Novel Treatments & Drugs
Immunotherapy is revolutionizing the health care industry by adding extra years of life to people with lung cancer. A few years ago it was rare for patients with an advanced stage of this disease to live past two years but today it has become more common to do so. Immunotherapy treatment works by boosting immune…
Researchers at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center are collaborating with Pfizer to study the effects of immunotherapy treatment Avelumab when combined with stereotactic body radiation therapy, or SBRT, for those suffering from mesothelioma. SBRT treatments use a device called a linear accelerator that delivers precise and intense doses of radiation to target cancer cells…
A new immunotherapy developed by Targovax has recently passed Phase I clinical trials and is set to begin Phase II evaluation of this new treatment that may help those suffering from mesothelioma. ONCOS-102 was used in separate Phase I clinical trials; one in combination with chemotherapy, and one with immunotherapy. Cisplatin and pemetrexed are two…
For cancer patients who have little success with traditional chemotherapy and radiation treatments, immunotherapy treatments are becoming known alternatives – working with the body’s own immune system to become stronger and better able to fight cancer cells and other infections. A mesothelioma diagnosis is often grim, with survival rates at approximately one year at diagnosis.…
Autophagy is a natural and regulated self-degradative process in cells that plays a critical role in balancing sources of energy and removing aggravated proteins, damaged organelles, and pathogens. During autophagy, cells break down and recycle their different parts in order to make new cells. In mesothelioma, autophagy is necessary for mesothelial cell growth. A recent…
Bevacizumab (Avastin) is commonly viewed as chemotherapy treatment because when administered intravenously, it is particularly effective in controlling such illnesses such as lung cancer and colon cancer. However, it is a bit different than traditional chemotherapy treatments, which directly attack cancer cells. Bevacizumab fights cancer cells by cutting off oxygen and other nutrients the cells…
Immunotherapy treatments are becoming known alternatives to chemotherapy in cancer patients who have had little success with traditional cancer treatments. With mesothelioma, often times first line treatments have little effect because the cancer is typically in the advanced stages by the time it is detected. While there currently is no cure for mesothelioma, scientists and…
The average survival rate for mesothelioma after diagnosis is less than one year; however, certain individuals will survive longer than others, but the reason as to why this is, is largely unknown. The latest study to be published in Histopathology investigates what it is in the body that determines a higher survival rate in some,…
Since mesothelioma is often difficult to treat, scientists and researchers look to combination treatments and therapies to improve chances of patients’ survival. There is no “one” treatment that is used across the board in treating mesothelioma, because patients react differently, whether it is to chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, or surgery. A research team from MD…
