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Those living with the peritoneal form of malignant mesothelioma have additional reason for hope thanks in large part to a new study published in the European Journal of Cancer. With mesothelioma affecting over 2500 Americans a year and claiming approximately 3000 lives, the rare form of the ultra-aggressive cancer known as malignant peritoneal mesothelioma typically has a poor prognosis. However, researchers from the new study were able to use methods called cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) to achieve a 43.6% cure rate for long-term survivors in the pool of 108 patients.
Caused by asbestos exposure, peritoneal mesothelioma attacks the lining of the abdomen which affects the lining’s ability to protect the abdomen as well as function properly. As the disease advances like other forms of mesothelioma, treatments have been hit-or-miss with very low survival rates. Boasting a median overall survival of 63.2 months for patients in the study, the CRS/HIPEC treatment can be classified as encouraging for those suffering from peritoneal mesothelioma. The cytoreductive surgery portion of the treatment begins with surgeons removing all traces of the malignant tumor to prevent it from growing back in the future. Afterwards, a heated solution of chemotherapy medicine is targeted into the abdominal cavity to kill any stray cells that could impact other organs. Following the procedure, most patients experienced no mesothelioma growth for more than two years.
Although major complications from the CRS/HIPEC procedure occurred in about 38% of patients, the survival rates are promising. In fact, 19 out of 39 patients survived more than 7 years with peritoneal mesothelioma. In the study, researchers found that those with the epithelial subtype of the disease had an increased chance of survival. Also adding to the chance of survival was a patient’s lymph nodes being cancer free.
With an extensive resources and decades of experience helping individuals who have malignant peritoneal mesothelioma, the lawyers at Brookman, Rosenberg, Brown & Sandler will guide you through the complexities of a mesothelioma lawsuit. Our knowledgeable, professional team of mesothelioma lawyers recognizes the seriousness of your situation and will help you through every step of the process to get you the compensation to which you are entitled. With offices conveniently located in Center City Philadelphia, we serve clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Call us today at 1-800-369-0899 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.