Mesothelioma Malignant

Paul Kraus is the only long-term survivors of malignant mesothelioma. There are others. We have listened and talked to a couple of years. What is fascinating is that many of these families malignant mesothelioma has something in common - all have tried to increase or enhance the immune system. Some people use complementary or alternative therapies (led by licensed physicians), while others participated in clinical trials of immune therapy.

This raises the question - the immune system plays a role in the control of malignant mesothelioma? Paul Kraus, experience and other long-term survivors of malignant mesothelioma suggests that this role may be possible. In other parts of this site, we present case histories of malignant mesothelioma survivors who were diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma or peritoneal mesothelioma is. In some cases of pleural mesothelioma stories, doctors discuss the role of the patient's immune system may have played in their survival very long.

A 1986 medical journal article that reviewed the same number of malignant mesothelioma and immunity. (1) This research focused on immune responses of 118 healthy people, compared with 20 patients with malignant mesothelioma and 375 asbestos workers who were long-term cancer-free. The researchers wanted to know if there were significant differences in the immune response of patients with mesothelioma. The results showed a relationship between the immune system and malignant mesothelioma. For example:

The total number of T (T11 +) and T-helper (T4 +) tumor cells were normal in asbestos workers, but were significantly reduced in patients with mesothelioma. T cells orchestrate, regulate and coordinate the entire immune response.

· The majority of patients with mesothelioma had a profound lack of natural killer (NK), which emphasizes the role of the immune system plays the control of malignant mesothelioma. NK cells are lymphocytes, a type of deadly cancer cells target and protection against a wide range of infectious microbes.

In the discussion section of the report, the researchers:

"These results led us to speculate that biological phenomena generally classified as chronic immunosuppression associated with the presence of workers exposed to asbestos may have caused the failure of the control system of the machine and the development of neoplasia [malignant mesothelioma]. "

In other words, the scientists suggest that malignant mesothelioma may result from immunosuppression. If true, it would be the biological basis for the role of the immune system and immune system approaches can play in improving the management of malignant mesothelioma.

Endnotes

(1) Lew, F., et al, high frequency of immune dysfunctions in asbestos workers and in patients with malignant mesothelioma Journal of Clinical Immunology. 1986, 6:03, 225-232.