothelioma particularly deadly.

Recent developments in the field of Mesothelioma Research have found a way to detect the presence of Mesothelioma using a simple blood test. The Pacific Northwest Research Institute announced in 2003 that a new method that comprises of a few simple tests was successful in diagnosing and monitoring Mesothelioma in the early stages. Their research indicated that Mesothelioma cells released distinctive molecular markers or signatures into the blood stream which can be identified by some easy test on the blood of the patient.

Recent research has also pointed out that it isn’t only the people who have been directly exposed to asbestos that may suffer from Mesothelioma. Other people who even have secondary exposure (such as a wife cleaning the clothes of a husband) may have just a slightly lower chance of developing Mesothelioma.

Also recently, on 11th February 2007, research was finally concluded for the combined cancer drug pemetrexed and cisplatin for the treatment of Mesothelioma. The research indicated that patients with fatal Mesothelioma that were given a combination of these drugs along with Vitamin B12 survived nearly 3 months longer than those patients which did not have the drug. The combination of the drugs resulted in patients reporting an improvement in their general physical circumstance. The patients reported that they suffered less fatique, more appetite, less pain and less coughing as a result of the combined drugs.