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
Quinacrine for Mesothelioma? Anti-Malaria Drug May Help Patients with This Gene Mutation
Another study on quinacrine for mesothelioma suggests that the once-popular anti-malaria drug might help a subset of patients with a particular gene mutation. Quinacrine is sold under the brand name Atabrine. It used to be the main anti-malaria drug but most doctors now prefer chloroquine. Last fall, Penn State research on quinacrine for mesothelioma showed the drug has a “high degree of cytotoxicity” on its own. The newest study initially focused on the potential for synergistic effects of quinacrine and chemotherapy. It turns out that the drug can make cisplatin more lethal to mesothelioma cells. Further tests showed that cells with inactivated NF2 mutations were even more sensitive to quinacrine. As many as 60 percent of mesothelioma patients may have … Continue reading Quinacrine for Mesothelioma? Anti-Malaria Drug May Help Patients with This Gene Mutation
Real-World Mesothelioma Patients Need New Systemic Treatments
The newest study on real-world mesothelioma patients illustrates the need for more ways to treat this devastating cancer. Many studies focus on a carefully-chosen subset of patients. Patients have to meet specific guidelines to qualify for a mesothelioma clinical trial. But the authors of a new report in Future Oncology focused on real-world mesothelioma patients in community clinics. The goal was to see what kinds of treatments these patients got and how well they worked. The results show most people do not have other treatments after first-line therapy. They also suggest that mesothelioma doctors and patients need new first-line alternatives. First- and Second-Line Mesothelioma Therapies Malignant mesothelioma is the name for cancer on the membranes around internal organs. Pleural mesothelioma … Continue reading Real-World Mesothelioma Patients Need New Systemic Treatments
Predicting Kidney Damage from Chemotherapy for Mesothelioma
It may be possible to predict which mesothelioma patients are at risk for kidney damage from chemotherapy and take steps to prevent it. Japanese cancer researchers have linked a protein called megalin to cisplatin-related nephrotoxicity. Cisplatin is one of the main drugs used to treat mesothelioma. The researchers say people with more megalin in their urine are more likely to have kidney damage from chemotherapy with cisplatin. Kidney Damage is a Risk of Chemotherapy Malignant mesothelioma is a rare cancer with no cure. Although scientists are working on other options, chemotherapy is the main treatment for mesothelioma. Most patients have a combination of Alimta (pemetrexed) and the platinum-based drug cisplatin. One of the biggest risks with cisplatin is kidney damage … Continue reading Predicting Kidney Damage from Chemotherapy for Mesothelioma
First-Line Chemotherapy for Peritoneal Mesothelioma
The same drugs doctors use to treat pleural mesothelioma can provide effective chemotherapy for peritoneal mesothelioma, too. Japanese researchers reviewed the cases of 29 peritoneal mesothelioma patients. These patients had first-line treatment with cisplatin and pemetrexed between 2001 and 2016. The results suggest these drugs are safe and potent chemotherapy for peritoneal mesothelioma. The finding may help doctors and patients make better treatment decisions. Treating Malignant Mesothelioma Malignant mesothelioma is a membrane cancer. It usually occurs in one of two places. About 80 percent of mesothelioma tumors arise on the membrane that surrounds the lungs (the pleura). This is called pleural mesothelioma. About 20 percent of the 2,500 cases of mesothelioma diagnosed in the US each year are peritoneal. Peritoneal … Continue reading First-Line Chemotherapy for Peritoneal Mesothelioma
Gel-Based Mesothelioma Treatment: A Novel Approach to Pleural Mesothelioma
Swiss scientists are developing a novel gel-based mesothelioma treatment for people with pleural disease. Early studies suggest it may be a safer way to deliver cancer-fighting drugs with fewer side effects. The gel-based mesothelioma treatment combines the chemotherapy drug cisplatin with a natural “glue” called fibrin. When the gel is applied during surgery, it can keep fighting tumors for months. Why Develop a Gel-Based Treatment? Cisplatin is a platinum-based drug. Together with pemetrexed (Alimta), it is one of the most common chemotherapy drugs for mesothelioma. In the past decade, doctors came up with a way to increase the effectiveness of cisplatin in people with peritoneal mesothelioma. These patients get chemotherapy the usual way. But they also get a rinse of … Continue reading Gel-Based Mesothelioma Treatment: A Novel Approach to Pleural Mesothelioma
Faster Mesothelioma Chemotherapy Deemed “Safe and Feasible”
Researchers in The Netherlands say it may be possible to deliver faster mesothelioma chemotherapy without doing any additional damage to the kidneys. If they are right, it could make mesothelioma treatment more accessible and convenient for patients. Most malignant mesothelioma patients will have chemotherapy. The most common type of chemotherapy is by infusion. Each session takes several hours. Every mesothelioma patient undergoing chemotherapy faces the possibility of kidney damage. That possibility can even limit how much medicine doctors can use. But a new Dutch study finds that faster mesothelioma chemotherapy may be as safe for the kidneys as standard chemotherapy. Analyzing Faster Mesothelioma Chemotherapy The study included 230 lung cancer patients who had chemotherapy. Some of the study subjects had … Continue reading Faster Mesothelioma Chemotherapy Deemed “Safe and Feasible”
Standard Chemotherapy Mix Still Best for Mesothelioma
Researchers at Japan’s Shizuoka Cancer Center and Juntendo University say the popular chemotherapy combination of cisplatin and Alimta (pemetrexed) should remain the gold standard for malignant pleural mesothelioma. In a study published in Respiratory Investigations, the team, led by Takehito Shukuya, concluded that Alimta and the platinum-based drug cisplatin produced better long term results in mesothelioma patients than the combination of cisplatin and Gemzar (gemcitabine). Gemzar is a nucleoside analog that some studies have found to be a promising alternative to the more conventional Alimta-based mesothelioma treatment. In a retrospective comparison study of the two treatment combinations, researchers examined the cases of 30 consecutive malignant pleural mesothelioma patients from July 2002 to December 2011. “We reviewed the medical charts of … Continue reading Standard Chemotherapy Mix Still Best for Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma Treatment May Get a Boost from Pineapple Enzyme
There’s new evidence that an enzyme found in pineapples may make peritoneal mesothelioma cells more susceptible to the toxic effects of chemotherapy. Mesothelioma is an aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis, largely due to the fact that standard treatments, including chemotherapy, are not usually very effective. The pineapple-derived enzyme bromelain has been shown in previous studies to have a negative impact on breast and pancreatic cancer cells. Now, Australian researchers have found that it may also be toxic to peritoneal mesothelioma cells, especially when used along with the drug cisplatin. Bromelain works against cancer by breaking down a protein called MUC-1. Found in several different mesothelioma cell lines, MUC-1 helps cancer cells invade, spread and withstand the toxic effects of … Continue reading Mesothelioma Treatment May Get a Boost from Pineapple Enzyme
Drug May Improve Chemotherapy for Mesothelioma
A medication used to slow the growth of kidney cancer may help improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy for mesothelioma. Temsirolimus is a kinase inhibitor, which works by blocking the action of the abnormal protein that signals replication in cancer cells. It is often used to treat advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), a cancer that begins in the kidney. But a team of researchers in Vienna has found that the drug also appears to inhibit the growth of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) cells, both in cell cultures and in animal models. The researchers used temsirolimus to ‘turn off’ the gene pathway known as mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in mesothelioma cells. The mTOR pathway is responsible for signaling the growth and … Continue reading Drug May Improve Chemotherapy for Mesothelioma
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