Cisplatin (Platinol ®)
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is typically used to shrink tumors before surgery to make it easier to remove them. It has been thought that the combination of drugs and surgery can help patients survive longer, but a study at Duke has found that it does not increase survival in pleural mesothelioma patients. The study is showing that…
Curcumin could soon be used to treat mesothelioma patients. It is a natural compound found in turmeric, a spice commonly found in Asian dishes. This natural compound has been used as an anti-inflammatory alongside other treatments, but it could soon be used as a standard mesothelioma treatment, which is what doctors in Philadelphia are hoping…
Researchers from MIT and Duke may have found a way to make chemotherapy treatments more effective. Chemotherapy is usually the first treatment that is used in people diagnosed with cancer. It can be helpful, but cancers can have different responses and resistances to it. This new research can help make chemotherapy more potent when treating…
Mesothelioma, the cancer of the linings of different organs, but primarily the lungs, has a poor prognosis and survival rate for those who are diagnosed. Since there is no cure, treatments helping to extend people’s lives need to be tested. Clinical trials help doctors find new ways to treat mesothelioma and other cancers, possibly extending…
The immune system is the body’s first line of defense when fighting off any illness, attacking foreign organisms or other substances that may harm or threaten the over health of the body. When the immune system is compromised, the body is unable to fight infections and becomes weak as the illness takes over. For those…
Avastin (bevacizumab) is a type of chemotherapy treatment that slows tumor growth by blocking the protein that is responsible for forming new blood vessels, which is what tumors need to thrive. By blocking these blood vessels, tumor growth is slowed. For those suffering from mesothelioma, hindering tumor growth can greatly improve the quality of life…
In late 2017, the FDA approved Keytruda (pembrolizumab) as an immunotherapy treatment for cancer. It’s typically used to treat inoperable metastatic non-small cell lung cancer and melanoma but it has also been approved by the FDA to treat any unresectable or metastatic solid tumor, such as those found in mesothelioma. Immunotherapy is a type of…
Pleural mesothelioma, caused by exposure to asbestos is a rare cancer – only 3,000 cases are diagnosed in the U.S. each year – but it is highly aggressive. There is no cure for plural mesothelioma but findings published in the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery reveal that a new type of combination treatment specifically…
Combination treatment therapies are common for those suffering from mesothelioma because the aggressive nature of this asbestos-caused disease makes it difficult to treat effectively. Ongoing developments and advancements in medicine have also helped mesothelioma patients extend their life and manage pain throughout the years. While there is no cure for mesothelioma, a recent study published…
Disappointing results from the LUME-Phase III clinical trial regarding nintedanib is a setback for scientists and researchers who were hopeful they were on the brink of finding a new, first line treatment for those suffering from mesothelioma. Results from the Phase II clinical trial – published earlier this year – showed promise for the triple…
