Recently we wrote about how the combination of the drugs Alimta and Paraplatin showed an improvement in the survival rates of people with mesothelioma. Another breakthrough has been released about the combination of two treatments that resulted in effective palliative care for mesothelioma patients. Researchers from Denmark have reported that the combination of Navelbine® (vinorelbine) and Platinol® (cisplatin) is highly active in patients with newly diagnosed non-resectable malignant pleural mesothelioma. Overall, the one-year survival was 61%, the two-year survival was 31%, and the three-year survival was 4%.

The study evaluated a regimen of Navelbine and Platinol for the treatment of 54 patients with non-resectable mesothelioma. The median number of cycles of chemotherapy administered was four and there were two complete responses and 14 partial responses. The median survival was 16.8 months, and the median time to tumor progression was 7.2 months.

The researchers have concluded that these results were as good or better than currently used combinations for treatment of mesothelioma. Therefore, this drug combination merits further investigation as the results appear to be superior to previous studies with Gemzar-based combinations.

For Full Article, Click Here.

A national registry has been announced to help identify former mine workers of the defunct Baie Verte Asbestos Mine, in Newfoundland, Canada, who may have developed asbestos-related diseases. Asbestos was commercially mined in Baie Verte from 1963 to 1992, employing about 3,000 workers. The announcement of the registry, which is considered a major breakthrough for workers' health, was made today in Baie Verte by the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission (WHSCC) of Newfoundland and Labrador, together with the USW and the Baie Verte Peninsula Miners' Action Committee.

"This is a breakthrough agreement for the USW and workers everywhere and, with the critical information obtained through the registry, it will be a turning point for fair compensation for victims of occupational disease," said USW Ontario/Atlantic Health, Safety and Environment Coordinator Nancy Hutchison. "We hope this announcement will set the pattern for other compensation boards and governments across Canada as we continue to strive for justice for workers and their survivors."

Memorial University has been selected to carry out the work to complete the information for the registry, which will include employment history, asbestos exposure information and health status. Also, the USW will actively work with its members across Canada, the WHSCC, and with the Baie Verte community to help locate all former mine employees, regardless of their health status, and encourage them to register. “The registry is an important first step and USW will be there to support the next stages to turn this announcement into positive action,” said USW Staff Representative Boyd Bussey.

To contact the Baie Verte Miners' Registry, call 1-888-737-7250.

Full Article Here

In the United Kingdom, a proposed law may affect workers' ability to receive compensation for industrial illnesses such as mesothelioma.

Currently, insurance liability forms must be retained on record for forty years.  A new proposition suggests removing this requirement.  Employees who face work-related illnesses may not be able to obtain liability records and will therefore be ineligible for compensation.

According to the president of the Association of Personal Injury lawyers, "Repeal of this regulation means that highly vulnerable people could be left without the means to obtain the compensation they need, and to which they are entitled."

A widow of a mesothelioma victim presented this argument: “[My husband] died without compensation because his employer’s insurance policies were not retained and his employer had ceased trading. For the Government to remove the duty on employers to retain insurance policies for 40 years is an insult to my late husband and to hundreds of asbestos victims and their families who have lost compensation. It is a disgrace.”

To read more about the proposed law, click here.

If you were told that you only had nine months to live, you’d acknowledge that the odds were not in your favor. If you were Jon Matthews, however, you would make a bet that you would beat those unfavorable odds.

In April 2006, Jon Matthews was diagnosed with mesothelioma and given just nine months to live. But the 58-year-old, from Milton Keynes, England made a £100 bet at 50-1 odds that he would still be around, nine months later, to tell about it.

Roughly 26 months after his original diagnosis, Matthews is still alive and £5,000 richer. He said, "I do get bad days obviously but I'm feeling fine today. Everyone's feeling fine if they're going to pick up five grand. The longest the doctors have ever heard of anyone surviving was 25 months.”

The former car dealer said he would give half the money, paid out by bookers William Hill, to Macmillan Cancer Support. He hasn’t fully decided how to spend the rest of the money, but he is certainly going to do something he has always dreamt of doing – bungee jumping.

As for bookers William Hill, they said they are not mad about losing £5,000 this time. Graham Sharpe, media relations director with William Hill, said: "We have never been asked to accept a bet of this nature before, but as Jon approached us directly and was adamant that it would give him an additional incentive to battle his illness, we offered him the bet he wanted. Never, in 30 years in the business, have I been so pleased to pay a winning client £5,000."

For Jon's Full Story, Click Here.

The estate of a Bernard Lichtenstien, who was diagnosed with mesothelioma on June 1, 1998 and died on Nov. 10, 1999, is suing two companies alleging that asbestos caused the man’s death. The lawsuit, filed on June 30th, claims that Bernard used certain products while employed from 1957 through 1978 as a laborer at various sites that exposed him to dangerous asbestos fibers that were inhaled and made their way into his lungs.

The lawsuit claims that the two companies knew about the asbestos that was in their products and the potential dangers it possessed, but failed to do anything about it. In addition, the estate claims that the defendants did not do enough to advise employees of the potential dangers of asbestos nor did they teach employees the correct procedures for handling and removing asbestos laden products. Lastly, the estate believes that the two companies continued to use asbestos containing products even though there were sufficient replacements.

Due to the negligence of the defendants, the lawsuit alleges that Lichtenstien suffered severe physical and mental pain due to his battle with mesothelioma. Moreover, due to his inability to work, he allegedly lost financial earnings and was not able to lead a normal life. The estate is seeking $100,000 in damages.