Second Treatment Course May Increase Mesothelioma Patient Survival
Oncologists report that a second treatment course may be a good option for some mesothelioma patients. Almost all mesothelioma patients experience progression after the first treatment. Recommendations for a second treatment are still unclear. There is very limited information available on second and repeat treatments. Pemetrexed combined with platinum-based chemotherapy is a standard first treatment for mesothelioma. A report in BMC Cancer says that a repeat treatment may be good for eligible patients. In this study, patients who received a second treatment of chemotherapy survived longer. Understanding Second Treatments or Retreatments Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a rare, aggressive cancer linked to asbestos exposure. There have been several recent treatment advances. But the mesothelioma prognosis is still poor with an average … Continue reading Second Treatment Course May Increase Mesothelioma Patient Survival
Predicting How a Patient Will Respond to Mesothelioma Treatment
Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a rare cancer. Early diagnosis is challenging. Treatments are the first clinical option in the advanced disease stage. A doctor’s initial clinical response says a lot about the patient’s prognosis. It may even represent a useful way to identify patients with a better long-term outcome. A new Italian study from the Journal of Clinical Medicine looks at this possibility. First Mesothelioma Treatment Response Options Scientists looked at the initial treatment response in 46 mesothelioma patients who had pleural mesothelioma. None of these patients had surgery as an option because their tumors were considered inoperable. The doctor’s initial treatment response included a CT scan and clinical examination. This examination was usually after 2–3 cycles of drug therapy. … Continue reading Predicting How a Patient Will Respond to Mesothelioma Treatment
First-Line Chemotherapy versus Immunotherapy versus Maintenance Therapy
A recent study compared mesothelioma patients’ survival by physician’s choice of treatment. Is first-line chemotherapy the best choice? Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that affects older adults. Mesothelioma patients often have other comorbidities making real-world treatment decisions challenging. The first was by choice of first-line chemotherapy. The second was the physician’s choice of second-line chemotherapy versus immunotherapy. And the third was by the physician’s choice of use of maintenance therapy. Physician’s Choice of First-Line Chemotherapy Drugs This is the largest real-world study of U.S. patients diagnosed with mesothelioma. Scientists analyzed physicians’ choice of first-line chemotherapy, second-line therapy, and maintenance therapy. In the first-line chemotherapy analysis, there was no significant difference in patient survival. As of this writing, the only … Continue reading First-Line Chemotherapy versus Immunotherapy versus Maintenance Therapy
Nivolumab + Ipilimumab Provides Long-Term Survival Benefit in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
Nivolumab + ipilimumab continues to provide a long-term survival benefit in malignant pleural mesothelioma. A new report shows a 3-year follow-up in the CheckMate Clinical Trial. Long-term clinical benefits remained the same for all patient groups. Background on the Nivolumab + Ipilimumab Treatment Two years ago, the FDA approved the combination of nivolumab + ipilimumab. It is the first-line treatment for patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. The CHECKMATE randomized multi-part trial investigated the effectiveness. The trial showed a significant improvement in patient survival. Today, this treatment combination improves patient survival rates over chemotherapy. Mesothelioma patients showed an improved survival using this line of treatment. A new report from the Annals of Oncology describes updated data with at least … Continue reading Nivolumab + Ipilimumab Provides Long-Term Survival Benefit in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
New Artificial Intelligence Tool Measures Mesothelioma Tumors
A new artificial intelligence tool can measure mesothelioma tumors without any human input. Automated mesothelioma tumor measurement is now possible. The artificial intelligence algorithm performed well. There were 266 malignant pleural mesothelioma tumors analyzed. This is the largest study of its kind performed in mesothelioma. And this is the first description of an automated artificial intelligence tool. Inconsistent Mesothelioma Measurement During Clinical Assessment In malignant pleural mesothelioma, complex tumors result in inconsistent clinical assessment. Promising new methods need practical computer automation methods. A new publication showed an automated tool for this purpose. This study compared a new artificial intelligence tool with human standard clinical assessment. This study looked at mesothelioma patients treated with chemotherapy. Evaluating How Well the New Tool … Continue reading New Artificial Intelligence Tool Measures Mesothelioma Tumors
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
Goat Virus Proves Lethal to Mesothelioma Cells in Italian Study
Researchers in Italy say a virus normally found in goats could offer a new, safer way to kill malignant mesothelioma cells and improve patient outcomes. The virus is caprine herpesvirus 1 (CpHV-1). It has been blamed for bouts of spontaneous abortions in goat herds. But it does not appear to cause any disease in humans. In fact, previous studies show CpHV-1 can kill several types of human cancer cells. The newest study of CpHV-1 was conducted at the National Cancer Institute IRCCS G. Pascale Foundation in Naples. Scientists there made two important discoveries. They found that not only can CpHV-1 kill mesothelioma cells without harming normal cells, but it might also have the potential to make chemotherapy work better. Mesothelioma … Continue reading Goat Virus Proves Lethal to Mesothelioma Cells in Italian Study
Korean Cancer Doctors Embrace PIPAC for Mesothelioma
Five out of ten Korean oncologists surveyed feel positive about using an aerosolized chemotherapy system called PIPAC for mesothelioma and other types of cancer. PIPAC stands for pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy. The system turns liquid chemotherapy drugs into a spray that can be applied with a nebulizer. It was developed to treat surface malignancies like peritoneal mesothelioma that can be hard to treat with standard methods. PIPAC can be used in conjunction with mesothelioma surgery or by itself as either a palliative or curative treatment. The technology is still very new. Many doctors have never used it. But research conducted by the Seoul National University College of Medicine shows Korean doctors are ready to embrace it. How Spray-on Chemotherapy Works … Continue reading Korean Cancer Doctors Embrace PIPAC for Mesothelioma
Chemotherapy Still Good First-Line Option for Unresectable Epithelioid Mesothelioma
A top mesothelioma expert says chemotherapy may still be the best first-line treatment for unresectable epithelioid mesothelioma, even though immunotherapy is an increasingly popular option. Chemotherapy has been the primary way to treat mesothelioma since 2004. This is when the FDA approved the drug Alimta (pemetrexed). Alimta remained the only systemic treatment for asbestos cancer until 2020. In 2020, the FDA approved a combination of the immunotherapy drugs ipilimumab (Yervoy) and nivolumab (Opdivo). But Dean Fennell, PhD, of the UK’s University of Leicester says chemotherapy is still a good choice for many unresectable epithelioid mesothelioma cases. A Better Version of Chemotherapy? Epithelioid mesothelioma is the most common subtype. It is also the most responsive to treatment. For the healthiest patients, … Continue reading Chemotherapy Still Good First-Line Option for Unresectable Epithelioid Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma Histology Impacts Response to Chemotherapy
Response to chemotherapy for people with malignant mesothelioma may depend – at least in part – on the histology or subtype of their tumor. That is the finding of a new study from a team of Spanish doctors. The doctors analyzed the cases of 189 pleural mesothelioma patients treated at their hospital between 2002 and 2020. Their study confirms what other studies have suggested: People with epithelioid tumors have better response to chemotherapy than those with non-epithelioid subtypes. These patients experienced both longer progression-free survival and longer overall survival. Systemic Treatment for Pleural Mesothelioma The first chemotherapy drug for malignant pleural mesothelioma received FDA approval in 2004. Alimta was the only approved systemic (whole body) treatment for pleural mesothelioma until 2020. … Continue reading Mesothelioma Histology Impacts Response to Chemotherapy
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