Scientists looking into possible treatments for the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma are asking patients and their families to help steer future clinical research.
A survey has been launched aimed at better understanding the diagnosis, treatment and care of people with the disease, dubbed the 'hidden killer' by the Health and Safety Executive.
Researchers hope that patients, carers and clinicians will raise concerns about their experience and allow for the compilation of 10 aspects of mesothelioma which could benefit from research.
The survey is being carried out as part of a project by the Priority Setting Partnership which is funded by the National Institute for Health Research and the results are set to be published later this year.
"It is vital that we gather and listen to the views of as many people as possible so everyone knows the topics that are a priority for clinical research," says Professor Dame Sally C. Davies, chief medical officer and chief scientific adviser at the Department of Health.
"Mesothelioma research has been identified as an important area and everyone needs to hear what patients, carers, families and healthcare professionals believe are the most important unanswered questions around the diagnosis, treatment and care of mesothelioma."
Mesothelioma is a cancer of the membrane which covers the internal organs and it is currently incurable. Patients live, on average, for eight months following diagnosis. There is a direct link between the disease and the inhalation of asbestos fibres and it can take around 30 years for the effects to be seen.
The latest government figures show the disease caused 2,291 deaths in Britain in 2011 and the disease is set to reach its peak in 2016. Yet research funding is low.
Grham Sherlock-Brown, who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, said, "It is essential that research money is put into finding ways to relieve the suffering caused by this aggressive disease."
To reach more and view the original article, click here.
C365Cloud is an a cloud-hosted compliance management system designed to help any organisation audit, manage and improve their statutory compliance. The award-winning system is now used by 17,000 individual users and 3500 suppliers for over 100 compliance areas at 500,000 properties.
Blogger Comment
Facebook Comment