The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) announced its sixth International Asbestos Awareness Conference to be held in Chicago April 9-11, 2010. Conferences each year bring together renowned doctors, scientists, researchers and most importantly, asbestos victims and their families - in a united forum for asbestos awareness, education and collaboration.
Numerous honorees will be recognized at the 2010 event for their outstanding work and dedication to asbestos awareness related activities including:
- The Honorable Richard Durbin, United States Senator, Tribute of Hope Award
- Dr. Hedy Kindler, Selikoff Lifetime Achievement Award
- Center for Asbestos Related Disease (CARD), Libby, MT, Tribute of Unity Award
- Fernanda Giannasi, Tribute of Inspiration Award
- Honoree To be Announced, Warren Zevon "Keep me in Your Heart" Memorial Tribute
- June Breit, honored posthumously, The Alan Reinstein Memorial Award
"As we get even closer to a full asbestos ban, we are encouraged yet simultaneously reminded that the reverberations of asbestos exposure can last decades," stated Linda Reinstein, Co-Founder & Executive Director of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization. "Our annual conferences drive home the importance of the need for increased awareness, education and research. We are again honored to have the opportunity to bring together some of the world's most renowned experts while recognizing some of the most influential leaders in the battle against asbestos exposure. They are true asbestos awareness heroes and prove that together, change is possible."
"I've received countless requests for my father's song, 'Keep Me In Your Heart,' to be used at memorials for asbestos victims," stated Jordan Zevon, ADAO Spokesperson. "You can imagine how proud it makes me to know that my father's Grammy winning song has touched so many families, but it is bittersweet because of the nature of those requests and the origin of the song's conception. The ADAO "Warren Zevon Keep Me In Your Heart Tribute", the success of his album, and my recent fatherhood would have made my Dad burst with pride. In his honor, I will continue to work with ADAO to ban asbestos to spare future generations from the same fate."
ADAO's mission is to provide the most advanced medical, occupational and environmental information available about asbestos related diseases to individuals throughout the world. Presentations will include preventing exposure, advances in diagnosing and treating asbestos-related diseases, providing patient resources, and a global advocacy session.
The conference is made possible with the support and collaborative efforts of the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute and the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS).
Online registration is available at http://adao.eventbrite.com/ and additional conference details can be found at here.
Source:
Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization , www.medicalnewstoday.com
November 25, 2009
Pleural Fluid Mesothelin May Help Diagnose Mesothelioma
By Anthony J. Brown, MD
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Increased levels of the glycoprotein mesothelin in pleural fluid samples are associated with mesothelioma and may be useful in diagnosing the malignancy, according to a report in the September 1st issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Pleural effusion "can be maddeningly difficult to diagnose as a wide variety of malignant and benign causes exist," lead author Dr. Helen Davies, from Oxford University, said in a statement. "One of the causes, malignant pleural mesothelioma, is a relatively rare cancer, but its incidence is rapidly increasing on a global scale."
Serum mesothelin is a known biomarker for mesothelioma, but levels of the protein are much higher in pleural fluid and measuring such levels may improve the diagnosis of the malignancy.
In the current study, mesothelin levels were analyzed in pleural fluid samples from 166 patients with pleural effusions, including 24 with mesothelioma, 67 with other malignancies, and 75 with benign pleural effusion.
The median pleural fluid level of mesothelin in mesothelioma patients -- 40.3 nM -- was much higher than the levels seen in patients with other cancers benign effusions, 6.1 and 3.7 nM, respectively (p <>
For distinguishing mesothelioma from other causes of pleural effusion, mesothelin measurement had a sensitivity of 71%, specificity of 89%, and negative predictive value of 95%. The corresponding values with cytologic examination were 35%, 100%, and 82%.
With a "suspicious" cytologic reading, pleural fluid mesothelin was 100% specific for mesothelioma, the authors note. The negative predictive value with cytology-negative effusions was 94%.
The results also showed that when measured serially, there was little variation in pleural fluid mesothelin levels in patients with mesothelioma, just 0.15 nM with a 7-day test interval. Moreover, pleurodesis and the presence of bacteria did not influence the mesothelin results.
"Pleural fluid mesothelin provides a valuable adjunct in the diagnostic assessment of patients presenting with pleural effusions, especially when cytological examination is not definitive, and can improve clinical practice," Dr. Davies concluded.
Source:November 17, 2009
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