Drug May help Mesothelioma Patients Overcome Resistance to Chemotherapy
A newly-identified compound might eventually help mesothelioma patients overcome resistance to chemotherapy. Chemotherapy resistance is one of the main reasons that mesothelioma treatments fail. But researchers at Duke University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have identified a compound that combats resistance to chemotherapy with cisplatin. Cisplatin is one of the primary drugs in first-line chemotherapy for mesothelioma. If mesothelioma cells can be sensitized to it, patients may have better outcomes. First-Line Treatment for Malignant Mesothelioma Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer that grows on the lining around the lungs. Peritoneal mesothelioma starts on the lining of the abdomen. Both types of mesothelioma are caused by asbestos exposure. Chemotherapy with cisplatin and pemetrexed (Alimta) is the treatment that doctors usually try…