More than 230 people gathered in Washington, D.C. recently to attend the 6th Annual International Symposium on Malignant Mesothelioma, presented by the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation. This was the largest attendance to date for the event, and 170 of that number also participated in Advocacy Day events, visiting their Congressional delegates on Capitol Hill.
This annual symposium is “for everybody” affected by mesothelioma. This includes patients, caregivers and family members, and those who have lost a loved one to mesothelioma, as well as advocates and scientific and medical experts. The event is designed to provide education about new research and treatment, to assist meso patients and their families and loved ones with coping skills and a network of support, and provide advocates with the tools to help make an impact in the effort to raise awareness about mesothelioma and the dangers of asbestos exposure, and to raise funds for research.
“I don’t think any community knows more about holding onto hope in the midst of difficult circumstances than mesothelioma patients and their families, ” said MARF executive director Chris Hahn. “But there is still a perception of mesothelioma as an orphan disease. It is overlooked, by the government, by the average person, despite the huge presence of asbestos in our society,” he said.
Mesothelioma is a deadly cancer that affects the lining of the chest wall or, more rarely, the abdomen, and, in very rare instances, the heart. It is caused by exposure to asbestos, and may have a latency period of up to 40 years or more from the time of exposure until symptoms manifest. It is difficult to diagnose, and often is misdiagnosed until too late for effective treatment. Even if diagnosed early, treatment is often difficult, and there is currently no known cure.
The Mesothelioma Applied Reserach Foundation is the largest independent program for mesothelioma reserach and support in the world. It operates a competitive grant program that awards up to 10 grants, or $10 million, each year to research projects most likely to lead to better treatment.
The Foundation is a non-profit organization whose main mission is dedicated to “eradicating the life-ending and vicious effects of mesothelioma.”
MARF needs funding. This is the only organization dedicated to the research and treatment of mesothelioma, but it is facing the same struggles that many other charitable foundations are facing in this tough economy - donations are down, funding is stretched thin. The foundation received 59 grant applications in 2008 - programs that WANT to explore and investigate mesothelioma in search of earlier diagnosis, better treatment methods and, ultimately a cure. But the Foundation was only able to fund five new programs in 2008.
It is estimated that 3,300 new cases of mesothelioma will be diagnosed each year.
Mesothelioma, once considered an industrial disease affecting primarily older men, is being diagnosed in younger and younger people. In 2008, a 3-year-old girl was diagnosed with mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is everybody’s problem. We cannot afford NOT to support mesothelioma research.
For more information about the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation and how to make a donation, visit them online.
Wednesday, 22 July 2009
Thursday, 25 June 2009
Asbestos Victims Demand Payout From Insurance Industry
Insurance fat cats were yesterday urged to donate a “£14 million windfall” from asbestos compensation payouts on badly-needed research into asbestos-related diseases.
For the past decade, insurers have saved vast sums on payouts where asbestos victims had already got compensation from the Government.
Last October, the Government changed the rules and began reclaiming these lump-sum payouts back from insurers when victims go on to make successful claims.
But the insurance industry was allowed to keep the money it had already saved - estimated by legal experts to be around £14 million over ten years.
Protestors outside the Association of British Insurers yesterday called on the insurance industry to use some of that money to try to find a cure for - or at least alleviate the suffering of - future victims of the asbestos timebomb.
Tony Whitston, of the Asbestos Victims Support Group Forum, said: “It’s like the MPs and their expenses.”It was within the rules but it was wrong. The insurance industry saved millions of pounds in compensation that was instead paid by taxpayers.”They should do the decent thing and donate this money to researching ways to help future victims of the asbestos timebomb.”
Deaths caused by asbestos are still increasing, are set to hit 6,000 a year and are not expected to decline until 2030.A new National Centre for Asbestos-Related Disease is one of the five demands of the Daily Mirror’s Asbestos Timebomb campaign.
Insurers have not responded to our call for them to help pay for the £10 million centre.But a spokesman for the Association of British Insurers said that the industry didn’t make a windfall as it took into account Government payouts “when setting its premiums”.
That seems unlikely, given that the Government compensation scheme began in 1979, after most of today’s asbestos victims were already exposed, and not long before the most dangerous types of asbestos were banned in 1985.
Most of the asbestos liability insurance claims are on policies dating back to the 1960s and 1970s, when the deadly material was widely used.Despite the credit crunch, the insurance industry is in good health.
Four insurance giants recently announced a court fight to overturn the Scottish Parliament’s decision to re-instate compensation for sufferers of asbestos-linked pleural plaques.
These four firms - which together make up more than half the employee liability insurance market - have reported strong accounts over the last 12 months:
* Aviva - formerly known as Norwich Union - recently announced operating profits of £2.3 billion, up 4% last year, and will this year give £875 million in dividends to shareholders.
* AXA made £1.2 billion profits last year and gave £835 million in dividends to shareholders.
* Royal Sun Alliance made pre-tax profits of £759 million last year and handed shareholders £250 million in dividends.
* Zurich made £3.5 billion profits in 2008, earning £913 million to shareholders.
Nick Sommerlad
http://blogs.mirror.co
For the past decade, insurers have saved vast sums on payouts where asbestos victims had already got compensation from the Government.
Last October, the Government changed the rules and began reclaiming these lump-sum payouts back from insurers when victims go on to make successful claims.
But the insurance industry was allowed to keep the money it had already saved - estimated by legal experts to be around £14 million over ten years.
Protestors outside the Association of British Insurers yesterday called on the insurance industry to use some of that money to try to find a cure for - or at least alleviate the suffering of - future victims of the asbestos timebomb.
Tony Whitston, of the Asbestos Victims Support Group Forum, said: “It’s like the MPs and their expenses.”It was within the rules but it was wrong. The insurance industry saved millions of pounds in compensation that was instead paid by taxpayers.”They should do the decent thing and donate this money to researching ways to help future victims of the asbestos timebomb.”
Deaths caused by asbestos are still increasing, are set to hit 6,000 a year and are not expected to decline until 2030.A new National Centre for Asbestos-Related Disease is one of the five demands of the Daily Mirror’s Asbestos Timebomb campaign.
Insurers have not responded to our call for them to help pay for the £10 million centre.But a spokesman for the Association of British Insurers said that the industry didn’t make a windfall as it took into account Government payouts “when setting its premiums”.
That seems unlikely, given that the Government compensation scheme began in 1979, after most of today’s asbestos victims were already exposed, and not long before the most dangerous types of asbestos were banned in 1985.
Most of the asbestos liability insurance claims are on policies dating back to the 1960s and 1970s, when the deadly material was widely used.Despite the credit crunch, the insurance industry is in good health.
Four insurance giants recently announced a court fight to overturn the Scottish Parliament’s decision to re-instate compensation for sufferers of asbestos-linked pleural plaques.
These four firms - which together make up more than half the employee liability insurance market - have reported strong accounts over the last 12 months:
* Aviva - formerly known as Norwich Union - recently announced operating profits of £2.3 billion, up 4% last year, and will this year give £875 million in dividends to shareholders.
* AXA made £1.2 billion profits last year and gave £835 million in dividends to shareholders.
* Royal Sun Alliance made pre-tax profits of £759 million last year and handed shareholders £250 million in dividends.
* Zurich made £3.5 billion profits in 2008, earning £913 million to shareholders.
Nick Sommerlad
http://blogs.mirror.co
Research Fund Award 2009
The MKMRF are delighted to announce the recipient of this years £100,00 Award is Dr SamJanes, Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant at University College London.
Research Study:
Treating Malignant Mesothelioma with Stem Cells
Despite major advances in several cancers over the past thirty years mesothelioma is still incurable and all those affected will die of the disease.
Dr Janes has recently demonstrated that Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSC) usually found in bone marrow preferentially travel to and integrate into tumours where they form some of the infrastructure called stoma. He has shown in a mestastic lung cancer that these cells can deliver a therapy to the tumour cells that result in the death of tumour cells but not the normal surrounding tissue cells.
He now wants to deliver this therapy to Mesothelioma. Using this system in another tumour initial experiments to control the growth of tumours has in almost 40% of cases eliminate them. If successful this may introduce a new era of treatments for Mesothelioma patients.
Mesothelioma is particularly suitable to this type of therapy because the cells can be delivered by a tube directly into the chest avoiding problems encountered in trying to target other cancer cells around the body.
Research Study:
Treating Malignant Mesothelioma with Stem Cells
Despite major advances in several cancers over the past thirty years mesothelioma is still incurable and all those affected will die of the disease.
Dr Janes has recently demonstrated that Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSC) usually found in bone marrow preferentially travel to and integrate into tumours where they form some of the infrastructure called stoma. He has shown in a mestastic lung cancer that these cells can deliver a therapy to the tumour cells that result in the death of tumour cells but not the normal surrounding tissue cells.
He now wants to deliver this therapy to Mesothelioma. Using this system in another tumour initial experiments to control the growth of tumours has in almost 40% of cases eliminate them. If successful this may introduce a new era of treatments for Mesothelioma patients.
Mesothelioma is particularly suitable to this type of therapy because the cells can be delivered by a tube directly into the chest avoiding problems encountered in trying to target other cancer cells around the body.
Tuesday, 28 April 2009
Monday, 27 April 2009
Well Done !!!
"The Bob Tolley Dominoe Team" have won the Eastbourne League. So Well done to them all and a big thank you for all your support. A more detailed report will follow with photographs from the presentation night which is due to be arranged shortly.
Monday, 20 April 2009
Bart's Mesothelioma Research
Bart’s Mesothelioma Research: is a group of doctors, nurses and laboratory researchers aiming to improve the treatment and increase our understanding of mesothelioma and lung cancer. Mesothelioma is the main type of cancer caused by asbestos poisoning. Mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses such as lung cancer and pleural plaques are increasing in incidence even though asbestos was little used after 1980. The problem is that there is a delay of between 30 and 50 years from the exposure to asbestos dust and the development of one of the diseases.
Britain is currently facing an epidemic of asbestos-related illness. Unfortunately there is very little research going on into mesothelioma in the UK. Bart’s Mesothelioma Research is aiming to raise the profile of this neglected group of diseases by offering our patients the best possible treatment and by conducting first-rate clinical and laboratory research.
At Bart’s we have one of the largest outpatient clinics in the UK for patients with mesothelioma. Typically our doctors see two or three new patients weekly. We also see a large number of patients who have completed treatment and are being followed up. We take a very positive view of treatment for mesothelioma and our patients are treated as individuals with treatment tailored accordingly. Treatments that we use include chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery. All patients are assessed in detail for symptoms by our team which also includes cancer specialist nurses. www.mesothelioma.co.uk
Britain is currently facing an epidemic of asbestos-related illness. Unfortunately there is very little research going on into mesothelioma in the UK. Bart’s Mesothelioma Research is aiming to raise the profile of this neglected group of diseases by offering our patients the best possible treatment and by conducting first-rate clinical and laboratory research.
At Bart’s we have one of the largest outpatient clinics in the UK for patients with mesothelioma. Typically our doctors see two or three new patients weekly. We also see a large number of patients who have completed treatment and are being followed up. We take a very positive view of treatment for mesothelioma and our patients are treated as individuals with treatment tailored accordingly. Treatments that we use include chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery. All patients are assessed in detail for symptoms by our team which also includes cancer specialist nurses. www.mesothelioma.co.uk
Bart's Mesothelioma Clinical Trials
Clinical Trials and Chemotherapy
Irinotecan, mitomycin and cisplatin (‘IPM’) for the first-line or second-line treatment of pleural mesothelioma.
This intensive chemotherapy treatment causes cancer shrinkage in around 30-40% of patients with mesothelioma. Side effects can include lack of energy, nausea and hair loss. The treatment is given every two weeks as an outpatient. Not all patients are suitable for IPM treatment but many patients have benefited from the tumour shrinkage achievable.
Weekly vinorelbine chemotherapy for the first-line or second-line treatment of pleural mesothelioma.
This less-toxic chemotherapy treatment causes cancer shrinkage in around 20% of patients with mesothelioma. Side effects can include lack of energy, nausea and constipation. The treatment is given weekly as an outpatient. Patients sometimes respond to vinorelbine chemotherapy after previous different chemotherapy treatment.
Weekly vinorelbine chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of peritoneal mesothelioma.
Patients with peritoneal mesothelioma have a similar chance of benefit as patients with pleural mesothelioma.. We offer weekly vinorelbine chemotherapy as our treatment for patients with peritoneal mesothelioma.
We also offer all other conventional mesothelioma treatments. New clinical trials are in development all the time so please go to our website for updates. www.mesothelioma.co.uk
Irinotecan, mitomycin and cisplatin (‘IPM’) for the first-line or second-line treatment of pleural mesothelioma.
This intensive chemotherapy treatment causes cancer shrinkage in around 30-40% of patients with mesothelioma. Side effects can include lack of energy, nausea and hair loss. The treatment is given every two weeks as an outpatient. Not all patients are suitable for IPM treatment but many patients have benefited from the tumour shrinkage achievable.
Weekly vinorelbine chemotherapy for the first-line or second-line treatment of pleural mesothelioma.
This less-toxic chemotherapy treatment causes cancer shrinkage in around 20% of patients with mesothelioma. Side effects can include lack of energy, nausea and constipation. The treatment is given weekly as an outpatient. Patients sometimes respond to vinorelbine chemotherapy after previous different chemotherapy treatment.
Weekly vinorelbine chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of peritoneal mesothelioma.
Patients with peritoneal mesothelioma have a similar chance of benefit as patients with pleural mesothelioma.. We offer weekly vinorelbine chemotherapy as our treatment for patients with peritoneal mesothelioma.
We also offer all other conventional mesothelioma treatments. New clinical trials are in development all the time so please go to our website for updates. www.mesothelioma.co.uk
Bart's Mesothelioma Research
Laboratory Research Programme - Introduction
The Bart's laboratory programme is aiming to understand the biology of malignant mesothelioma.
The main interests of our laboratory group are:
Apoptosis, or "programmed cell death", is the regulatory process by which damaged cells are destroyed. There are at least two known apopotic pathways - the "intrinsic" and the "extrinsic", both of which involve the activation of a family of proteins called caspases. Under normal cell activity, activation of caspases leads to apoptosis. In tumours, disruptions in these pathways cause resistance to apoptosis and ensure cell survival and development.
With the use of tissue and molecular biology techniques, we are trying to identify dysfunctional proteins in the mesothelioma apoptotic pathway and sites of drug resistance.
The protein identified might be novel targets for effective treatment.
The genetics of malignant pleural mesothelioma.
The Bart's laboratory programme is aiming to understand the biology of malignant mesothelioma.
The main interests of our laboratory group are:
- The study of apoptotic mechanisms and sites of drug resistance in malignant mesothelioma.
Apoptosis, or "programmed cell death", is the regulatory process by which damaged cells are destroyed. There are at least two known apopotic pathways - the "intrinsic" and the "extrinsic", both of which involve the activation of a family of proteins called caspases. Under normal cell activity, activation of caspases leads to apoptosis. In tumours, disruptions in these pathways cause resistance to apoptosis and ensure cell survival and development.With the use of tissue and molecular biology techniques, we are trying to identify dysfunctional proteins in the mesothelioma apoptotic pathway and sites of drug resistance.
The protein identified might be novel targets for effective treatment.
The genetics of malignant pleural mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma cell-line studies and state of the art genomic array technology is used to identify alterations in the mesothelioma genome and provide information for target therapy.
Thursday, 2 April 2009
Charity Event 2009
The Bob Tolley Mesothelioma Snowdrop Fund
Charity Event
Saturday 26th September 2009
Golf Competition "The Bob Tolley Golf Trophy"
Horam Park Golf Club
Followed by An Auction, Raffle, Disco & Buffet
Eastbourne United Football Club
The Oval Channelview Road Eastbourne
All Proceeds to Mesothelioma Research
Charity Event
Saturday 26th September 2009
Golf Competition "The Bob Tolley Golf Trophy"
Horam Park Golf Club
Followed by An Auction, Raffle, Disco & Buffet
Eastbourne United Football Club
The Oval Channelview Road Eastbourne
All Proceeds to Mesothelioma Research
Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Study Examines Mesothelioma Risk In Britain
A new report prepared by the Institute of Cancer Research and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine examines the occupational, domestic and environmental mesothelioma risks in Britain. The findings are not good news.
The study was conducted for the Health and Safety Executive, an organization whose mission is to prevent death, injury and ill health in Great Britain’s workplaces. The HSE says this is the largest global study of its kind, including more than 600 patients with mesothelioma and 1,400 healthy people, interviewed to examine the rates of mesothelioma among different occupations in the UK.
Statistics resulting from the study include the following:
One in 17 British carpenters born in the 1940s will die of mesothelioma
Plumbers, electricians and decorators born in the 1940s who worked in their trade for more than 10 years before they were 30 have a risk of 1 in 50 of dying of mesothelioma
The risk for other construction workers born in this generation is 1 in 125.
For every case of mesothelioma, asbestos also causes about 1 case of lung cancer; the risk of asbestos-related lung cancer for carpenters in this age group is 1 in 10.
In other industries, about two thirds of British men and one quarter of British women worked in jobs with potential asbestos exposure.
Among the general UK population, even those who did not experience occupational exposure still have a 1 in 1,000 risk of mesothelioma, indicating unrecognized environmental asbestos exposure, due to its widespread use in the 1960s and 1970s.
The report estimates there are more than 2,100 people diagnosed with mesothelioma in the UK every year, with about 5 times as many cases in men as in women.
Read the full report.
The study was conducted for the Health and Safety Executive, an organization whose mission is to prevent death, injury and ill health in Great Britain’s workplaces. The HSE says this is the largest global study of its kind, including more than 600 patients with mesothelioma and 1,400 healthy people, interviewed to examine the rates of mesothelioma among different occupations in the UK.
Statistics resulting from the study include the following:
One in 17 British carpenters born in the 1940s will die of mesothelioma
Plumbers, electricians and decorators born in the 1940s who worked in their trade for more than 10 years before they were 30 have a risk of 1 in 50 of dying of mesothelioma
The risk for other construction workers born in this generation is 1 in 125.
For every case of mesothelioma, asbestos also causes about 1 case of lung cancer; the risk of asbestos-related lung cancer for carpenters in this age group is 1 in 10.
In other industries, about two thirds of British men and one quarter of British women worked in jobs with potential asbestos exposure.
Among the general UK population, even those who did not experience occupational exposure still have a 1 in 1,000 risk of mesothelioma, indicating unrecognized environmental asbestos exposure, due to its widespread use in the 1960s and 1970s.
The report estimates there are more than 2,100 people diagnosed with mesothelioma in the UK every year, with about 5 times as many cases in men as in women.
Read the full report.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
