mobile version

HOME/OVERVIEW
MESOTHELIOMA
Pleural Mesothelioma/Peritoneal
Mesothelioma Symptoms
  and Diagnosis
Mesothelioma Staging
Treatment Options
Alimta Medication
Mesothelioma Clinical Trials
LUNG CANCER INFORMATION
Types of Lung Cancer
Lung Cancer Symptoms
Lung Cancer Staging
Lung Cancer Treatment Options
CANCER HOSPITALS
Locations By State
Questions and Information
 From Your Doctor
AT RISK JOBS
VETERAN'S RESOURCES
VA Hospitals, Clinics, & Centers
Veteran Service Officers
History, Ships, & Shipyards
CANCER INFORMATION RESOURCES
Mesothelioma News
Patient Stories
Web Resources
Patient Handout
Glossary of Terms
SITE MAP
Contact us

 Search for information:
 
      Match:
any search words
all search words

Click Here for a Free
Information Packet

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Please call
1-800-400-1805

We will gladly answer your
questions and send a free
packet with additional
information on:

  • New treatment options
  • New clinical trials
  • Doctors
  • Hazardous jobs and products
  • Veteran's Resources
  • Financial Assistance

 

 

 





Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma Information
    
1-800-400-1805

 

 

Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer News - Return to Menu

Source: Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation

'From Crisis to Cure' for Deadly Asbestos-Related Cancer

- Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation Initiates Over $1M in New Research

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., March 31 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation has awarded its largest series of research grants ever, creating new hope for those who suffer from the disease and those at risk of developing it.

MARF announced today grants of $100,000 each for nine exciting new research projects aimed at curing mesothelioma. MARF's scientific experts selected the nine projects as the most important and promising among 32 high caliber applications received from around the world. For each of these two-year projects, the researcher has agreed to MARF's strict budgeting and progress reporting requirements, the funds for the first year have been paid, and work is now underway. MARF also awarded an additional $135,000 for two special projects in this round of grant funding, bringing the total for new meso research to over $1,000,000.

This research is critically needed. Mesothelioma ("meso") is a severely painful, usually-lethal cancer related to asbestos exposure. The prevalence of asbestos, especially through the mid-70's, has put millions of Americans at risk. Hardest hit are U.S. veterans and workers who were exposed occupationally or in Navy ships and shipyards.

Dangerous exposures continue today. Hundreds of tons of pulverized asbestos were released into the air following the destruction of the World Trade Center on 9/11. Experts fear an outbreak of meso around New York. In the tiny mountain town of Libby, Montana, hundreds have died of meso or other asbestos-related diseases. A vermiculite mine there was contaminated with asbestos, and W.R. Grace, the mine's owner, was recently indicted for concealing this danger. This same contaminated vermiculite was shipped to over 200 processing facilities all around the U.S. It exists today as attic insulation in up to 35 million U.S. homes.

MARF's focus on addressing the human tragedy of mesothelioma, by aggressively funding practical research aimed at its cure, is unique against a background of widespread apathy. For decades, the need for research funding to develop effective treatments for meso has been mostly ignored. Even today, the White House and Congress are much more concerned with corporate liability issues and curbing asbestos litigation than curing, or curbing, the disease. For three years, Congress has refused to act on Senator Patty Murray's proposed bill to ban asbestos. Congress has also failed to designate specific funding for meso research, as it has for many other diseases; even while it is intensely focused on exempting W.R. Grace and other asbestos companies from civil liability through the asbestos trust fund bill.

According to Executive Director Chris Hahn, MARF's recent grant to Dr. Brad Black exemplifies MARF's commitment to move from meso crisis to meso cure. Dr. Black will apply one of the most exciting recent developments in meso research to the tragic situation in Libby. Using serum samples from local volunteer study participants, he and his colleagues at Libby's Center for Asbestos Related Disease will test and define levels of the new meso biomarker SMRP (Serum Mesothelin Related Protein) in non-asbestos exposed individuals, and asbestos-exposed but non-cancer bearing individuals. This will provide comparison data crucial to developing SMRP as a powerful new tool for early detection and diagnosis of meso, as well as for monitoring response to treatment and recurrence.

A second MARF grant will support novel immunotherapy research by Dr. Richard S. Kornbluth of the Veterans Medical Research Foundation in San Diego, CA. Dr. Kornbluth is working to formulate a special "immunomodulator" protein which can activate the patient's own immune system to recognize and destroy the meso tumor.

In addition to these two, MARF announced grants to support seven other innovative, promising research projects in the U.S., Australia, the U.K. and the Netherlands. Details on all nine new projects are available at www.marf.org.

According to Hahn, "These projects demonstrate yet again that there is no shortage of brilliant researchers, innovative trials or new technologies. Our only restraint in curing meso is the lack of funding. This was our most ambitious round of grants ever and was made possible through the generosity of patients and their families, a handful of trial lawyers, and a small group of concerned corporations. We need full participation from all of these interested groups. We also need the federal government's commitment. Meso is a service-related disease, and dedicated, outstanding researchers -- including those working with the VA like Dr. Kornbluth -- are making progress. The VA and other relevant federal agencies should join with MARF in a serious commitment to fund this research."

MARF is the national nonprofit organization whose mission is to eradicate mesothelioma as a life-ending disease. For more information, see www.marf.org or contact MARF Executive Director Chris Hahn, 805-560-8942, c-hahn@marf.org, or MARF Communications Director Klaus Brauch, 714-969-1481, k-brauch@marf.org.

-----------------------------------------------------
Source: Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation



To Obtain the Best Treatment Info & Financial Assistance contact us for a FREE INFORMATION PACKET which includes:

Doctors & Cancer Hospitals
Clinical Trials
Hazardous Jobs/ Products
New Treatment Options
Veteran's Resources
Financial Assistance

Fill out the form below or call 1-800-400-1805.

Use the "tab" key to move to the next field, not enter.

First Name
Last Name
Address
City
State
Zip

Phone

Email
 

Have you or a loved one been diagnosed or have:
   
Mesothelioma:

Yes   No
Lung Cancer:

Yes   No
Had a biopsy?:


Yes   No
Did you or your loved one work around asbestos?:
Yes   No
 

Comment /
Info Request

Please just hit the order button once, then wait for the form to be sent

 

Site Map | Mesothelioma | Alimta | Lung Cancer | Non-small cell lung cancer | Small cell lung cancer | Asbestos Lung Cancer | Lung Cancer Symptoms | Mesothelioma News | Mesothelioma Symptoms | Pleural Mesothelioma | Symptoms | Breaking News | Patient Handout | Treatment | Mesothelioma Patients | Mesothelioma Causes | Mesothelioma Climical Trials | Mesothelioma treatment | Veteran's Resources | Mesothelioma Treatments