Localized Mesothelioma Successfully Treated with Chemotherapy and Surgery
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Localized Mesothelioma Successfully Treated with Chemotherapy and Surgery

ByHolly Zink

A patient with a rare, localized malignant pleural mesothelioma has been successfully treated. The patient received chemotherapy and surgery and has been disease-free for 12 months. Many believe that a localized form of pleural mesothelioma might have a better survival outlook. This is compared with patients who have the more common, diffuse variety. This latest report comes from a Japanese team of thoracic surgeons. Local vs. Diffuse Mesothelioma Malignant mesothelioma is a rare cancer affecting an estimated 2,500 Americans annually. All forms of mesothelioma have been linked to asbestos exposure. Malignant pleural mesothelioma is the most common form of malignant mesothelioma. Most pleural mesothelioma patients have a type of cancer that tends to spread quickly. It spreds across the thin membrane…

New Mesothelioma Drug Granted Special FDA Status
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New Mesothelioma Drug Granted Special FDA Status

ByAlex Strauss

The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug status to a medication that may help boost the effectiveness of the standard cisplatin/pemetrexed chemotherapy combination for mesothelioma. CBP501, produced by the Japanese Drug company CanBas, is a novel synthetic peptide that seems to enhance the effectiveness of cisplatin by acting on multiple pathways that govern the lifecycle of cells and the natural repair of DNA damage. By modulating the production of a certain enzyme, it allows mesothelioma cells to become more susceptible to the damaging effects of platinum (cisplatin) build-up. At the same time, it prevents the cells from properly repairing themselves. The drug has also shown the ability to resensitize mesothelioma cells that have become resistant to cisplatin. The FDA’s…