Complementary Gift baskets for cancer patients

Readers here know that thoracics.org doesn’t shill for anyone.. We are a proudly independent website with no outside funding (as painful as this is sometimes). But we are happy to share the following information:

The Environment Litigation Group, which is a law firm specializing in lawsuits related to asbestos and other toxic exposures is offering complimentary gift baskets for cancer patients. Asbestos is recognized world-wide as a dangerous cancer causing chemical, and has been banned from use in 67 countries*.

Thoracics.org is posting the information here since this law firm works with many of the people with mesothelioma to assist them to obtain the financial assistance that was promised to them – as part of a huge financial settlement that was set aside for this purpose. In the United States, patients often need legal assistance due to a pattern of aggressive defensive tactics used by multiple corporations to shield themselves from liability. This has been aided by a former president who aimed to please his corporate sponsors.

This is a particularly egregious abuse when you consider that the link between asbestos and disease has been well-known since the 1920’s.

So we are pleased to share this link for complimentary gift baskets for cancer patients. (This is the same firm that offered free face masks during the face mask shortage). And – if they can help someone access the financial resources they are entitled to, all the better..

*It remains in prevalent use in places like India where the are few effective controls to prevent it’s use. This has implications for both Indian workers in the manufacturing sector, as well as consumers – in both domestic and international markets.

Latest research findings: Mesothelioma

new research results from the University of Pennsylvania on the treatment of pleural mesothelioma.

The University of Pennsylvania reports the latest results of a small study involving 28 patients with pleural mesothelioma.

This limited study compared combination treatment using photodynamic therapy along with a lesser lung surgery (14 patients) in comparison to extrapleural pneumonectomy alone (14 patients).  22 of the 28 patients also received chemotherapy.

Patient population: 28 patients – 12 /14 patients in either group with advanced (stage III/IV ) disease

Results:  Extrapleural pneumonectomy group had a median survival of 8.9 months.  The combination photodynamic/ surgery group median survival exceeded two years (when the study ended).

Take away message for readers:  It’s too early, and the study groups are far too small for us to generalize these findings.  However, these preliminary results are encouraging and should prompt more, larger scale studies / trials looking at photodynamic therapy as adjuvant therapy along with thoracic surgery for pleural mesothelioma.

 

Update: 06/15/2011:

the mesothelioma study from PA just got picked up by a major wire service, so expect to read and hear a lot more about it.

Update: 08/15/2014:  Mesothelioma.net has asked that I link with their site.  They offer some informational services for people facing mesothelioma.  Please let me know if this site is spam-plagued or otherwise dubious and I will remove the link (the site is a bit ‘shiny’ and circular for my taste.)