Novel Treatments & Drugs
Those suffering from mesothelioma know that the prognosis is grim. The average life expectancy for someone who is recently diagnosed is only eight months. Chemotherapy is the standard treatment for mesothelioma, but in most cases, the cancer is too far advanced for chemotherapy to be effective. Surgery for mesothelioma is possible but results from surgery…
Mesothelioma is difficult to treat for a number of reasons. The long latency period before initial diagnosis means that the cancer is typically in advanced stages by the time it is discovered. A built-up resistance to common cancer treatments also makes it difficult for treatment to have a positive effect on cancer victims. This contributes…
Scientists and researchers from Merck announced an update on their findings for the Phase 1b KEYNOTE-28 study that involves the investigation of the immunotherapy treatment called KEYTRUDA ® (pembrolizumab). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and the anti-tumor activity of KEYTRUDA ® and focused on patients with small cell lung…
September 26, 2016, was Mesothelioma Awareness Day. This day dedicated to raising awareness for mesothelioma, was established in 2004 by the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (MARF). MARF is a nonprofit organization that believes that there is a cure for mesothelioma and through education, fundraising and awareness, a cure can be achieved. Mesothelioma is a deadly…
The researchers and scientists at the Baylor College of Medicine Mesothelioma Treatment Center at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center excitedly announced a new clinical trial that combines immunotherapy and surgery for the treatment of mesothelioma. This is the first time that these two treatments have been combined and scientists and researchers are hopeful for positive…
A rare and aggressive malignancy, mesothelioma, is cancer affecting the lining that surrounds various organs and cavities within the body. Mesothelioma gets its name from this lining, which is called the mesothelium. Mesothelioma is a cancer that is strictly caused by asbestos exposure. Victims are typically only given a year, sometimes just months, to live after…
Scientists are continually exploring new opportunities for drugs to combat mesothelioma and recently, scientists have zeroed in on a particular enzyme that is said to be “overexpressed” in pleural mesothelioma. This enzyme, known as orotate phosphoribosyl transferase (OPRT) is believed to curb the development and spread of mesothelioma which would have a huge impact on…
Earlier this month, Ohio legislators approved a bill that would allow patients with malignant mesothelioma to buy and use marijuana for medical purposes – legally. The bill will now move on to the governor, and if that is signed, Ohio will become the 25th state to legalize some form of medical marijuana. This news is…
Mesothelioma, a rare and deadly cancer, is a cancer that affects the mesothelium, which is the lining that surrounds internal organs. Pleural mesothelioma is cancer that appears in the lining of the lungs, and accounts for about 75% of all mesothelioma cases. Aggressive cancers such as mesothelioma take a toll on the victim’s immune system,…
Understanding malignant mesothelioma and the way it develops is significant when discovering prevention, development control, and the eventual lead to a cure. Cancer researchers at the Mayo Clinic have been researching the genetic composition of the disease in hopes to find a connection between the development of mesothelioma and mutations in DNA. To find these…
