The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (Meso Foundation) announced this month that it awarded an additional one million dollars to several top research universities and institutions devoted to finding a cure for mesothelioma, the deadly asbestos-related cancer. Each year the Meso Foundation receives dozens of grant applications from research facilities around the world, and awards much-needed funding to top research projects. This year the foundation received forty grant applications, and through its scientific peer review process, it chose ten deserving projects on the basis of scientific innovation and excellence. So far the Meso Foundation has awarded over $5 million to develop better treatment options for mesothelioma victims.

To learn more, click here.

Industrial giant Ingersoll-Rand announced that it has taken a fourth quarter noncash pretax charge of $449 million ($277 million after taxes) for pending and future asbestos claims brought against the company through the year 2053. The company continues to defend asbestos-related suits in federal and state court related to the manufacture of pumps and compressors that used asbestos-containing parts it purchased from suppliers. In the last 25 years, Ingersoll-Rand has resolved over 208,000 claims totaling $308 million, with over 100,000 claims still open at the end of 2007. According to the company, over 90% of those are non-malignancy claims, having little or no settlement value. In estimating future costs, the company took into account a decline in new nonmalignancy claims and an increased focus on mesothelioma claims.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported yesterday that the Australian Lung Cancer Trials Group plans to launch a national clinical trial of Thalidomide as a follow-up treatment for mesothelioma sufferers who have undergone treatment with the drug Alimta. Alimta is a chemotherapy agent which has been shown to increase survival time and improve qualifty of life for mesothelioma patients. It was recently added to the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), allowing wider access to the drug for mesothelioma sufferers.

One hundred Australians who have undergone Alimta treatment will participate in the Thalidomide trial, called MATES (Maintenance Thalidomide in Mesothelioma). The study will compare those patients that have received chemotherapy to treat their cancer with those who have received standard mesothelioma treatments and the drug Thalidomide to treat their cancer. One of the objectives of the trial is to prove whether adding Thalidomide to standard treatment will prolong the lives and improve the quality of life for mesothelioma victims.

Thalidomide had been used in Australia in the 50's and 60's to treat morning sickness but was taken off the market worldwide when it was found to cause birth defects and miscarriages. According to the study organizers, such risks would not be an issue in the Thalidomide trial because study participants are past child bearing age. The trial will begin in March 2008 and is expected to take up to two years to complete.

Online support groups provide an alternative mode of support for people by connecting a diverse network of people dealing with similar issues. Online communication provides various options for support including email lists, bulletin boards, real-time chat, and blogs (online journals). Members can receive a great deal of information and support without some of the barriers of traditional face-to-face support groups. Some people may be unable to attend traditional support groups due to physical restraints (geographic distance, being homebound, or not having transportation), scheduling issues (due to work or care giving responsibilities), lack of convenience and flexibility, and/or stigma involved in attending meetings (fear of being seen attending a meeting). Online communication also allows people to disclose sensitive information about themselves in a relatively risk-free environment. Below are some of the strengths and limitations of online groups.

Strengths of Online Support Groups

- Increased access to support (provide support to those that are unable to attend traditional support groups or need additional support between group meetings)

- Adjunct to counseling (provide additional support between counseling sessions)

- Other therapeutic factors (provide a combination of therapeutic factors giving members potential for growth, change, and social experimentation – one example is “universality” which unites people as they share similar thoughts, feelings, fears, and situations)

- Specialization (groups can be dedicated to specific topics, age groups, or gender groups)

- Privacy (provide privacy one would not have attending a traditional support group)

Limitations of Online Support Groups

- Differing stages of group development (groups remain open to new members and members may log in and out at anytime – fluctuations in membership may make it difficult for groups to go through typical stages together or maintain a working phase for long periods of time)

- Limited feedback (lack of face-to-face interaction limits people’s ability to use vocal intonations, verbal and non-verbal cues to provide feedback to other members)

- Crisis management (handling an emotional crisis in cyberspace is challenging – limited feedback and lack of identifying information make assessment and referrals difficult)

- Anonymity breaches (despite steps to maintain anonymity members can exchange identifying information and personal communication – members must consider the risks before joining and providing any information)

- Host competency (requirements for hosts vary among sites, hosts should state their professional qualifications or indicate none)

- Quality control (each online support group sets its own standards and procedures – users should try several to determine which suits their needs)

- Members with limited language skills (members with English as a second language, learning disability, or other language limitations may find challenges or misunderstandings due to lack of other feedback (ex. Body language) and difficulty sensing irony and sarcasm)

- Hoax perpetuations (people with unscrupulous motives can deceive an online support group)

Online support groups can benefit people with barriers to accessing more traditional methods of support and can have the potential to improve the access and delivery of support to a wider range of people, including some who would not seek face-to-face support at all. They can reduce a person’s sense of isolation and increase feelings of validation. However, it is important to note that online support groups may not be appropriate for everyone.

Be sure to check out our Mesothelioma Discussion Board at http://forum.mesothelioma-center.com/index.php where you can receive information and support from our online community.