Japanese Meso Doctors Visit NJ Hospital

September 19, 2006 - A twelve-member delegation of cancer specialists from Japan’s Nara Medical University recently visited Somerset (NJ) Medical Center to learn the ins and outs of treating mesothelioma from several cancer specialists there.

The Japanese doctors chose the Somerset facility because it was close to the old Johns Manville factory, where dozens of workers and area residents were sickened by asbestos contamination.  Many of those afflicted were treated by the doctors at Somerset Medical Center and because of their extensive experience, those same doctors are thought to be among the nation’s top mesothelioma experts. 

Japan, which did not place restrictions or bans on certain types of asbestos until 1995 and 2005, is now suffering from an onslaught of mesothelioma cases, many in the vicinity of the Kubota Corporation site, where workers used 4,000 tons of asbestos annually to produce pipes.  Mesothelioma has a long latency period, often not surfacing until 30-40 years after exposure, though it will appear earlier with particularly high levels of exposure.

While at Somerset, the Japanese doctors heard lectures from those who treated the Johns Manville patients and participated in round-table discussions with other medical staff as well.  The Japanese delegation also toured the hospital’s cancer facilities and learned about successful treatment of mesothelioma with Alimta, a promising drug manufactured by Eli Lilly, now considered the first line of treatment for this aggressive form of cancer.