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Mesothelioma can be an unforgiving disease usually related to exposure to asbestos at work. The Philadelphia Mesothelioma lawyers at Brookman, Rosenberg, Brown & Sandler stay current on mesothelioma treatments to assist clients who seek to obtain legal awards. In the past, contracting mesothelioma meant that the patient had a short time to live. Recently, new treatments for mesothelioma have come to the forefront, and there are more options available for patients.
In the past, chemotherapy was the first line of defense for mesothelioma. Now, there are other ways to treat the disease. Methods such as attempting to treat tumors outside the body to find the best treatment cocktail have been used. The newest treatment option for many different types of cancer is immunotherapy. This is a way of re-programming the body’s immune response to target the cancer in the body, in order for the body to fight with its own immune system.
Although there has been success with immunotherapy, a healthy microbiome in the body is also a predictor of how effective the immunotherapy will prove to be.
The body’s microbiome is the trillions of viruses, bacteria and fungi that reside inside the human body. Most of these microbes are found in the human gut. Often we think that viruses and bacteria are associated with illnesses such as cold and flu, but not all microbes are harmful. Microbes in the microbiome can be helpful to our bodies to help ward off illnesses or harmful bacteria. Some researchers believe that the microbiome is actually a part of our immune system.
A study involving melanoma cancer in 2017 found that patients with a larger variety of gut bacteria at the beginning of the study responded better to immunotherapy treatment than those who had a less diverse microbiome in the gut. Those patients received an immune therapy treatment to block PD-1, which is a protein made by cancer cells which prevents a person’s immune system from killing the cancer cells.
In that study, the patients with a more-diverse microbiome experienced a stabilization of the disease and melanoma tumor growth for at least six months. Those who did not have a diverse microbiome at the beginning of the study were more likely to experience tumor growth over the six months, or the disease stabilized for less than six months.
Various lifestyle choices can contribute to the diversity and health of a person’s microbiome. Some steps that contribute to a healthy microbiome include:
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, our Philadelphia mesothelioma lawyers at Brookman, Rosenberg, Brown & Sandler have represented mesothelioma patients and others experiencing asbestos-related illnesses. Let us assist you in obtaining the compensation you need and deserve. We are centrally located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and we proudly serve clients from the surrounding areas. To set up a free initial consultation, complete our online form or call us at 215-569-4000 today.