September 18, 2013 – The Philadelphia mesothelioma attorneys at the Shein Law are optimistic about new study results showing an improved mesothelioma survival rate for suffering patients as well as other abdominal cancers. These promising results may offer mesothelioma patients and their families a greater sense of hope in their fight against this disease.
Peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare aggressive lethal cancer that occurs in the lining of the abdominal cavity, known as the peritoneum. It is caused exclusively by an exposure to asbestos. Symptoms of the disease typically do not appear until decades after an exposure to asbestos; therefore when most patients are diagnosed, the disease is usually in its advanced stages.
Study Shows Cytoreductive Surgery Combined with Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy Has Promising Survival Rates
The combination treatment of cytoreductive surgery (CS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a complex invasive surgery used as a treatment for advanced abdominal cancers. This treatment approach entails patients undergoing surgery to remove as much of the visible cancer as possible followed by the administration of heated chemotherapy drugs directly throughout the abdominal cavity in an effort to destroy any residual cancer cells. CS/HIPEC is increasingly becoming more available at cancer centers throughout the country. Since this procedure can be quite lengthy and require an extended hospital stay, it has been debated whether there is more risk or benefit to patients undergoing this complicated procedure.
Recently, researchers at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York studied the data of 112 patients who underwent CS/HIPEC between the years of 2003 and 2011 for several different conditions including peritoneal mesothelioma, colorectal cancer, appendiceal cancer and disseminated peritoneal adenomucinosis. The researchers looked at multiple variables to determine morbidity, mortality and survival rates for this group of patients.
The research showed that that there were no mortalities during the operations, nor were there any deaths within 30 days following the operation. At 60 days after surgery, 2.7 % of the patients had died. The most common cause of operative morbidity was found to be a superficial surgical site infection at a rate similar to other major complex surgical procedures.
The median survival time for all patients who underwent the CS/HIPEC procedure was 63.2 months. The five-year overall survival rate for the peritoneal mesothelioma subgroup was 80.8% with a median survival time of 68.5 months. The researchers concluded that CS/HIPEC should be included as a viable multidisciplinary treatment approach when caring for select patients diagnosed with a variety of conditions in which there is a metastasis to the peritoneal area including peritoneal mesothelioma.
The researchers’ full analysis appears in the June issue of Cancer Medicine.
Shein Law in Philadelphia: Mesothelioma Attorneys Advocating for Local Victims of Asbestos Exposure
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma or any other type of mesothelioma, lung cancer or an asbestos-related disease, contact the experienced mesothelioma lawyers at the Shein Law. Our law offices are located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Pennsauken, New Jersey, but we are available to meet with you at a location that is more convenient to you and your family. Call our law offices today at 1-877-SHEINLAW (743-4652) to schedule a free consultation or contact us online.