Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors to Treat Mesothelioma
A new study supports the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors to treat malignant pleural mesothelioma. The study authors caution that immune checkpoint inhibitors should be used carefully because they can be an expensive treatment. Immunotherapy for Mesothelioma Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. It develops from cells of the mesothelium, the lining that covers many of the internal organs of the body. There are approximately 2,000 cases of mesothelioma diagnosed in the United States every year. Since mesothelioma is so rare, standard treatment options are limited. Standard therapies include chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. If more than one of these therapies is used, it may be called multimodal therapy. Immunotherapy has emerged in … Continue reading Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors to Treat Mesothelioma
Combining Cytology and Immunology for a Less Invasive Mesothelioma Diagnosis
An invasive surgical or tissue biopsy is often required to get a definitive mesothelioma diagnosis. But a new hybrid exam might offer an alternative for mesothelioma patients. It involves the combination of cytology and immunology. Cytology tests look at the cells in body fluids. It is the analysis of a patient’s cells under a microscope. And immunology is the study of the immune system. Together, these two areas of science provide new hope for mesothelioma patients. The Tokyo Medical University in Japan has been looking into advanced diagnostic options. They believe that a combination of cytology and immunology methods can lead to a definitive diagnosis. This is good news for mesothelioma patients. It will mean a quicker mesothelioma diagnosis without … Continue reading Combining Cytology and Immunology for a Less Invasive Mesothelioma Diagnosis
Maximizes Your Immune Cell Response with High-Intensity Exercise
There is an increasing role of high-intensity exercise training in cancer care. Evidence suggests that exercise can reduce side effects of treatment. And it has the added benefits of improving physical functioning and quality of life. Exercise leads to an increase of adrenalin, which also triggers a patient’s natural immune response. This can alter the tumor microenvironment and lead to reduced tumor growth. New data suggest that exercise could improve immune responses against cancer cells. It works by increasing immune cell infiltration to the tumor. And it may have an impact on disease progression. A new clinical trial has been initiated. It will investigate if high-intensity exercise can benefit patients with lung cancer. Can adrenalin mobilize and increase the infiltration … Continue reading Maximizes Your Immune Cell Response with High-Intensity Exercise
Immunotherapeutic and Targeted Approaches to Mesothelioma Treatment
Immunotherapeutic and targeted approaches might make mesothelioma more responsive to chemotherapy. Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive disease. Asbestos exposure has led to globally poor outcomes. While mesothelioma is an uncommon disease, its occurrence is increasing worldwide. Immunotherapy drugs have the potential to make chemotherapy more effective for mesothelioma patients. Researchers theorized immunotherapeutic and targeted approaches might make mesothelioma more responsive to chemotherapy. The latest results in Molecular and Clinical Oncology suggest that they were right. The findings could have implications for people around the world with mesothelioma. First- and Second-Line Treatment Options for Mesothelioma Patients affected by mesothelioma have a very severe prognosis. Mesothelioma develops after three to four decades after initial exposure to asbestos. For years, the main … Continue reading Immunotherapeutic and Targeted Approaches to Mesothelioma Treatment
Bevacizumab: An Immune Therapy in Mesothelioma Treatment
Bevacizumab, an immune therapy, enhances the immune system to target cancer cells. Historically, chemotherapy drugs were considered the standard treatment. But, a new study highlights bevacizumab, an immune therapy. It can now be considered in combination with mesothelioma treatments where accessible. Chemotherapy has been a popular treatment therapy. Cytotoxic chemotherapy uses anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy cancer cells. It results in a modest improvement in patient survival. But toxicity limits the eligible patient population. Targeted Chemotherapy Agents Immunotherapies are now playing a greater role in the treatment of many cancers. The last decade has presented a paradigm shift. There has been a change in the way we understand the relationship between the immune system and cancer progression. Several targeted agents … Continue reading Bevacizumab: An Immune Therapy in Mesothelioma Treatment
Cells Talking in the Tumor Microenvironment: Cracking the Code
The tumor microenvironment and stroma cells affect the progression and treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma. A new study shows how cells support the malignancy of mesothelioma and potential therapies. Malignant pleural mesothelioma has a unique and complex tumor microenvironment. A new study recently showed that the tumor microenvironment plays a key role in cancer initiation and progression. Scientists are seeking to understand how cancer and non-cancer cells communicate. Cancer and Non-Cancer Cells Talk to Each Other When white blood cells do not filter out asbestos fibers, other cells in the body are able to begin growing cancerous mesothelial cells. Scientists are seeking to understand how cancer and non-cancer cells communicate in the body. Non-cancer cells include immune cells and stromal … Continue reading Cells Talking in the Tumor Microenvironment: Cracking the Code
Hope for Mesothelioma? Parasite Triggers Tumor Regression in the Lab
A parasite found in cat feces triggered tumor regression in recent animal studies in China. It is a hopeful sign that the same process might be adapted to help human mesothelioma patients, too. The parasite is toxoplasma gondii. It is a single-celled parasite that can only replicate inside live host cells. It is typically found in the feces of cats or in soil or water contaminated by their feces. It is capable of entering most cells in most warm-blooded animals. The goal of the new Chinese study was to determine whether toxoplasma gondii could modulate immune response in tumors. If it can, it might help immunotherapy drugs cause tumor regression in people with mesothelioma and other hard-to-treat cancers. How Mesothelioma … Continue reading Hope for Mesothelioma? Parasite Triggers Tumor Regression in the Lab
Celiac Disease May Be a Little-Known Complication of Mesothelioma Immunotherapy
A new French case report shines a spotlight on a little-known potential complication of mesothelioma immunotherapy: celiac disease. Celiac disease is a chronic digestive and immune disorder brought on by sensitivity to gluten. Over time, celiac disease damages the small intestine causing long-lasting digestive problems. It can prevent patients from getting the nutrients they need to stay healthy. The new case report appears in Frontiers in Immunology. It details the case of a 70-year-old man who developed celiac disease after treatment with nivolumab. The case suggests that celiac disease may be an underrecognized side effect of mesothelioma immunotherapy. It is a reminder for mesothelioma patients and doctors to pay close attention to digestive problems after treatment. Stimulating the Immune System … Continue reading Celiac Disease May Be a Little-Known Complication of Mesothelioma Immunotherapy
“Remodeling” Mesothelioma Cells May Improve Responsiveness to Immunotherapy
Italian researchers are experimenting with the idea of remodeling mesothelioma cells from the inside out to improve their responsiveness to immunotherapy. Malignant mesothelioma is highly resistant to standard cancer treatments. Immunotherapy is widely considered to be one of the most hopeful new approaches to this cancer. But this approach works better for some people than it does for others. The difference may lie in the genes. Scientists at University Hospital of Siena believe that manipulating the gene expression of mesothelioma cells could be the key to bolstering responsiveness to immunotherapy. Mesothelioma, Genetics, and Responsiveness to Immunotherapy Immunotherapy is a method of treating disease by using the body’s natural immune response. This can mean trying to attract more immune cells to … Continue reading “Remodeling” Mesothelioma Cells May Improve Responsiveness to Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy and Chemotherapy Shrink Peritoneal Mesothelioma Tumors: New Case Reports
Two new case reports appear to support the idea that immunotherapy and chemotherapy can work together to fight peritoneal mesothelioma. The case reports appears in the newest issue of the Journal of Immunotherapy. It details the cases of two patients with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma – a lethal cancer of the lining of the abdomen. Both patients relapsed on standard platinum-based chemotherapy. But adding an immune checkpoint inhibitor dramatically improved their results. In one case, a patient’s tumor nearly disappeared. Doctors at New York’s Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center say the cases suggest that immunotherapy and chemotherapy might offer an alternative for patients who have run out of options. Alternative Treatments Needed for Peritoneal Mesothelioma About a fifth of patients who … Continue reading Immunotherapy and Chemotherapy Shrink Peritoneal Mesothelioma Tumors: New Case Reports
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