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Exploring the Latest in Mesothelioma Treatment

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    Authored by Craig Lebrau

    Asbestos was a widely-used material with thousands of manufacturing and building applications throughout the 20th century. However, it wasn’t until decades later that researchers found a startling and deadly connection between exposure to asbestos and the development of a cancer known as mesothelioma.

    Since the 1980s, there’s been an urgent push to develop reliable and effective treatment options for individuals with mesothelioma. And over the last several years, we’ve seen some promising innovations that could lead to better outcomes.

    The Rise of Immunotherapy

    Immunotherapy has emerged as a revolutionary approach in the fight against various cancers, including mesothelioma. This treatment leverages your body's immune system to fight the cancer more effectively. Unlike traditional treatments like chemotherapy and radiation, which indiscriminately target both healthy and cancerous cells, immunotherapy aims to selectively target cancer cells, thus reducing side effects and potentially improving outcomes.

    One of the most promising forms of immunotherapy for mesothelioma involves checkpoint inhibitors. These drugs help the immune system recognize and attack mesothelioma cells. Drugs such as pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and nivolumab (Opdivo), which are already used in treating other types of cancer, are now being tested in clinical trials for mesothelioma. These trials have shown that some patients experience significant shrinkage of their tumors, and in some cases, this has led to extended survival times.

    In the past, the average life expectancy of a patient diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma was only 6 to 12 months. Today, the average life expectancy is 11-20 months (with many people able to live several years due to advancements in immunotherapy, radiation, and chemotherapy).

    Advancements in Gene Therapy

    Gene therapy represents another exciting frontier in mesothelioma treatment. This approach involves modifying the genes inside cancer cells or introducing new genes into the body to help fight the disease. Researchers are exploring different techniques, including turning off oncogenes that promote cancer cell growth, or introducing suicide genes into mesothelioma cells that make them more susceptible to treatment.

    One exciting development in gene therapy is the use of CRISPR technology to edit the genes associated with cancer growth. Early-stage research has shown that using CRISPR to target specific genetic mutations in mesothelioma cells can inhibit their growth and increase sensitivity to traditional treatments like chemotherapy.

    Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine

    The concept of personalized medicine is gaining traction in the treatment of mesothelioma. This approach involves tailoring treatments based on the genetic makeup of an individual's cancer. By understanding the specific characteristics and mutations of the mesothelioma cells, doctors can select treatments that are most likely to be effective for a particular patient.

    Combination therapies that use a mix of surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and gene therapy are being tested to determine the best way to treat mesothelioma more effectively. These combinations aim to attack the cancer from multiple angles, hoping to increase the overall effectiveness of the treatment and reduce the likelihood of the cancer developing resistance.

    Emerging Treatments and Clinical Trials

    Emerging treatments, such as photodynamic therapy and virus-mediated therapy, are also under investigation. Photodynamic therapy uses a special drug, known as a photosensitizer, along with light to kill cancer cells. The drug is inactive until exposed to a specific type of light, at which point it becomes active and destroys nearby cancer cells. This treatment is particularly useful in managing mesothelioma because it allows for the targeted destruction of cancer cells with minimal damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

    Virus-mediated therapy uses modified viruses that are designed to infect and kill cancer cells. These viruses can be engineered to target mesothelioma cells specifically, offering a new way to reduce tumor size and spread.

    The Importance of Clinical Trials

    Finally, there are a lot of exciting things happening on the clinical trial front. Thousands of mesothelioma patients are participating in clinical trials every year, and the results are encouraging. As more people participate, it provides access to cutting-edge treatments and contributes to the overall progress in mesothelioma research.

    These trials are crucial for testing the efficacy and safety of new treatments and are the pathway through which all new therapies become available to the public. (For example, the Optune Luna became FDA approved in 2019 – something that never would have been possible without some clinical testing.) By enrolling in a clinical trial, patients not only gain access to new therapies but also help contribute valuable data that can lead to regulatory approval of new treatment options.

    The Future of Mesothelioma Treatment

    Mesothelioma is a scary diagnosis with a bleak prognosis. However, there are exciting developments happening in this space that could flip the script on mesothelioma within the next decade or so.

    As this article shows, researchers and doctors are dedicating billions of dollars of time and resources to figuring out proactive ways to fight back against this deadly cancer. And while there may not be a cure at the moment, there’s great hope within the medical community that there will come a point in time where putting mesothelioma into remission is not only possible – but is actually the most likely outcome.

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