Bortezomib Shows Promise as New Mesothelioma Treatment
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Bortezomib Shows Promise as New Mesothelioma Treatment

ByHolly Zink

A drug called Bortezomib can help treat malignant mesothelioma when given directly into the area affected by the cancer. This interesting finding comes from a team of scientists from Italy. They tested Bortexomib on mesothelioma cells to find out if it can stop cancer cell growth. New Research for New Treatments Malignant mesothelioma is a rare cancer caused by asbestos exposure. It develops from the thin layer of tissue that covers many of the body’s internal organs, like the lungs and abdominal cavity. The treatment options for malignant mesothelioma are limited. Conventional treatments for mesothelioma consist of chemotherapy, surgery, and sometimes radiation therapy. Even with treatment, the prognosis for mesothelioma is not good. The median survival rate of patients with…

Scientists Find New Way To Treat Mesothelioma
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Scientists Find New Way To Treat Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

Scientists Find New Way To Treat Mesothelioma Scientists think they can find new ways to treat mesothelioma by looking at its genetic makeup. The genetic changes and interactions between cancer cells and their environment could hold the key to new therapies. This is the hope of a group of scientists from Italy who published their ideas in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. Mesothelioma Tumor and Cancer Genetics Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. One reason it is hard to treat is because it doesn’t have specific genetic targets like other types of cancer. The area around the mesothelioma tumor also makes it hard to treat. The environment around the tumor affects how the tumor…

New Therapy to Stop Mesothelioma Tumor Growth
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New Therapy to Stop Mesothelioma Tumor Growth

ByHolly Zink

Carbon-ion beam irradiation with cisplatin may stop the growth of malignant pleural mesothelioma. Researchers at one of the world’s most experienced carbon ion therapy centers in Chiba, Japan shared that conclusion in a new article in the American Journal of Cancer Research. New Treatment Strategy Carbon-ion beam irradiation is a new treatment strategy for different cancer types. It has been used to treat cancer in patients for almost 30 years. It involves using a particle accelerator to pummel a tumor with DNA-damaging carbon ions. Unlike conventional radiation, carbon ion therapy carries a lower risk of damaging healthy surrounding tissues since most of the energy is scattered as soon as the particles hit the cancer cells. This could be especially useful…

New ‘Drug Factory’ Implant Eliminates Mesothelioma in Mice
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New ‘Drug Factory’ Implant Eliminates Mesothelioma in Mice

ByHolly Zink

A new ‘drug factory’ implant has eliminated advanced-stage mesothelioma tumors in mice. The treatment is effective in just a few days. It works by combining a “drug factory” implant with a checkpoint inhibitor drug. The news comes from researchers at Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine. The treatment worked in 100% of the animals treated. And it shows amazing hope for the future of mesothelioma. How the Treatment Works The treatment uses tiny drug-producing beads no larger than the tip of a needle. The beads go to work next to the mesothelioma tumor. Here, they work to produce continuous, high doses of interleukin-2 (IL-2). IL-2 is a natural compound that triggers white blood cells to fight cancer. The study…

New Self-Administered Inhaled Gene Therapy Linked to Mesothelioma Survival
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New Self-Administered Inhaled Gene Therapy Linked to Mesothelioma Survival

ByHolly Zink

A team of doctors in Japan have developed a new oral inhaled gene therapy for the treatment of mesothelioma. This is a new gene therapy that mesothelioma patients can self-administer, much like an asthma inhaler. There’s new evidence that therapies that prevent cancer cells from forming new blood vessels may offer a better way to approach malignant pleural mesothelioma. Gene therapy has attracted attention in recent years. A new study suggests that inhalable gene drugs are effective treatments for asbestos-induced malignant pleural mesothelioma. Gene Therapy Treatments Mesothelioma is the most deadly of several diseases caused by asbestos exposure, including lung cancer and asbestosis. Most people who develop mesothelioma live less than a year after diagnosis. It is most common in…

Chemoperfusion Treatment for Mesothelioma: Chemo Without the Side Effects?
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Chemoperfusion Treatment for Mesothelioma: Chemo Without the Side Effects?

ByAlex Strauss

New research suggests that chemoperfusion treatment for mesothelioma may buy patients more time without the side effects of traditional chemotherapy.  Chemoperfusion treatment involves injecting cancer-killing drugs directly into the vessels that feed a pleural mesothelioma tumor.  The research was presented during a virtual session of the Society of Interventional Radiology’s annual meeting. Researchers showed how this novel approach could improve quality of life for mesothelioma patients.  Limitations of Chemotherapy Pleural mesothelioma is a rare cancer with few treatment options. Most mesothelioma patients start with chemotherapy. Alimta (pemetrexed) is the primary chemotherapy drug for mesothelioma.  But chemotherapy has drawbacks that chemoperfusion treatment for mesothelioma might avoid.  Conventional chemotherapy circulates drugs throughout the body. That means that normal cells can absorb them…