Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) June 19, 2014
A study conducted by a surgical team at Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska published April 8, 2014, has shown what researchers believe is the correct chemotherapy drug to use in conjunction with surgery in patients suffering from peritoneal mesothelioma, reports the national law firm of Baron and Budd. As a result, survival rates may increase substantially. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24887664)
A rare form of asbestos cancer, peritoneal mesothelioma attacks the lining of the abdomen. It affects approximately 500 patients a year in the United States and is caused by the ingestion or inhalation of asbestos, according to the study. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1994863/)
The typical course of treatment is to eliminate as much cancer as possible using surgery and then using heated chemotherapy drugs to rinse the abdomen. The team of surgeons studied 44 patients who had been treated at Creighton University Medical Center from 2003 to 2010. According to the study, some of the patients were given mitomycin during chemotherapy while the others were treated with carboplatin. Mitomycin is an antibiotic used to fight tumors, while carboplatin is a platinum-based drug.
According to the study, of the patients treated with mitomycin, 72 percent lived a year after surgery while 27 percent survived five years or more. Of the patients treated with carboplatin, nearly 90 percent survived one year and nearly 63 percent were still alive at the five-year mark. In addition, patients given mitomycin spent nearly four times longer in intensive care and six days more in the hospital compared to those treated with carboplatin. Those treated with mitomycin also needed more than four times as many blood transfusions.
“Advancements in the treatment of different forms of mesothelioma are occurring with more and more regularity, and we couldn’t be happier,” said Russell Budd, managing director of mesothelioma law firm Baron and Budd. “We applaud any finding such as this that will help mesothelioma patients live fuller, longer lives.”
For nearly 40 years, the national law firm of Baron and Budd has fought for the rights of mesothelioma patients by holding accountable the companies responsible for their suffering. Give us a call at 866-855-1229 or visit our website at http://www.fightmesothelioma.com to learn how we may be able to help if you or a loved one has contracted this disease.
ABOUT BARON & BUDD, P.C.
The national mesothelioma law firm of Baron & Budd, P.C. has a more than 30-year history of “Protecting What’s Right” for asbestos sufferers and their families. As one of the first law firms to successfully litigate an asbestos lawsuit, Baron & Budd continues to actively represent veterans, industry workers and others who are suffering as a result of exposure to asbestos. Baron & Budd achieved the largest mesothelioma verdict ever in the state of Texas, a $55 million verdict for an asbestos sufferer and his family in El Paso, Texas. Contact Baron and Budd at 1.866.855.1229 for additional information on mesothelioma treatments, mesothelioma cancer doctors and treatment centers and mesothelioma attorneys.