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Monthly Archives: April 2018

Keytruda

Eleanor Ericson Mesothelioma NurseThis past week encouraging news came out regarding Merck pharmaceutical drug Keytruda and patients with previously untreated advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Keytruda is a drug that harnesses the immune system to attack tumors. It is an immunotherapy drug that works by targeting a protein called PD-1- programmed death receptors. It is thought that the cancer cells do not allow the white cells to attack and kill the cancer cells as they normally would do with other foreign invading toxins. The clinical trial that the news came from was presented by Dr. Leena Gandhi of New York University, Perlmutter Cancer Center and reported at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting in Chicago. The study showed that Keytruda was useful when added to the standard chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer, which is the type of lung cancer most commonly found in people that smoke. By adding Keytruda the one-year survival rate increased from 49% to 69% as compared to the group who received the standard chemotherapy only.

Keytruda whose generic name is Pembrolizumab, has been used to treat many different types of cancer. It has been used with some degree of success in patients with melanoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, cancer of the stomach, head, neck, and bladder. The total sales for the treatment with Keytruda was a total of 3.8 billion, with an average cost of $150,000 per year, per patient.  Keytruda is administered intravenously. The common side effects are nausea, anemia and fatigue. The standard chemotherapy treatment used in the study and for non-small cell lung cancer is pemextred and carboplatin in the control group with Keytruda in the other group.

The only approved chemotherapy treatment in the United States is pemextred and cisplatin.  Scientists are excited about the possibilities that immunological drugs can offer to patients with a variety of cancers. It is not a one size fit all approach. All the additions and timing of when to administer the chemotherapy with or without the immunological drugs has to be studied through clinical trials that are carefully regulated.

For patients with malignant mesothelioma the number of patients is small. With approximately 2,500 to 3,000 patients a year diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma in the United States per year, the challenge is to encourage enrollment in clinical trials that patients may qualify for. Other immunological drugs are also showing promising results with malignant mesothelioma.

The timing of treatment is critical. Diagnosis with malignant mesothelioma can sometimes take time due to the rarity of the disease, and most symptoms mimic other more common diseases. The importance of knowing what clinical trials that the patient with malignant mesothelioma may be eligible for is how progress to a cure is going to happen.

Currently there are 13 studies listed on www.clinicaltrials.gov that are studying Keytruda/ Pembrolizumab and malignant mesothelioma. Of that 13, 2 are not actively recruiting patients, 10 are recruiting, and one has been withdrawn.

Progress is exciting! Encouraging continued participation in clinical trials is the way forward both scientifically and economically.

Investigate the possibilities, www.clinicaltrials.gov

Comfort Care

Lisa Hyde-Barrett, RN Mesothelioma NurseWhen it was announced on Sunday April 15th that Barbara Bush, the wife of one President and the mother of another, would be receiving comfort care, there was confusion as to what that meant. Comfort care refers to focusing on the symptoms of a disease and not focusing on curing the disease at the end of life. Hospice and palliative care are forms of comfort care. Comfort care is about maintaining dignity and managing patient’s symptom and maximizing the quality of the time that a person has left. The goal is care and not a cure of the underlying disease. There is a shift from fighting the disease to fighting the symptoms, the pain, and shortness of breath or whatever the symptoms may be.

The decision to change the focus of care is a personal one. Mrs. Bush chose to stop trips to the hospital for further aggressive treatment. Her choice and the choice of any patient who choses comfort care at the end of life, does not mean the patient is not cared for. We are all mortal, we all have a limited time on this earth. Although we know this in our head most of us avoid talking and dealing with this inevitable conclusion to our time on earth. Mrs. Bush announcement included a quote, “Life has been good and while more would be great this is enough.”

By opening up the conversation regarding care at the end of life it brings attention to a topic that most people are not comfortable with, our own mortality. April 16th, 2018 had been declared National Healthcare Decision Day. Medicare has a Voluntary Advance Care Planning benefit for people to make important decisions that give them control over the type of care they receive at end of life, and when they receive it. There are organizations that are trying to bring the importance of thinking about end of life issues and what our wishes are, to the forefront. The Conversation Project, End of Life Resources for Patients and Families, www.caregiver.org, www.nia.nih.gov, are all resources that can be used to start the conversation.

The choice is a one that not all family members arrive at or understand in the same time frame. Some patients look upon this decision as empowering. There is also some confusion as some patients and family members look upon this as “giving up.”

For many patients with malignant mesothelioma the end of the journey may come after months or years of dealing with disabling symptoms, along with having some quality time. It is very important that you speak to your medical team and make your wishes known.

Thank you, Barbara Bush for sharing so much of your private life and most intimate wishes.
Because of you this will give the power and courage to help people guide themselves through the pathway to the end of life. Hopefully the door has been opening to change the culture to openly talk about what matters most to all of us at end of life and share it with our loved ones.

MLC Law Firms Win $117 Million Mesothelioma Verdict Against J&J

Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder Talc Mesothelioma Verdict for Stephen Lanzo

Pictured: MesoLawyersCare attorneys Joseph Satterley (left), Moshe Maimon (middle) and Denyse Clancy (right) after this historic verdict.

April 11, 2018 – Two of the MesoLawyersCare law firms, working together for our deserving mesothelioma client, won a historic victory today in New Jersey state court against Johnson & Johnson Consumer, Inc. (“J&J”), and Imerys Talc America, Inc. (“Imerys”), a supplier of the talc. The jury unanimously found that Steve Lanzo’s mesothelioma was caused by exposure to asbestos in Johnson’s talc baby powder and Shower to Shower products. The trial proceeded in two phases: the liability and punitive damages phase. Last week, after a three-month trial, the jury awarded $37 million dollars to compensate Steve and Kendra Lanzo for their damages resulting from Mr. Lanzo’s mesothelioma. Today, the jury awarded an additional $80 million dollars in punitive damages, consisting of $55 million against J&J and $25 million against Imerys.

Both J&J and Imerys continue to claim that their talc never contained asbestos. However, the jury rejected this argument, unanimously finding that Mr. Lanzo breathed in asbestos from his use of J&J’s talc powders. In its verdict, the jury also decided unanimously that both defendants failed to adequately warn about the health hazards of asbestos in their talc. The jury was also asked to decide whether Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower-to-Shower were “defective” products as the result of being unreasonably dangerous. The jurors all agreed that the products were defective because it contained asbestos and J&J had a safer feasible alternative design (corn starch) that they could have sold instead of its talcum powder. The MesoLawyerCare attorneys devoted themselves to the Lanzo family and this cause in order to win this important victory. The team of MesoLawyersCare attorneys presented a large number of previously confidential corporate documents regarding asbestos in talc for the jurors to view and consider in deciding the case.

This trial was the first mesothelioma case in which J&J has been held responsible for asbestos in its baby powder talc products. There have been previous verdicts against J&J in ovarian cancer cases, but those cases have not centered around the presence of asbestos in the talc and did not involve mesothelioma. The documents unsealed in court, which came from the defendants’ confidential files, dated back to the 1960s and 1970s. These documents showed that the companies knew that there was asbestos in the talc used in Johnson’s Baby Powder, but failed to provide any warnings to customers about this severe hazard. The jury was also shown documents showing that J&J could have replaced its talc baby powder with a safer alternative (corn starch) but failed to do so because of marketing and litigation concerns. One of the documents from 1977, indicated that J&J had done market testing showing that most customers preferred corn starch baby powder (a substance that is 100% asbestos-free).

The United States government has never regulated cosmetic talc powder products. The companies instead “self-regulated” and opted to primarily use a test method that they knew lacked the sensitivity needed to identify asbestos in talc. In the 1990s and 2000s, additional testing and correspondence put J&J on notice that there was asbestos in Johnson’s Baby Powder. One of these reports, from the 1990s, was a published article that identified a talc sample as “Sample I” that contained asbestos fibers. It was not until litigation with J&J in 2017, that it was revealed that J&J had documentation that “Sample I” (which contained asbestos) was Johnson’s Baby Powder, purchased off-the-shelf in the 1990s.

Evidence was introduced at trial showing that, in 2008, Imerys’ head of product stewardship made a monopoly board called “License to Market” for selling talc. On this monopoly board, a skull and cross bones and “DANGER” were placed next to squares marked “Public perception” and “Litigation”.

At the punitive damages phase of this trial, Imerys’ Chief Financial Officer testified that Imerys Talc America’s Board of Directors had not discussed making any changes as a result of the jury’s finding that there was asbestos in the company’s talc. J&J did not have a corporate representative testify during the punitive damages phase of the verdict.

The dedicated lawyers and staff from all the MesoLawyersCare law firms are proud to announce this important verdict for the Lanzo family. We are also hopeful that our victory in this case will help others diagnosed with mesothelioma resulting from exposure to asbestos from dangerous talcum powder products, and that these companies will stop using talc in baby powder and body powder products.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, please contact us so that we can see if MesoLawyersCare can help you. Our firms have collectively recovered over $10 billion dollars for victims of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. As this verdict shows, we are willing to take on powerful corporations to get our clients the justice they deserve. You can contact us today by calling the phone number on this page, typing into the “live chat” with one of our representatives now, or filling out the form on this page.

Dignity

Lisa Hyde-Barrett, RN Mesothelioma Nurse“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” In 1948, after World War Two this declaration with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it is thought of as the beginning of the modern-day human rights movement.

Dignity is the one thing we all value and take for granted. We just assume we are going to function independently and our goals will be met. Diseases like Mesothelioma try to rob individuals of their dignity. It is hard as a loved one to witness a person struggle and not jump in and take over. I have watched an individual over the last few months become plagued by the disease and continue to maintain his independence and dignity. From an outsider’s viewpoint everything seems to be such a struggle and it is heartbreaking to watch. We recently had a conversation about some of his activities that he does independently. As he explained to me, the physical symptoms are the hardest. Shortness of breath is one and the fluid has made his mobility almost impossible. There are a few activities that he still enjoys and feels he can still do. As he continues to control his medical journey independently he has learned to ask for help when needed. The activities that he performs independently he hangs onto and is unwilling to give up despite the thoughts of others. Perhaps his family or friends could do it quicker or better, but he still can do it. We must respect what people can do despite how it appears on the outside. We all need to know we can perform somethings independently.

As we watch so many people battle with their illnesses we realize all we really can do is support them. Sometimes just watching can be the hardest but possibly the most important. Often, we can be guilty thinking “if that was me I would do this.”. Truth be told I believe no one really knows what they would do. For this individual he continues to fight despite what others think he should do. The one thing Mesothelioma has not stolen is his power to make decisions about how he will travel through his journey. Choices are freedom and he continue to make these for himself.

This has to be one of the hardest parts of watching someone deal with Mesothelioma, how it steals someone’s self- worth. How do we help someone preserve this component that makes us all individuals? Being able to care for ourselves independently gives us self-worth. For this person the mere task of dressing, putting on shoes, still provides self-worth. It would be easier for a loved one to step in and do some or all of it, and sure would be quicker, but we must allow a person to continue to provide himself with the simple tasks of caring for himself. No doubt the fight and will are still there so we must support these people. Taking over for a loved one who is having difficulty with anything can dash their hopes and dreams. If we don’t allow patients to try, then what have we left them with.

Mindfulness

Eleanor Ericson Mesothelioma NurseBeing diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma is a life altering event. How does one handle and function when facing the voice in your head that cannot be turned off? A growing number of patients are finding relief in a way of thinking known as mindfulness.

One definition of mindfulness in Psychology Today is: “Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present. When you’re mindful, you carefully observe your thoughts and feelings without judging them good or bad. Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to your current experience, rather than dwelling on the past or anticipating the future.”

Mindfulness is a way to “rewire the brain for the better.” This is not a new technique it has roots that go back thousands of years to Buddhism and Hinduism. The modern-day movement is thought to have started in the 1970’s. In 1975 the Insight Meditation Society was started by 3 people. Another leader is Jon Kabat-Zinn is credited with starting the conversation regarding the clinical effects of mindfulness. In the late 1970’s he founded the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine Health Care and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester Ma. He currently is a Professor of Medicine Emeritus at UMASS. He developed a stress reduction and relaxation program called “Mindfulness- Based Stress Reduction” (MBSR), putting mindfulness in scientific context. His program is 8 weeks long, mindfulness-based stress reduction, and continues to be taught and practiced.

Mindfulness must be practiced. It is not something that clears your mind of all thoughts and concerns, it is not a way to relax. It takes time and practice to incorporate it into your life and get results. It helps both the mind and spirit. Meditation is a part of mindfulness.

There are classes available to learn about mindfulness. Cancer Centers, or Centers for Integrative Health Care, might have one available or be able to tell you were the nearest one is. There are classes available on line, books, apps, all different ways to learn about mindfulness.

One book, Mindfulness- Based Cancer Recovery, by Linda Carlson, includes research that shows mindfulness can lead to a 65% reduction in stress symptoms, has a measurable biological affect, slows the cells aging and maintained the shortening of telomeres. According to Carlson, “the goal is to focus on the events in your life as they are instead of ruminating about what could have been or what might still be.”

In a 2017 pilot study a researcher from the Mayo Clinic, Robert Benzo MD, found that people with lung cancer who practiced mindfulness before and after lung surgery, had fewer complications and better lung function.

A study published by Britta Holzel, a research fellow at Harvard and Giessen University in Germany, demonstrated that through meditation, the brain was able to create new gray matter. Practicing meditation can play an active part in increasing our quality of life, while helping reduce a number of symptoms.

People diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma and their loved ones are under enormous stress. Practicing mindfulness may be a way of letting go what you cannot change and become comfortable in the present moment.

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