Currently, mesothelioma is almost always a fatal disease. The earlier it is detected, the better the patient’s chance of going into remission are. However, for many, this is not the outcome. Medical research teams around the world are working hard to find ways to slow or stop the growth of mesothelioma or even reduce or completely prevent an individual’s chance of developing the cancer at all. The research team at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center are testing a vaccine that prevents or delays the new growth of mesothelioma after surgery by targeting Wilms Tumor-1, a protein that is present in many cancer cells.
Clinical trials are an important step in the development of any new drug or medical procedure. Clinical trials can take years to complete. The clinical trial at Sloan-Kettering thus far has had promising results, with participants diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma experiencing greater survival rates and slowed progression of the illness.
Currently, there is no cure for mesothelioma. Individuals who are diagnosed with mesothelioma have options for treating it which can slow its growth, but there is not yet a definitive way to completely eliminate the disease from a patient’s body. The research being conducted through clinical trials provides hope for a cure.
For an alternative to the mesothelioma treatments currently approved by the FDA, which include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, patients should consider participating in a clinical study of a new mesothelioma treatment. Examples of treatments that are currently in this phase include immunotherapy and gene therapy.
Participation in a clinical trial of a new mesothelioma treatment carries more benefits than the potential slowing of one’s own mesothelioma’s progress. It contributes to the current body of knowledge about effective mesothelioma treatment, which could one day contain a cure for the disease.
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos, call Philadelphia mesothelioma lawyers at Brookman, Rosenberg, Brown & Sandler. Complete our online contact form or call our offices at 215-569-4000 or toll-free at 1-800-369-0899. We proudly serve clients in Philadelphia, Southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
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