$4M for Family with Patience, Faith and Determination

Larry Kinseth was 68 years old when he was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2007. Seeking the best treatment, Larry met with oncologists at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota as well as surgical oncologists in Los Angeles, California.  

Though his local physicians discouraged him from undergoing any type surgery, Larry thought he had to do whatever he could, and if that meant traveling a great distance, then he would do it. He would travel to the end of the world if need be. Any distance, no matter how far.

Time is also a measure of distance.

Time is something Larry’s family persevered through as they waited for the appropriate justice to be awarded.  Larry’s legal marathon began in January of 2008 in Wright County, Iowa.  It was then that his mesothelioma lawsuit was filed against over 30 defendants.  Before the date of his trial Larry passed away in January of 2009.

Over the next five years, there were trial dates set in July of 2012, September of 2012, February of 2013, May of 2013 each of which were continued by the courts.  Finally, this March a firm trial date was reached and the trial began. The lone defendant left in the lawsuit was Weil-McLain.

On April 25, a jury returned a verdict of $4 million dollars in compensatory damages. The Kinseth family’s patience was finally rewarded.  Although the time spent waiting for justice will never come close to healing the wound left with Larry’s passing, just knowing that the jury members and others following the lawsuit will realize the terrible injustices the asbestos companies have done to the working man and woman is of some comfort.

During Larry’s treatments, he faced many painful and uncomfortable days.  He never lost faith, not in his doctors nor his legal team. He always told himself, his family and his attorneys “there will always be obstacles, but know you have to get to the end.” 

The Kinseth legal team was made up of attorneys from Worthington & Caron and Simon, Greenstone, Panatier & Bartlett

Worthington & Caron Proudly Sponsors the 2014 Dana Point Grand Prix

Dana Point, CA. On Sunday, May 4 the city of Dana Point will host the 8th annual Dana Point Grand Prix (DPGP).

Worthington & Caron is proud to sponsor this event, which features the John Johnson Pro Criterium. 

The Grand Prix will feature 10 races from sun up to sun down, music, kids races, a craft beer tent, great food and a special tribute to the Johnson Family and their efforts to help establish the Zumwalt Mesothelioma Treatment Center within the Veteran's Administration. For the past four years, the DPGP has been touted as the biggest single day bike race in the U.S. The racing begins at 7 a.m. sharp.

The Johnson Family at the finish line of the
2013 John Johnson Pro Criterium

The John Johnson Pro Criterium promises to electrify an anticipated crowd of 15,000 fans lining a six turn course on Pacific Coast Highway in Dana Point. John Johnson was a veteran and plumber who was poisoned by asbestos, contracted mesothelioma, sought aggressive treatment, fought the legal fight, but ultimately succumbed to the disease. After his death, the Johnson family continued the fight by increasing public awareness of this horrible disease which disproportionately affects military veterans, by providing initial funding for a mesothelioma treatment center at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center, and by pushing for changes in the law which impact the rights of all mesothelioma sufferers. 

We are honored to have the privilege of introducing the Johnson Family prior to the Pro race, which is the final event. John was the father of two sons, Michael and Ron Johnson, and the husband of an incredible wife, Sue Johnson.

Michael Johnson is a hard-charging cyclist who will again line up in the Pro Race which his family is sponsoring for the second year in a row. Michael is also a hard-charging advocate and source of information and support for mesothelioma patients and their families.

We also want to thank the City of Dana Point for championing this amazing bike race, festival and fundraiser for the past eight years. Orange and Los Angeles Counties have become notorious for the high incidence of bike fatalities due to driver negligence or manslaughter. We appreciate the City's efforts to make Dana Point bike friendly.

Once again there will be activities and events for all ages, including free youth races from ages four to 12 years old.

We hope to see you at the Party! All net proceeds from the race registration will be donated to charities, including the 5th Marine Regiment Support Group, The Boys and Girls Club, and the Dana Point Community Cycling Foundation.

Help Raise Money for Mesothelioma Research with an Exotic Mediterranean Feast & Cabaret Show!

Please join The Pacific Meso Center Saturday, May 3 at Byblos Mediterranean Restaurant in Westwood, California for an evening of delicious food, belly dancing and prizes to help raise money for mesothelioma research.

The evening will be hosted by mesothelioma patient and owner, Mikhaiel Mikhaiel along with The Pacific Meso Center. Mikhaiel was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma in November of 2013, and is glad to have this opportunity to raise money and awareness to benefit mesothelioma research.

Tickets are $25 and all proceeds will be donated to benefit important stem cell research conducted by The Pacific Meso Center’s laboratory at the Pacific Heart, Lung & Blood Institute.

“This evening gives people in the mesothelioma community a different bonding experience in a beautiful Mediterranean setting,” said the Pacific Meso Center executive director Clare Cameron. “We invite everyone to join us for a different, fun event, while helping to support our cutting-edge mesenchymal mesothelioma research program, to help those suffering from this devastating form of cancer.”

You can RSVP here, or contact Olga at (310) 474-8223, or via email at olgav@phlbi.org.

The Pacific Meso Center (PMC), a division of PHLBI, provides education, advocacy and research, for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma, an asbestos- related cancer, affecting the lining of the chest, the pleura.

For more information, please visit Pacific Meso Center’s website. 

Monitoring Mesothelin Levels in Those Exposed to Asbestos Could Lead to Earlier Diagnosis of Mesothelioma

Cancer Researchers have long been searching for indicators that could hold the key to diagnosing mesothelioma at an early stage. Mesothelioma has a long latency period with initial asbestos exposures which occurred 20 to sometimes 50 years before the cancer develops. Typically, diagnoses occurs when the disease is late stage and therefore patients are presented with a poor prognosis.

In 2007, researchers out of Tokyo began a long term and large scale screening of construction workers and plumbers with a risk of asbestos exposure to determine whether the protein mesothelin (N-ERC/MSLN) could be used as an early detection method. N-ERC/MSLN is a protein present on normal mesothelial cells which line the internal organs and are present throughout the entire body, in mesothelioma and in some other forms of cancer, N-ERC/MSLN is over expressed.

The researchers screened 40,000 potential participants through a construction workers union and a national health insurance association who had a high risk of exposure to asbestos as a result of their occupations in construction and plumbing. Of the 40,000 participants, 62 were identified as being high risk for the development of mesothelioma due to elevated levels of N-ERC/MSLN in their blood.

The participants underwent annual blood tests to monitor N-ERC/MSLN levels. Out of the 62 participants, two have subsequently developed mesothelioma. The remaining participants will continue to be monitored with yearly blood tests.

Early detection can lead to earlier diagnosis of mesothelioma which could allow for earlier treatment. This in turn offers the potential for prolonged survival and better quality of life due to less invasive disease management.  Source

Laparoscopic Cytoreductive Surgery Followed by HIPEC Offers Patients with Peritoneal Mesothelioma Shorter Recovery Time with Fewer Complications

The standard treatment for peritoneal mesothelioma patients eligible for surgery is cytoreductive surgery (CRS) followed immediately by heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). 

Traditional surgery involves a large incision made in the abdomen in order to remove as much cancer as possible. A study published in the European Journal of Surgical Oncology shows that patients suffering from peritoneal surface malignancy from mesothelioma and other cancers may benefit from less invasive laparoscopic surgical procedures. Laparoscopic procedures require a much smaller incision than traditional surgery and utilize a fiber optic camera so that surgeons may perform the procedure viewing a monitor.

Researchers at the Hospices Civils de Lyon in France compared two groups of patients who underwent CRS followed by HIPEC. Patients in the first group underwent the laparoscopic CRS procedure and experienced far fewer complications and spent an average of a week less in the hospital than those in the second group who underwent the more traditional CRS procedures. Another benefit of the laparoscopic approach is reduced pain due to smaller incision and less hemorrhaging. All participants in the study were diagnosed with early stage disease which had not spread beyond the peritoneum.

Fewer complications, shorter recovery time and reduced pain all contribute to better quality of life, which is of great value to any cancer or surgical patient. Many hospitals and surgical centers now offer the minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure for a wide range of ailments. Peritoneal mesothelioma patients should speak to their surgeon to find out if laparoscopic surgery is an option for them.

Michael Johnson and Monster Media Bike Team Dedicate Their Win to Mesothelioma Patient Ronald Hill

Michael Johnson is a fierce and passionate competitor. For many years, he has been one of the most successful and respected bike racers in southern California. Mike learned the dedication and competitiveness necessary to excel in his sport from his Dad, John Johnson. A veteran of the U.S. Marines, John Johnson worked hard during the week as a plumber and then, on the weekends, unleashed his competitive fury in the grueling sport of desert motorcycle racing.

In 2011, John Johnson was forced to compete against a much more serious opponent—mesothelioma cancer. Mike took on his Dad’s battle with cancer as if it was his own. He literally fought for his Dad, and was a constant source of strength and motivation for John to keep fighting. Sadly, John lost his fight against mesothelioma in January 2012.

Michael Johnson, however, has not stopped fighting mesothelioma. Mike and his family have been fighting to improve the diagnosis and treatment of veterans suffering from service-related asbestos illness. They have also worked to raise public awareness of mesothelioma and the need for research. Mike has also gone to great lengths to assist families of mesothelioma sufferers, passing along some of the tough lessons he learned from his Dad’s battle that will help them in their fight against the disease.

For 2014, Mike and his bike racing team, Monster Media Racing, have committed to the following mission: “race together as a unified team, race hard, go for the win, have fun, and help raise awareness in the fight against mesothelioma.” Last weekend, Mike and the team made huge progress toward completing this mission when Mike won the three-day Tour De Murrieta bike race in Murrieta, California. 

While claiming this tremendous personal victory, Mike took the occasion to continue his personal fight against mesothelioma, dedicating the win to Ronald Hill, a career pipefitter, who was recently diagnosed with mesothelioma:

Mr. Ron Hill

“I had the pleasure of meeting Ron and his lovely family this past month. I am extremely honored to be in a position, as the son of meso patient myself, to offer my help and support to Ron. He has a long and tough road ahead, but he’s a great man who is blessed with a very supportive and smart family. Monster Media Racing is here for you sir.”

We congratulate Michael Johnson and Monster Media Racing on their victory and wish them continued success in winning races and raising awareness for mesothelioma sufferers throughout the 2014 season.

Click here to see Michael Johnson’s full race report and dedication.

Massachusetts General Hospital Develops Potential Vaccine for Mesothelioma and Ovarian Cancers

In the hopes of creating a potential vaccine for mesothelioma and ovarian cancer, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have engineered a protein which has shown prolonged survival in animal models with both types of cancer.

Researchers combined a protein programmed to target an antibody fragment that targets mesothelin, with a protein from tuberculosis bacteria that stimulates the activity of dendritic, or immune cells. The researchers activated the dendritic cells to target tumor cells while remaining inside the patient's body. Typically approaches to developing cancer vaccines using these types of immune cells require extracting cells from the patient’s body, treating them with the vaccination agent, and returning them into the body.

"Many patients with advanced cancers don't have enough functioning immune cells to be harvested to make a vaccine, but our protein can be made in unlimited amounts to work with the immune cells patients do have," explains study co-author Jeffrey Gelfand, MD, senior scientist at the MGH Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center. "We have created a potentially much less expensive approach to making a therapeutic cancer vaccine that, while targeting a single tumor antigen, generates an immune response against multiple antigens.”

The mesothelin-targeting protein binds to mesothelin cells, activates the dendritic cells, and enhances the cells' processing and presentation of several different tumor antigens, inducing a number of T-cell-based immune responses. Treatment with the protein significantly slowed tumor growth and extended survival in mouse models of both tumors.

Mesothelioma, ovarian cancer, and pancreatic cancer all have the potential to be treated with a mesothelin targeting vaccine. "Immunotherapy is generally nontoxic, so this vaccine has the potential of safely extending survival and reducing the effects of these tumors, possibly even cutting the risk of recurrence.”

The MGH team just received a two-year grant from the Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program to continue their research.  Source