Review
Oncology
Fraser Brims
Summary: Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the lungs caused by breathing in asbestos fibres, which remains a challenge in terms of treatment and has an uncertain survival time. The disease mainly occurs in males, with a clear risk associated with exposure to asbestos. There have been significant advances in diagnosis, but further research and treatment are still needed.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Takumi Kishimoto, Katsuya Kato, Kazuto Ashizawa, Yasuyuki Kurihara, Takeshi Tokuyama, Fumikazu Sakai
Summary: The requirement for compensation for diffuse pleural thickening in benign asbestos pleural effusion includes five computed tomography findings. This study investigated whether the requirement for confirming no organized pleural effusion changes after a follow-up of >3 months was available for cases fulfilling three of the five items.
Review
Respiratory System
Alan G. Dawson, Kudzayi Kutywayo, Seid B. Mohammed, Dean A. Fennell, Apostolos Nakas
Summary: This systematic review aimed to assess the effect of surgery and hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy on overall survival and disease-free interval in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). The results showed that surgery with hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy was associated with improved overall survival and disease-free interval, especially when a higher dose of hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy was administered.
Article
Oncology
Pietro Gino Barbieri, Dario Consonni, Anna Somigliana
Summary: The study found no significant relationship between asbestos lung burden and survival, with histologic subtype being the strongest prognostic determinant.
JOURNAL OF THORACIC ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Sanna Laaksonen, Eeva Kettunen, Eva Sutinen, Ilkka Ilonen, Tapio Vehmas, Timo Tormakangas, Jari Rasanen, Henrik Wolff, Marjukka Myllarniemi
Summary: This study retrospectively analyzed the types and concentrations of asbestos fibers in lung tissues of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). The results revealed that pulmonary fiber concentrations were correlated with the manner of asbestos usage and crocidolite was found to be one of the most prevalent fiber types. The study suggested that asbestos fiber burden may impact the prognosis of MPM.
JOURNAL OF THORACIC ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Respiratory System
Eline Schillebeeckx, Jan P. van Meerbeeck, Kevin Lamote
Summary: Malignant pleural mesothelioma is typically diagnosed in late stages with poor prognosis, and non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers show potential but lack consensus on clinical use and validation methods.
EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY REVIEW
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Rumeng Gu, Luxi Jiang, Ting Duan, Chun Chen, Shengchang Wu, Deguang Mu
Summary: Sarcomatoid MPM combined with pulmonary embolism is rare with poor prognosis. Clinicians need to be aware of its occurrence and consider other diseases if targeted treatment is ineffective. Pleural biopsy guided by PET-CT is recommended for timely diagnosis in patients with sarcomatoid MPM.
ONCOTARGETS AND THERAPY
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Laura Saracino, Chandra Bortolotto, Stefano Tomaselli, Elia Fraolini, Matteo Bosio, Giulia Accordino, Francesco Agustoni, David M. Abbott, Emma Pozzi, Dimitrios Eleftheriou, Patrizia Morbini, Pietro Rinaldi, Cristiano Primiceri, Andrea Lancia, Patrizia Comoli, Andrea R. Filippi, Giulia M. Stella
Summary: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare and aggressive malignancy commonly caused by asbestos exposure. A multidisciplinary team in San Matteo hospital has been collecting data on over 100 MPM patients since 2018, aiming to define an integrated profile for each case at diagnosis. The study found that personalized treatment approaches based on gender and smoking history can lead to improved outcomes for MPM patients.
Article
Biology
Yohama Caraballo-Arias, Paola Caffaro, Paolo Boffetta, Francesco Saverio Violante
Summary: This scoping review summarized the evidence from studies that quantified asbestos fibers in human pleural tissues. The findings suggest that asbestos fibers are commonly found in both normal and pathological pleural tissues, with no clear distinction between different tissue types.
Review
Respiratory System
Marie Shamseddin, Joanna Obacz, Mathew J. Garnett, Robert Campbell Rintoul, Hayley Elizabeth Francies, Stefan John Marciniak
Summary: Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer with a median survival of 12-18 months and existing models have limitations, so new technologies are being developed to study effective treatments.
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Elzbieta Moszczynska, Karolina Kunecka, Marta Baszynska-Wilk, Marta Perek-Polnik, Dorota Majak, Wieslawa Grajkowska
Summary: Pituitary stalk thickening (PST) is a rare abnormality in pediatric population with heterogeneous etiology. Patients with PST commonly present with symptoms like polydipsia and polyuria, and should be suspected of having germinoma or other diseases.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Respiratory System
Job P. van Kooten, Robert A. Belderbos, Jan H. von der Thusen, Mieke J. Aarts, Cornelis Verhoef, Jacobus A. Burgers, Paul Baas, Arend G. J. Aalbers, Alexander P. W. M. Maat, Joachim G. J. Aerts, Robin Cornelissen, Eva V. E. Madsen
Summary: The incidence of malignant mesothelioma in the Netherlands is declining, especially in male patients under 80 years old. The use of systemic chemotherapy has increased since 2003, which may contribute to improved overall survival. However, the majority of patients do not receive antitumor treatment, and prognosis remains poor.
Article
Oncology
Eline Janssens, Eline Schillebeeckx, Kathleen Zwijsen, Jo Raskin, Joris Van Cleemput, Veerle F. Surmont, Kristiaan Nackaerts, Elly Marcq, Jan P. van Meerbeeck, Kevin Lamote
Summary: This study investigated the potential of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as biomarkers for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) and performed external validation of a VOC-based prediction model for MPM. The initial validation showed poor performance, but subsequent updates improved the model's performance, demonstrating potential for screening.
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Georgia Frangioudakis Khatib, Julia Collins, Pierina Otness, James Goode, Stacey Tomley, Peter Franklin, Justine Ross
Summary: Asbestos is still widely present in the Australian built environment, with approximately 50% of the 13 million tonnes of asbestos products installed in earlier decades remaining in place. Even though actual asbestos exposure levels are mostly very low, the potential for exposure to asbestos fibres remains high due to the extensive past use of asbestos and the ageing of these products. The sources of exposure include disturbance of in situ asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) during renovations or disaster events. However, our understanding of the risk of long-term low-level or background asbestos exposure is poor. This article highlights the need for low-level asbestos monitoring and further research to evaluate the adequacy of current exposure monitoring approaches. It also emphasizes the importance of proactive asbestos removal to reduce the risk of ongoing asbestos contamination and exposure, while improving building sustainability and resource efficiency.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Kathleen Mahoney, Tim Driscoll, Julia Collins, Justine Ross
Summary: Exposure to asbestos fibres leads to asbestos-related diseases (ARDs) such as asbestosis and mesothelioma. Australia has experienced high levels of asbestos use and is still facing ongoing concerns about potential exposure sources from past use. Without targeted actions, Australians will continue to be exposed to legacy asbestos and develop ARDs. It is important to understand and prevent ongoing exposures to effectively manage risks and develop sustainable policies and practices for preventing future diseases.