Author: Alex Strauss

Asia | Immunotherapy | International | Multi-Modality Therapy | Treatments

Opdivo for Mesothelioma Recurrence is Safe and Effective, Study Finds
ByAlex Strauss May 29, 2020

A new Japanese study appears to show that Opdivo for mesothelioma recurrence after surgery is safe and effective. Opdivo (nivolumab) is an immunotherapy drug similar to Keytruda (pembrolizumab). It blocks a protein called PD-L1. PD-L1 helps mesothelioma cells avoid detection by the immune system. In the latest study, 35 patients received Opdivo for mesothelioma recurrence. More than three quarters of them experienced either stable or decreased disease. Understanding How Nivolumab Works Nivolumab is most often used to treat non-small cell lung cancer. It makes tumors more vulnerable to immune system attack. Pleural mesothelioma has many of the same characteristics as lung cancer. This is one reason researchers are hopeful about Opdivo for mesothelioma recurrence. The primary treatment for mesothelioma is…

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Europe | International | New Drugs | Treatments

Could ONCOS-102 Be a New First-Line Mesothelioma Treatment?
ByAlex Strauss May 27, 2020

A new first-line mesothelioma treatment has moved a step closer to becoming reality. New data show that the immunotherapy drug ONCOS-102 continues to look promising, nine months into a Phase I/II clinical trial. The drug was especially helpful to mesothelioma patients who had not yet had any treatment. Norweigian drug maker Targovax made the announcement earlier this month. ONCOS-102 is an experimental drug based on a modified virus. The virus helps it target mesothelioma cells while leaving healthy cells alone. The latest results show ONCOS-102 helps standard mesothelioma chemotherapy work better. Targovax says the next step will be a larger test of the combination as a first-line mesothelioma treatment. Clinical Trial of ONCOS-102 The power of ONCOS-102 comes from the…

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Europe | International | Multi-Modality Therapy | New Studies | Research | Treatments

Best Practices for Pleural Mesothelioma: Updated Recommendations from Europe’s Top Doctors
ByAlex Strauss May 25, 2020

Europe’s top mesothelioma experts have released new best practices for pleural mesothelioma. They include the latest recommendations on diagnosis, staging, monitoring, and treatment. The task force was made up of members from: European Respiratory Society (ERS) European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS) European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) This is the first time the best practices for pleural mesothelioma were updated since 2009. The group based the new recommendations on mesothelioma data gathered in the last decade. Mesothelioma Remains a Global Challenge Malignant mesothelioma is one of the world’s most challenging cancers. Doctors know that asbestos exposure causes mesothelioma. But many other things about this disease are a mystery. Some people with a…

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Alternatives | Asia | International | Updates

Herb-like Compound May Be Alternative Treatment for Mesothelioma
ByAlex Strauss May 22, 2020May 22, 2020

A man-made version of a traditional Chinese herb could be an alternative treatment for mesothelioma. Turkish researchers have published a new study on a drug called halofuginone. The study shows the drug has significant anticancer effects on mesothelioma cells. In an article in Cell Biology International, they explore how halofuginone affects mesothelioma and lung cancer cells. Mesothelioma Patients Need Another Treatment Option Mesothelioma is an asbestos-linked cancer that is hard to treat. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type. Pleural mesothelioma grows quickly. It usually causes few symptoms until it is very advanced. Chemotherapy is the main treatment. When that stops working, many patients look for an alternative treatment for mesothelioma. Scientists are studying immunotherapy, new kinds of radiotherapy, and…

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Europe | International | Surgery | Treatments

Surgery for Peritoneal Mesothelioma Could Be Limited During Pandemic
ByAlex Strauss May 20, 2020

It may be harder this year for patients who need it to get surgery for peritoneal mesothelioma. An international group called RENAPE keeps track of peritoneal cancers like mesothelioma. The group advises doctors on the best treatment practices. The group is advising hospitals to tighten the criteria for who can get surgery for peritoneal mesothelioma during the pandemic. “The Covid-19 pandemic is profoundly changing the organization of healthcare access,” say French doctors writing about the RENAPE recommendations. “This is particularly so for peritoneal neoplastic diseases, for which curative treatment mobilizes substantial personnel, operating room and intensive care resources.” Mesothelioma Treatment Options Mesothelioma is a rare cancer associated with asbestos exposure. About a fifth of all mesothelioma cases are the peritoneal…

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Australia | Immunotherapy | International | Mesothelioma | New Studies | Research | Treatments

Rare But Dangerous Side Effects of Opdivo for Mesothelioma
ByAlex Strauss May 18, 2020

Australian researchers are warning of some rare but deadly side effects of Opdivo (nivolumab) for pleural mesothelioma. They have just published a case report of a mesothelioma patient on nivolumab, a drug often used to treat lung cancer. The patient developed swelling of the heart and other muscles. The swelling lasted for months, even after they stopped taking the drug. The case report details the healthcare teams’ effort to manage these potentially lethal side effects of Opdivo. They caution that other immune checkpoint inhibitors might cause similar complications. How Opdivo Fights Mesothelioma The primary treatment for mesothelioma is chemotherapy with pemetrexed (Alimta). Eventually, most patients stop responding to chemotherapy. At that point, doctors may turn to an immunotherapy drug like…

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Biomarkers | Diagnosis | Prognosis | Statistics

Predicting the Risk of Death from Mesothelioma
ByAlex Strauss May 16, 2020

New research suggests that the risk of death from mesothelioma does not always hinge on disease type or overall health. Researchers in Brazil and at Mayo Clinic have identified some subtle mesothelioma risk factors that only pathologists can see. These factors go beyond the characteristics of the mesothelioma cells themselves. The study shows the environment around the tumor, the number and type of immune system cells at the tumor site, and even how many cells are in the tumor can all impact the risk of death from mesothelioma. Understanding the Risk Factors for Mesothelioma Asbestos exposure causes most cases of mesothelioma. But not everyone who encounters asbestos gets cancer. Genes and certain lifestyle factors may influence whether an exposed person…

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Europe | Immune Systems | International | Research

Infections Can Help Fight Mesothelioma, Study Suggests
ByAlex Strauss May 13, 2020

There is new evidence to support the idea that infections can help fight mesothelioma. Researchers at a Belgium University say mice with mesothelioma had slower-growing tumors and lived longer when they were injected with a virus. The research team used a mouse virus called lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus. The new study suggests that infections can help fight mesothelioma by activating cancer-killing immune system cells. The study could help doctors understand how to use the immune system to combat malignant mesothelioma in human patients. The Immune System and Mesothelioma The immune system is constantly on the lookout for cells that could turn into cancer. When natural killer cells recognize a potential mesothelioma cell, they destroy it. But mesothelioma cells produce proteins that…

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Asbestos | Europe | International | Occupations

Italian Case Illustrates Unusual Way of Tracking Asbestos Exposure
ByAlex Strauss May 10, 2020

After a mysterious cluster of mesothelioma cases cropped up among Italian textile workers, researchers found an unusual way of tracking asbestos exposure. Asbestos is the main cause of malignant mesothelioma. Many mesothelioma patients came in contact with asbestos at work. But it is not always clear how it happened. Mesothelioma legal cases often hinge on tracking asbestos exposure at a negligent company. But in the case of the Italian textile workers, the exposure was not obvious. The workers produced sewing threads. They did not work directly with asbestos. It was not until an abatement company started removing asbestos from the plant, that researchers got a clearer picture of why the workers got sick. The Challenge of Tracking Asbestos Exposure Asbestos…

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Europe | Immunotherapy | International | Multi-Modality Therapy | Treatments

Photodynamic Therapy and Immunotherapy: A Powerful Mesothelioma Combo?
ByAlex Strauss May 8, 2020

Swiss doctors have used a combination of photodynamic therapy and immunotherapy to dramatically shrink mesothelioma tumors in mice. More than a third of mice treated with an immune checkpoint inhibitor and low-dose light therapy experienced complete regression of their cancer. The new study explores how photodynamic therapy and immunotherapy can work together. The answers could have important implications for tens of thousands of people suffering from asbestos cancer. Two Different Approaches to Mesothelioma Mesothelioma is a rare but deadly cancer caused by asbestos exposure. Pleural mesothelioma occurs on the membrane around the lungs. It is the most common type of mesothelioma. Around 2,500 Americans receive a mesothelioma diagnosis each year. There is no cure. Photodynamic therapy and immunotherapy both show…

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Author: Alex Strauss

Opdivo for Mesothelioma Recurrence is Safe and Effective, Study Finds

Could ONCOS-102 Be a New First-Line Mesothelioma Treatment?

Best Practices for Pleural Mesothelioma: Updated Recommendations from Europe’s Top Doctors

Herb-like Compound May Be Alternative Treatment for Mesothelioma

Surgery for Peritoneal Mesothelioma Could Be Limited During Pandemic

Rare But Dangerous Side Effects of Opdivo for Mesothelioma

Predicting the Risk of Death from Mesothelioma

Infections Can Help Fight Mesothelioma, Study Suggests

Italian Case Illustrates Unusual Way of Tracking Asbestos Exposure

Photodynamic Therapy and Immunotherapy: A Powerful Mesothelioma Combo?

United States Sources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), UNITED STATES

Creighton University School of Medicine, UNITED STATES

David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, UNITED STATES

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, UNITED STATES

Mayo Clinic, UNITED STATES

Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, UNITED STATES

National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health, UNITED STATES

University of Chicago, Medical Center, UNITED STATES

University of Maryland School of Medicine, UNITED STATES

University of Hawaii Cancer Center, UNITED STATES

Wake Forest University School of Medicine, UNITED STATES