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Journal Updates

Descriptions of selected journal articles about mesothelioma. Some are available as full-text but may require payment of a fee to the publisher. Article links take you to the abstract and a way to order the article. These journals can also be found at medical libraries.

Asbestos / Causes

Malignant Mesothelioma due to Environmental Exposure to Asbestos: Follow-Up of a Turkish Cohort Living in a Rural Area, Metintas S, Metintas M, Ucgun I, Oner U. Chest, 2002 Dec;122(6):2224-9.

This article describes a study of the incidence of malignant plural mesothelioma in 11 Turkish villages. The villagers had been environmentally exposed to asbestos through the use of asbestos-contaminated soil mixtures known as white soil. The results of the study were compared to the incidence of MPM through occupational exposure and between women and men as determined in previous studies throughout the world.

Women and Mesothelioma, Smith DD. Chest, 2002 Dec;122(6):1885-6.

This is a discussion of the results of a study to determine the incidence of malignant pleural mesothelioma due to environmental exposure to asbestos-contaminated soil mixtures in regions of Turkey. The relative risk of MPM was found to be greater in women than in men. The discussion centers around the possible explanations for the higher risk levels fond for women in the Turkish study versus higher risk levels found for men in previous North American, Australian, and European studies.

Trends in U.S. Pleural Mesothelioma Incidence Rates Following Simian Virus 40 Contamination of Early Poliovirus Vaccines, Strickler HD, Goedert JJ, Devesa SS, Lahey J, Fraumeni JF Jr, Rosenberg PS. J Natl Cancer Inst, 2003 Jan 1;95(1):38-45.

Simian virus 40 DNA sequences have reportedly been detected in pleural mesotheliomas. This article examines the incidence of malignant pleural mesothelioma in patients who were exposed to polio vaccines contaminated with the simian virus 40. No increased incidence of MPM was found.

Treatment

Diffuse Malignant Mesothelioma of the Peritoneum and Pleura, Analysis of Markers, Jacqueline K Trupiano, Kim R Geisinger, Mark C Willingham, Paul Manders, Nora Zbieranski, Doug Case and Edward A Levine. Modern Pathology, (2004) 17, 476-481.

In this study, the EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) expression was more pronounced in peritoneal tumors compared to pleural tumors. The increased expression of EGFR in the peritoneal lesions may be of clinical significance with the recent emergence of epidermal growth factor receptor-targeted therapies.

Phase II Study of Pemetrexed With and Without Folic Acid and Vitamin B12 as Front-Line Therapy in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma, Giorgio V. Scagliotti, Dong-M. Shin, Hedy L. Kindler, Michael J. Vasconcelles, Uwe Keppler, Christian Manegold, Howard Burris, Ulrich Gatzemeier, Johannes Blatter, James T. Symanowski, James J. Rusthoven. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2003 April; 121 (8): 1556-1561.

Single-agent pemetrexed (Alimta) resulted in moderate response rates and was well-tolerated, particularly in patients who received low-dose folic acid and vitamin B12 supplements.

Activity of chemotherapy and immunotherapy on malignant mesothelioma: a systematic review of the literature with meta-analysis, Berghmans T, Paesmans M, Lalami Y, Louviaux I, Luce S, Mascaux C, Meert AP, Sculier JP. Lung Cancer, 2002 Nov;38(2):111-21.

This article reviews studies involving chemotherapy or immunotherapy in malignant mesothelioma that were published between 1965 and mid 2001. The methods of evaluation are described in detail throughout the article. A combination of the chemotherapy drugs cisplatin and doxorubicin produced the highest antitumoral response rate. Cisplatin was the most active single-agent treatment.

Chemotherapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma: past results and recent developments, Tomek S, Emri S, Krejcy K, Manegold C. Br J Cancer, 2003 Jan 27;88(2):167-74.

This article describes the role of chemotherapy in the treatment of mesothelioma and summarizes the results of phase I, II and III studies on the newest chemotherapy drugs

Alimta (pemetrexed disodium): a multitargeted antifolate for the treatment of mesothelioma, Green MR. Lung Cancer, 2002 Nov;38 Suppl 2:S55-7.

The results of phase I and II studies of pemetrexed disodium are described in this article. The results of phase III were presented at ASCO 2002.

Interferons and Their Application in the Diseases of the Lung, Antoniou KM, Ferdoutsis E, Bouros D. Chest, 2003 Jan;123(1):209-16.

This is a review of a family of cytokine mediators known as interferons (INF’s) and their clinical use in the treatment of patients with diseases of the lungs including malignant pleural mesothelioma. Interferons are derived form human cells and normally fight viral infections by preventing the multiplication of viruses in cells. Two types of interferons have been used in studies involving patients with MPM. One type has potential anti-tumor properties and may reduce other systemic manifestations of the disease possibly by altering the behavior of malignant cells. The second type of interferon was used in combination with other chemicals and also produced positive results.

Inactivation of p16^INK4a expression in malignant mesothelioma by methylation, Wong L, Zhou J, Anderson D, Kratzke RA. Lung Cancer, 2002 Nov;38(2):131-6.

A common abnormality in the structure of chromosomes in mesothelioma cell lines and tumors involves disruption of certain gene products which help to regulate cell cycles. This article focuses on the loss of one of these gene products, p16^INK4a (a protein) through a process called methylation. Re-expression of this protein can be brought about by a process called hypermethylation. This process was studied as a potential therapeutic target for mesothelioma treatment.

Experimental photodynamic therapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma with pagylated mTHPC, Krueger T, Altermatt HJ, Mettler D, Scholl B, Magnusson L, Ris HB. Lasers Surg Med, 2003;32(1):61-8.

Photodynamic therapy destroys cancer cells through a chemical reaction caused by the interaction between laser light and a chemical substance that makes cells more sensitive to light. This article describes an experiment using a particular substance called PEG-mTHPC.

Ifosfamide, carboplatin and etoposide combined with 41.8 degrees D whole body hyperthermia for malignant pleural mesothelioma, Bakhshandeh A, Bruns I, Traynor A, Robins HI, Eberhardt K, Demedts A, Kaukel E, Koschel G, Gatzemeier U, Kohlmann T, Dalhoff K, Ehlers EM, Gruber Y, Zumschlinge R, Hegewisch-Becker S, Peters SO, Wiedemann GJ. Medical University of Lubeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538, Luebeck, Germany.

In this phase II study, three chemotherapy drugs were administered while the patient’s body temperature was elevated to 41.8 degrees C. The article discusses the results of the study.

Surgical Treatment of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma, van Ruth S, Baas P, Zoetmulder FA. Chest, 2003 Feb;123(2):551-61.

Treatment for mesothelioma can involve surgery alone or in combination with external radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or photodynamic therapy. This article describes the different surgical procedures and their effectiveness as well as the effectiveness of surgery in combination with other therapies.

Cytoreductive surgery combined with intraoperative hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy for stage I malignant pleural mesothelioma, van Ruth S, Baas P, Haas RL, Rutgers EJ, Verwaal VJ, Zoetmulder FA. Ann Surg Oncol, 2003 Mar-Apr;10(2):176-82.

This article describes a study involving a surgical process combined with chemotherapy. This surgery was performed with the intent of reducing the size of the cancerous tumor. Chemotherapy is performed during surgery by pouring warm chemicals into the chest cavity and leaving them for 90 minutes.