For over 30 years, I have helped clients who have mesothelioma, a cancer caused by asbestos exposure. Through my years of representing mesothelioma victims, I have become very familiar with the medical issues related to the diagnosis and treatment of this deadly disease. I have had the opportunity to meet and work with many dedicated doctors and scientists who are not only treating mesothelioma patients, but who are also actively involved in research to find a cure for this disease.
I have written frequently about potential new treatment options that are being discovered to improve the quality of life and increase survival times for mesothelioma patients. I am especially interested when I see research that shows promise in arresting the spread of mesothelioma cells in the body since that is the beginning of the end of this disease.
Stopping the Spread of Cancer Cells
Nearly 90% of cancer deaths occur when cancer spreads beyond a tumor into areas that are more difficult to treat, such as the lungs or bones. The ability to stop the spread of cancer is one of the keys to curing the cancer. Scientists are constantly looking for ways to do this and have found one important key that may help mesothelioma patients.
I recently read that researchers have found that when a protein called Janus kinase, or JAK, is active, it can have very negative consequences for cancer patients as this active protein causes contractions which force cancer cells to be pushed out of the tumor and into other parts of the body. JAK can also cause healthy cells to build furrows in tissue, allowing cancer cells to move through these furrows.
Drugs are currently being developed to help block JAK, and researchers believe that such drugs could aid in preventing the spread of cancer. Stopping the spread of cancer cells to other parts of the body will be an exciting new step in treating cancer, especially aggressive cancers like mesothelioma. Today, we see our mesothelioma clients being treated with cutting-edge treatments that are built on discoveries made through research efforts such as these involving JAK. Tomorrow, we hope for a cure to this disease.
Battling Mesothelioma on Two Fronts
Mesothelioma, like all cancers, has always been a multifaceted problem. As with all diseases, the major battlefronts are prevention and treatment. The research into the way cancer spreads is one of the many ways scientists are attacking this disease and developing treatment options.
Preventing asbestos exposure is also a key element in the battle against this disease. Asbestos exposure is known to be the cause of mesothelioma. While asbestos is not presently banned in the US, its use is negligible. Presently, there are extensive regulatory requirements in place for the removal of asbestos materials.
My firm and I are very passionate about the prevention of asbestos-related diseases, and in particular, mesothelioma. We are focused on holding accountable the companies that made, sold and used asbestos products without warning of the deadly dangers that they were aware of. Holding these companies accountable for their wrongdoings has helped to raise awareness of dangers of asbestos exposure and helped to reduce the number of mesothelioma occurrences in the future.
