Emerging Treatments for Mesothelioma:
Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive and deadly cancer. Pleural mesothelioma, which affects the tissue surrounding the lungs, is the most common type of mesothelioma. This cancer, caused by asbestos exposure, is rare, and there are few reliable treatment options right now. However, the future is promising for several emerging treatments.
Pre-Surgery Treatment
One of the most optimistic areas for mesothelioma treatment involves neoadjuvant treatment before surgery. Neoadjuvant therapy is offered before surgery to shrink a tumor before the main treatment, usually surgery. Examples include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or hormone therapy. Some promising neoadjuvant treatments for mesothelioma include:
- Intrapleural therapies to spread drugs directly on the tumor surface, including hyperthermic intrapleural chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, intrapleural immunotherapy, and gene therapy.
- Using predictive biomarkers to identify immune checkpoint inhibitors, which block proteins from binding with partner proteins, allowing T cells to kill cancer cells.
- Using protein, bacteria, or cell-based vaccines to increase immune activation.
- In peritoneal mesothelioma, pulsing immune system cells with lysates derived from tumor cells.
Chemotherapy
For mesothelioma that can’t be surgically removed, there are promising developments in chemotherapy medications, including:
- Lurbinectedin, a new molecule that binds to the DNA groove in regulatory regions, reducing the tumor’s ability to replicate.
- A Tumor Treating Fields delivery system, which is a non-invasive method of directing alternating electrical fields to reduce tumor growth.
Anti-angiogenic Agents
Anti-angiogenic treatments prevent tumors from growing new blood vessels, thus inhibiting their growth. Using these “tumor starving” drugs like bevacizumab, Nintedanib, and Cediranib in conjunction with chemotherapy shows some good survival rates. Moreover, monoclonal antibodies like Ramucirumab, which are lab-created proteins that mimic the immune system’s ability to fight off viruses and other antigens, also show promise.While scientists haven’t successfully developed many new treatments for mesothelioma over the last twenty years, these emerging treatments, including promising developments in targeted therapies, immunotherapy, vaccines, T cell therapies, and virotherapy, can offer hope for the future.If you or a loved one are facing a mesothelioma diagnosis, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact us for a free consultation to discuss your options. Call the Madeksho Law Firm for a free consultation at 888-910-6376 or contact us online.
