Researchers are trying to find out if increasing the dose of radiation can improve survival in mesothelioma patients. Radiation is typically seen as a secondary treatment after the combination of chemotherapy, surgery, and immunotherapy. Some doctors do not believe it is a valid treatment for mesothelioma patients because it can impact their quality of life. A study at the University of Glasgow looked at increasing the dose of radiation in patients, trying to improve pain management for mesothelioma. The study, known as SYSTEM-2l, compared different doses of radiation on mesothelioma patients. They wanted to see if the higher dose of radiation improved pain management due to the fact that it is a common way to treat pain in cancer patients. The researchers found that higher doses of radiation did not improve pain in patients, but it helped patients live longer lives.
Radiation is usually given before or after treatment regimens that include surgery, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy. This is because surgery, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy have a higher improvement in survival for patients. There are problems with radiation though because it can damage lung tissue, even at normal treatment levels.
The scientists at the University of Glasgow are still analyzing results from the study and the review is in early stages. This means that specific data from the study is not yet available for review. Preliminary results are available though and they were announced at the British Thoracic Oncology Group’s annual conference. The results only point to an increase in radiation leading to an increase in survival. This could be because the higher radiation levels kill mesothelioma tumors more effectively. If radiation becomes more advanced and can spare healthy tissue, higher doses could be available for patients.
This is the first study to test whether or not higher doses of radiation can benefit patients with mesothelioma. Researchers are happy with the results and are excited for what this means for the future for mesothelioma treatments. This is why clinical trials are so important. Without this study, researchers would not know that higher radiation doses can increase the survival of mesothelioma patients. More studies like this need to occur to not only increase survival in mesothelioma patients but improve quality of life as well. This could help future patients with their disease and could even help people who have other cancers. Clinical trials are an important part of the cancer treatment process. Without them, patients would not be living as comfortably or as long as they are now.
