Combining Ramucirumab and Nivolumab in Mesothelioma Treatment
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Combining Ramucirumab and Nivolumab in Mesothelioma Treatment

ByHolly Zink

In a recent study, scientists wanted to see if a medicine called ramucirumab could make another medicine, called nivolumab, work better for people with mesothelioma. They thought that using both of these medicines together might help more than using nivolumab alone. Breaking Down the Science Mesothelioma is a rare and serious type of cancer that affects a special lining in our bodies called the mesothelium. This lining covers our organs like the lungs and stomach. It is caused by breathing in tiny bits of a mineral called asbestos. It can take a long time for symptoms to show up, making it hard to catch early. To test how well ramucirumab and nivolumab work as a treatment, the scientists gathered a…

Second-Line Treatment with Ramucirumab Improves Mesothelioma Survival
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Second-Line Treatment with Ramucirumab Improves Mesothelioma Survival

ByAlex Strauss

New evidence suggests that second-line treatment with ramucirumab after first-line chemotherapy may lead to longer survival in people with pleural mesothelioma.  Researchers in Italy recently published results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of the drug. Ramucirumab inhibits a protein mesothelioma tumors need to form new blood vessels.  The study included 161 pleural mesothelioma patients from across Italy. Researchers gave half of them second-line treatment with ramucirumab and another drug called gemcitabine. The other half had second-line treatment with gemcitabine alone.  Results showed the ramucirumab group lived more than six months longer than those who got only gemcitabine.  Few Options for Recurrent Mesothelioma Pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer with few good treatment options. Most patients start with chemotherapy with Alimta….

Second-Line Mesothelioma Treatment with Ramucirumab
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Second-Line Mesothelioma Treatment with Ramucirumab

ByAlex Strauss

A combination of ramucirumab (CYRAMZA) and gemcitabine creates a promising second-line mesothelioma treatment. New research shows the combination nearly doubled survival in a group of patients whose tumors kept growing with standard therapy.  Italian researchers shared their findings at the virtual annual meeting of ASCO. ASCO is one of the largest gatherings of cancer doctors in the US. First-Line Mesothelioma Treatment Failure For most mesothelioma patients, chemotherapy with Alimta is the first-line treatment. This does keep the cancer in check for some patients. But after a while, mesothelioma tumors almost always come back. Chemotherapy only extends survival by about four months.  Doctors have tested many different approaches to second-line mesothelioma treatment.  Some of the therapies tested are: Additional rounds of…