Yervoy and Opdivo for Mesothelioma: Three Year Results Still Look Good
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Yervoy and Opdivo for Mesothelioma: Three Year Results Still Look Good

ByAlex Strauss

Three years after the last patients enrolled in the clinical trial of Yervoy and Opdivo for mesothelioma, survival results still look promising for this immunotherapy treatment.  Researchers presented an update of the CheckMate 743 trial at the recent virtual conference of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO). The team found that more than 23% of patients on Yervoy and Opdivo for mesothelioma were still alive at three years. Only 15% of the chemotherapy group were still living.  Immunotherapy for Malignant Mesothelioma Alimta (pemetrexed) was the first drug to receive FDA approval for mesothelioma chemotherapy. The FDA approved it in 2004.  Before Alimta, patients had even fewer options that they do today. Most mesothelioma patients now start treatment with a…

Breakthroughs in Mesothelioma in 2020
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Breakthroughs in Mesothelioma in 2020

ByAlex Strauss

In spite of a global pandemic, there were some major breakthroughs in mesothelioma in 2020 that made the year a hopeful one for people fighting asbestos cancer. Malignant mesothelioma is the most serious illness caused by exposure to asbestos fibers.  Mesothelioma is still not curable. But researchers have made major breakthroughs in mesothelioma diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment this year.  Mesothelioma Treatment Advances Mesothelioma treatment saw the biggest breakthroughs in mesothelioma in 2020. The FDA approved the first systemic treatment for mesothelioma since 2004. That was the year that Alimta (pemetrexed) received approval.  They approved a combination of the immunotherapy drugs Opdivo and Yervoy. Yervoy helps activate and proliferate T-cells. Opdivo helps existing T-cells discover the mesothelioma  tumor. The patients who…

Cholesterol Drugs Extend Mesothelioma Survival in New Study
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Cholesterol Drugs Extend Mesothelioma Survival in New Study

ByAlex Strauss

Cholesterol drugs called statins have been shown to improve survival among mesothelioma patients taking PD-1 inhibitors.  The news comes from an international study from cancer researchers in Italy and the Netherlands.  More than 250 patients with pleural mesothelioma or non-small cell lung cancer were evaluated for the study. Researchers found that those who took cholesterol drugs while also receiving PD-1 blockers like Keytruda lived longer and had slower disease progression.  Mesothelioma Patients and Statins The body needs some cholesterol to build healthy cells. But many adults have too much cholesterol in their blood. This can lead to fatty deposits in the arteries that raise the risk for heart disease and stroke.  Cholesterol drugs called statins are designed to bring cholesterol…

T-Cells Test May Predict Success of New Drug Combination for Mesothelioma
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T-Cells Test May Predict Success of New Drug Combination for Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

A month after the FDA approved a new drug combination for pleural mesothelioma, scientists are discovering more about who might benefit the most from this treatment.  A new report in EBioMedicine suggests that the success of the new drug combination for mesothelioma depends on the presence and activation of special immune system cells. Researchers in the Netherlands found that patients with enough of the right kind of T-cells had the best results. The findings could help doctors screen out mesothelioma patients who are less likely to benefit.  The Long-Awaited New Drug Combination for Mesothelioma  The two medicines in the new drug combination for mesothelioma are nivolumab (Opdivo) and ipilimumab (Yervoy).  The FDA approved a mix of the two immunotherapy drugs…

New Drug Combination for Mesothelioma Wins FDA Approval
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New Drug Combination for Mesothelioma Wins FDA Approval

ByAlex Strauss

The FDA has approved a new drug combination for mesothelioma. It is the first systemic treatment for mesothelioma to win FDA approval in 16 years.  The combination includes a pair of immunotherapy drugs that complement each other. Both drugs are immune checkpoint inhibitors. They are approved to treat people with inoperable pleural mesothelioma.  “Today’s approval of nivolumab plus ipilimumab provides a new treatment that has demonstrated an improvement in overall survival for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma,” says Richard Pazdur, MD, director of the FDA’s Oncology Center of Excellence. New Treatment Options Needed Pleural mesothelioma is a virulent cancer of the membrane that surrounds the lungs. Asbestos exposure is usually the trigger. Many countries have banned asbestos. In the US,…

Non-Epithelioid Mesothelioma: Immunotherapy Combo Could be the New Standard of Care
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Non-Epithelioid Mesothelioma: Immunotherapy Combo Could be the New Standard of Care

ByAlex Strauss

Two immunotherapy drugs could become the new standard of care for people with non-epithelioid mesothelioma.  All forms of malignant mesothelioma are deadly. But people with a non-epithelioid mesothelioma subtype are less likely to respond to standard treatments. Their variety of mesothelioma is especially resistant to chemotherapy with cisplatin and Alimta. This has been the mainstay of pleural mesothelioma treatment since 2004. But a new trial shows two immunotherapy drugs extended mesothelioma survival better than chemotherapy. This could be especially good news for patients with non-epithelioid mesothelioma.  Checkpoint Inhibitors for Mesothelioma Most people with pleural mesothelioma start with chemotherapy. Chemotherapy can often extend life by a few months. It is most beneficial for patients with epithelioid mesothelioma. But this approach does…