New Drug Protocol Shows Promise in Combating Asbestos Cancer in Mice:
We’ve long known that asbestos exposure causes cancer. According to the World Health Organization, more than 107,000 people die from mesothelioma and other asbestos-related cancers every year. Sadly, medical professionals most often diagnose mesothelioma in the late stages of the disease, and there are not many effective treatments for this deadly cancer. In cancer treatment, some of the most promising therapies involve targeting specific cancer cells. But effective therapies that target mesothelioma are rare. Most people only survive a few years after diagnosis.
Promising Mesothelioma Research
A recent study from Spain shows promise for the future of the fight against mesothelioma. Researchers Paco Real and Miriam Marqués from the Epithelial Carcinogenesis Group at the Spanish National Cancer Research Center (CNIO) led the study, which focused on bladder cancer in mice. Surprisingly, the mice instead developed sarcomatoid mesothelioma, an aggressive form of mesothelioma with a survival time of only 14 to 18 months. As a result, researchers began looking for the molecular cause of the rapid spread of tumor cells. They discovered that blocking altered, cancer-growing protein pathways reduced the invasive nature of the cancer cells in mice. They found the same altered proteins in human sarcomatoid mesothelioma as well.
Future Targeted Treatments
The CNIO researchers next began to look for medications that would inhibit these cancer protein pathways in humans. They chose Selumetinib, a MEK inhibitor, and AZD8186, a molecule that targets PI3Kbeta, the cancer-growing proteins found in the mice. Real noted that they selected these drugs because they were already being tested in humans and could begin in clinical trials soon. Because the cancer-growing proteins MEK and PI3Kbeta are also found in other types of cancers, the inhibitors may have additional applications. It will be sometime before these possible targeted treatments for mesothelioma come to market. However, this research offers possibilities for future research and the development of targeted mesothelioma treatments.If you or a loved one is a victim of an asbestos related disease, call us for a free consultation. We've been helping victims of mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer and other asbestos caused diseases since 1972. There is no cost for a consultation to answer any questions and we can help you. Call 888-910-MESO (6376) or contact us via our website www.madeksholaw.com.
