Malignant mesothelioma in young adults

Article Abstract:

Malignant mesothelioma was once a relatively rare cancer, but is now increasing due, at least in part, to environmental exposure to asbestos. Research is uncovering other etiologic agents as well, including radiation and zeolites, a class of silicate minerals sometimes used in water softeners and other ion-exchange applications. The majority of patients with malignant mesothelioma are over 40 years of age. Of 181 patients seen with malignant mesothelioma, 11 were under the age of 40. Of these, 10 were available for study and follow-up. Seven patients had histories of asbestos exposure. The median age at initial exposure was 10 years, and the median duration of exposure was 10 years. The median latency, or the time between initial exposure and diagnosis, was 19 years. When compared to mesothelioma patients as a whole, the younger patients were slower to be diagnosed with the disease. The decreased incidence of cancer in this age group, and the rarity of mesothelioma, no doubt delay the consideration of this possibility when symptoms are seen in younger patients. Among these patients, the male to female ratio was 0.7 to 1.0, in marked contrast to other studies which have shown a preponderance of male cases. It is believed that these sex differences represent a difference in exposure to environmental asbestos rather than an increased susceptibility among men. The difficulty with diagnosis suggests that mesothelioma might be more common in patients under 40 than has been suspected, and that this diagnosis should be considered in cases of unidentified pleural or peritoneal disease. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Environmental aspects, Cancer

---

Predictors of 5-year survival and curability in small cell lung cancer

Article Abstract:

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a common and very aggressive malignancy. Although radiation therapy and chemotherapy have improved survival in patients with SCLC, a cure of this cancer has not been established. Only 5 to 10 percent of patients with SCLC remain alive and disease-free five years after the onset of therapy. Although factors that predict the duration of survival have been identified, factors that predict disease-free survival for a duration of greater than five years have not been determined. The ability to identify predictive factors of overall survival and disease-free survival for at least five years was evaluated in 81 cases of SCLC, seen at a major medical center between 1974 and 1982. Five female patients and one male patient survived 73 to 96 months after the onset of therapy. Among the six survivors, four had disease limited to a specific area, whereas two patients had extensive disease. Three of the survivors remain alive and disease-free at 84, 84, and 96 months, respectively, from the time of their first treatment. Sex, stage of the disease, and the development of herpes zoster, a viral infection, are factors that predict the duration of overall survival. However, sex and the development of herpes zoster were the only factors that significantly related to survival of at least five years. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Development and progression, Prognosis, Lung cancer, Small cell, Small cell lung cancer

---

Well-differentiated papillary mesothelioma of the peritoneum: a clinicopathologic study of 22 cases

Article Abstract:

Although malignant mesothelioma, which is sometimes associated with asbestos exposure, is a highly malignant cancer, there are other mesotheliomas which are either less aggressive or benign. Multicystic mesothelioma is one of these. Less is known about the well-differentiated papillary mesothelioma of the peritoneum (WDPMP). The peritoneum is the membrane that lines the abdominal cavity. Of 22 WDPMP patients seen, 18 were women, indicating that WDPMP shares the tendency of multicystic mesothelioma to occur in women. The median age of the WDPMP patients was 40 years. One of the 22 patients died of causes clearly related to the tumor, in this case, continuing ascites (accumulation of excess fluid in the peritoneal cavity) with aplastic anemia. Another two patients died of causes which make it difficult to distinguish between the effects of the tumor and the effects of the radiotherapy used for treatment. In the majority of cases, however, the tumor has an indolent nature, another feature shared with multicystic mesothelioma. Because the tumor tends to grow slowly, it is suggested that adjuvant therapy, such as radiation that is given after surgery, not be used for most patients with WDPMP. Thirteen patients are alive and well, although the disease persists in some. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Pelvic cancer

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Malignant neoplasms arising in endometriosis. Synergistic effect of combined intraperitoneal cisplatin and cytosine arabinoside in a murine ovarian cancer model
• Abstracts: Pelvic and paraaortic lymphocysts after radical surgery because of cervical and ovarian cancer. Quantitative fluorescence polymerase chain reaction for the rapid prenatal detection of common aneuploidies and fetal sex
• Abstracts: Adjuvant systemic therapy. Progress in the treatment of early breast cancer. The breast biopsy
• Abstracts: Rheumatology at the general practitioner/hospital interface: a study of prevalence and access to specialist care
• Abstracts: Hemiparesis and ischemic changes of the white matter after intrathecal therapy for children with acute lymphocytic leukemia

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.