STUDY DAY ON MESOTHELIOMA AND LUNG CANCER

Friday, 23 March 2007

Arnos Manor, 470 Bath Road, Arnos Vale, Bristol

Programme

Registration

Chemotherapy for Mesothelioma and current results - Dr Robin Rudd

Consultant Physician in respiratory medicine and medical oncology with clinical and research interest in asbestos induced disease. Co-Director of Barts Mesothelioma Research and Co Chairman of London Lung Cancer Group.

Dr Rudd will discuss the results of recent chemotherapy trials, including trials of Alimpta and the preliminary results of the long running BTS trial MSO-I comparing chemotherapy with supportive care.

The NICE guidance regarding Alimpta will be discussed (and criticised!), Dr Rudd will consider what is the current place of chemotherapy in the management of Mesothelioma. Can and should the cost of private chemotherapy be recovered as part of a claim for damages

Thoracic Surgery and Trials Professor Tom Treasure Guys Hospital, London

Professor Treasure is Consultant Thoracic Surgeon at Guys and St Thomas' Hospital. He has published several books, most recent. 'The Evidence for cardiothoracic surgery' which exemplifies the wish to concentrate efforts on clinical management of proven benefit. This is a particular challenge in Mesothelioma, a disease in which he has developed a particular interest and commitment. Other articles include: Radical Surgery for Mesothelioma, BMJ 2004 (Treasure T, Waller D, Swift S, Peto J). He has devoted his research efforts to better management of patients with Mesothelioma from more timely and effective palliation of pleural effusion to answering the big question of whether very radical surgery offers a prospect of cure. He is Chair of the Mesothelioma and Radical Surgery(MARS) trial. Professor Treasure will talk about the Trial and the challenges posed by trying to recruit into a randomised trial

Coffee Break

Cordotomy for pain due to Mesothelioma - Dr Derek Pounder Consultant Anaesthetist/Specialist in Pain Management Department of Pain Medicine St Mary's Hospital, Portsmouth

This talk will be about the use of percutaneous high cervical cordotomy for the management of pain due to Mesothelioma with chest wall invasion. The speaker will discuss the indications, technique, complications, risk factors and outcomes of this technique. The speaker has performed in excess of 500 Cordotomy over the past 22 years. He receives regular referrals from all over the South of England. He strongly believes that this technique should be more freely available and that other Pain Consultants should be encouraged to offer the procedure.

Asbestos related lung cancer - Dr Robin Rudd

The relation between asbestos exposure and lung cancer will be discussed. Is asbestosis to attribute necessary a causal role to asbestos? lf not, how much asbestos exposure is needed to cause lung cancer? What are the prospects for a successful claim for asbestos induced lung cancer?

Questions to the above speakers

Lunch

Palliative care in Mesothelioma - Dr Chris Higgs a Consultant in Palliative Medicine at Dorothy House Hospice and the Royal United Hospital, Bath. Dr Higgs is a member of the BTS Working Party that originally produced the Statement on Malignant Mesothelioma in the United Kingdom in 2001 and now is revising the statement. He is the Palliative Care Adviser for the MS01 Trial

An outline of the practical application of the principles of supportive and palliative care in the management of patients with Mesothelioma and their families.

A more detailed review of symptom control - particularly for pain, breathlessness, cough, fatigue and sweating.

Outline of the law relating to Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer from asbestos - Brigitte Chandler, Partner with Charles Lucas and Marshall Solicitors in Swindon

Brigitte has specialised in bringing claims for asbestos disease for almost 30 years and has been involved in some of the leading cases relating to Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer in the High Court and the Court of Appeal, making new law in the process. She regularly writes articles in newspapers and magazines on industrial disease and has been involved in several documentaries on radio and television on the subject. One of the founders of Swindon and South West Asbestos Group and is strongly involved in campaigning for the legal rights of asbestos sufferers and their families. The talk will pick out legal issues of which members of the medical profession should be aware when discussing asbestos disease with their patient

Question time/Chair Professor Tom Treasure

Chair will bring conference to an end

For more information please e-mail us: info@asbestosgroup.co.uk