New Study
An enzyme that helps clean up the byproducts of cellular oxidation could potentially be a biomarker for pleural mesothelioma. People with very small amounts of the enzyme were found to survive longer than people who have higher levels of the enzyme. The enzyme is Glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPX-1). It can be found in all cells to…
A new treatment utilizing CAR-T cell therapy could help prevent mesothelioma cells from protecting themselves. The treatment, called UCARTMESO, is being developed by the French biopharmaceutical company Cellectis. The treatment works by targeting cells that overexpress mesothelin, which is an antigen that prevents cells from sending immune suppressive signals. A majority of the time immune…
Studies are showing that the immunotherapy drug durvalumab can make chemotherapy more effective for treating mesothelioma. Durvalumab is an immunotherapy drug called an immune checkpoint inhibitor. It blocks the protein PD-1, which is used by mesothelioma cells to protect themselves. Researchers believed that if the protein was blocked, mesothelioma cells would be easier to kill…
A blood test for mesothelioma could help increase the time between CT scan appointments. The typical way doctors test to see if a treatment is working is called mRECIST, which utilizes CT scans and other measurements. CT scans are expensive though and can lead to larger exposure to ionizing radiation than someone might expect. The…
Follow-up care is crucial for treating mesothelioma patients. A study out of the United Kingdom found that when patients receive follow-up care, more input from their caregivers, continuity, and more timely information was necessary. The study involved three National Health Service facilities in England. Two of the centers were secondary care facilities while the other…
A chemical that makes cancer cells more sensitive to radiation could potentially help patients with mesothelioma. Radiotherapy utilizes ionizing radiation to damage the DNA of cancer cells, which affects their ability to reproduce and form tumors. Radiation is not always used for mesothelioma patients because mesothelioma cells can be immune to radiation and it can…
Researchers have potentially found a new way to treat cancer by targeting nerve cells. Researchers at Technion, the Israel Institute of Technology, conducted the study that is now published in the Science Advances journal. The research targets neurons, which promote tumor growth. The researchers assumed that once tumor nerve cells were targeted with a damaging…
Mesothelioma patients with a gene mutation could benefit greatly from using an anti-malaria drug called quinacrine. Quinacrine is known by the brand name Atabrine. For a long time, it was the primary anti-malaria drug, but it has been replaced by the preferred chloroquine. Researchers at Penn State found that quinacrine shows great cytotoxicity when used…
Unfortunately, there is a lack of equality when it comes to treating mesothelioma patients because access to care can be very inconsistent. Patients might not have access to a high-volume academic hospital that treats mesothelioma patients, so they are not receiving the proper care that some people might receive. Patients with mesothelioma from different areas…
A cancer fighting gel that is applied directly to tumors could help mesothelioma patients. Researchers in Maryland tested the treatment on animals with mesothelioma tumors. The tumors responded even after one application. The gel could be used alone or could be used while doctors are performing surgery on mesothelioma. It could change the future of…
