There is good news and bad news for patients suffering from cancer. The good news is that AstraZeneca got FDA approval to sell their vandetanib drug for use on patients who have late stage thyroid cancer. The drug has been found to benefit patients who have medullary thyroid cancer when all other treatments have failed, according to Bloomberg. The drug has some serious side effect but can help those with inoperable thyroid cancer live five years longer as stated by AstraZeneca.
The bad news is that the drug was intended to help patients with lung cancer and bladder cancer, but failed in the trials. Another drug developed by AstraZeneca was Iressa was also anticipated to improve lung cancer survival, reported by Forbes. Lung cancer is the number one killer of cancer patients worldwide.
Though some lung cancers have effective treatments that can prolong sufferer’s lives, mesothelioma is an aggressive disease with no cure. The asbestos-related cancer is so dangerous that many patients can access monetary compensation for their care by employing a mesothelioma attorney.
Mesothelioma is caused by breathing in the fibers of asbestos which has numerous applications. People who have been exposed to asbestos through their employ in the naval and construction industries run the risk of developing mesothelioma, but can utilize a mesothelioma lawyer to make manufacturers pay for the harm caused by their product. Any cancer treatment is costly but if the cause can be directly attributed to a particular substance continued use is negligent and with a mesothelioma attorney sufferers of mesothelioma can get financial help for their pain.
