In 2019, research teams around the world gave those diagnosed with mesothelioma more treatment options than ever before. These treatments gave patients an opportunity to increase their survival rate and improve their quality of life. It also gave patients a variety of treatment methods to cater to their needs. Some of the treatment options included combination treatments, immunotherapies, and inhibitors.
Nivolumab is just one of the mesothelioma treatments discovered in 2019. Although it is still in its trial phases at Baylor College of Medicine and Memorial Sloan Kettering Center, the research suggests that Nivolumab helps the body identify and kill cancer cells when used intravenously. In Baylor’s study, the participants included pleural mesothelioma patients with a history of using chemotherapy. The treatment combines Nivolumab and MTG201, an adenovirus.
In Sloan Kettering’s study, however, the Nivolumab is combined with a chemotherapy treatment and given to patients intravenously. Two doses of this combination treatment is given to study participants prior to their pleurectomy/decortication surgery. Nivolumab is still being studied, however, this treatment is promising for those diagnosed with mesothelioma.
A newer treatment option is anti-angiogenesis therapy, which is used to slow down angiogenesis in cancer cells. Angiogenesis occurs when new blood vessels form on tumors to provide them with ample blood supply. This blood supply, although healthy for other tissues, keeps tumors alive and growing. Anti-angiogenesis therapy inhibits the formation of new blood vessels to starve the tumor.
The combination of Selumetinib and AZD8186 has been studied in mice and aims to treat the most aggressive type of mesothelioma, sarcomatoid mesothelioma. During the study, the research team found that two pathways had enhanced activity in the mice with the aggressive mesothelioma. These pathways are the MEK and PI3K pathways. The researchers at CNIO determined that in order to reduce the tumor from spreading, they needed to inhibit these proteins. In order to accomplish this, the team developed a treatment combination of Selumetinib and AD8186. Both drugs are already being tested for other tumors and has shown success in both mice and human patients.
Another combination treatment includes CAR-T cell therapy and PD-1 immunotherapy. The CAR-T cell therapy modifies white blood cells by making them more susceptible to identifying cancer cells. The PD-1 inhibitors makes mesothelioma cells more responsive to treatment. The clinical trial included study participants with pleural mesothelioma and those who already endured chemotherapy treatments. The participants took the PD-1 immunotherapy after the CAR-T therapy during the trial. The results were promising, due to multiple participants attaining a stable disease.
If you or a loved one was diagnosed with mesothelioma, you need to contact a Philadelphia mesothelioma lawyer at Brookman, Rosenberg, Brown & Sandler. Our lawyers work closely with mesothelioma patients to help you obtain entitled compensation. If you are interested in speaking to a mesothelioma lawyer, contact us online or call us at 215-569-4000 for a free consultation. Located in Philadelphia, we proudly serve clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey, including Delaware County, Chester County, and Philadelphia County.