Mesothelioma is not found in as many women as men, but studies show that women can survive longer than men. Researchers at the International Mesothelioma Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston found that a gene can help predict the prognosis and treatment outcome for women patients with mesothelioma.[…]
Asbestos & Mesothelioma Studies
The ONCOS-102 Vaccine Was Just Given the Fast-Track Designation
The ONCOS-102 immunotherapy vaccine was given the Fast-Track Designation, which will speed up regulatory approval. The vaccine is used to treat mesothelioma and other cancers. Targovax, which developed the treatment, is taking this as an endorsement from the FDA. Targovax is a small biotech company that mainly works with oncolytic[…]
Genetic Testing Could Help Reduce Mesothelioma Cases and Help the Survival of Those Suffering from the Disease
Researchers believe that early genetic testing for genetic mutations can help reduce the cases of mesothelioma and can help increase the survival of those suffering from the disease. Researchers found that new mutations in the BLM gene were making people more susceptible to developing mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos.[…]
Nivolumab Can Help Increase the Survival in Mesothelioma Patients Whose Cancer Has Relapsed
A study in the United Kingdom involving 332 patients who cannot receive surgery (unresectable) found that patients whose mesothelioma has relapsed can be treated with nivolumab safely. Nivolumab is an immunotherapy drug known as Opdivo, which is popular for treating non-small cell lung cancer. Opdivo is promising because it is[…]
Thoracic Chemotherapy After Surgery Could Help Pleural Mesothelioma Patients Survive Longer
Hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy alongside aggressive therapy (HITHOC) could help extend pleural mesothelioma patient survival. Doctors perform this by circulating a heated high concentration chemotherapy solution in the chest cavity for one hour right after aggressive surgery is performed on a patient. They do this to kill microscopic tumor cells that[…]
Mesothelioma Chemotherapy Resistance Could be Due to Cell Hibernation
Canadian researchers have discovered a cause of chemotherapy resistance in mesothelioma and other cancers. This is great news because this can lead to new treatments being created to combat the incurable cancer. There are other types of treatments approved for mesothelioma, but they might not work and chemotherapy could be[…]
People with an Inherited Mutation on the BLM Gene Could Be More at Risk of Developing Mesothelioma
New research from the University of Hawaii is showing that the inherited mutation on the BLM gene can increase the chance of getting mesothelioma. The researchers sequenced the DNA of 155 mesothelioma patients. People without the BLM gene were more likely to develop mesothelioma, especially when exposed to carcinogenic asbestos[…]
Peritoneal Mesothelioma Surgery with More organ Removal Can Help Survival
Mesothelioma surgery that removes more of an organ has been found to extend the survival of patients. It also did not increase the chance of severe complications nor did it change the survival benefits of aggressive surgery on patients with peritoneal mesothelioma. The complex surgery also did not negatively affect[…]
Mesothelioma Symptom Management Tool Links Doctors and Patients with a Smartphone
A study looking at a system that connects doctors and patients with a smartphone is showing that it could make the management of mesothelioma symptoms easier. Mesothelioma is a fast growing and aggressive cancer that has many different physical symptoms. Researchers in the United Kingdom are looking at a mesothelioma[…]
The Herpes Virus is Being Tested as a Mesothelioma Treatment
An altered herpes virus is being tested in mesothelioma patients, and the results show that it can stabilize the growth of mesothelioma tumors. Half of the patients given the virus responded to the treatment, which is very promising. Thirteen patients were injected with a version of HSV (herpes causing virus)[…]
