Researchers in Vienna, Austria recently found a protein that could help treat mesothelioma patients. Researchers found the oncoprotein YB-1 which, when targeted, could make pleural mesothelioma more sensitive to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The results of the study were published in the medical journal “Cancer Letters.” The study builds on earlier research that found that the oncoprotein YB-1 is involved in regulating multiple processes of pleural mesothelioma including cell growth, cell death, and migration. Researchers found that the protein has relevance to drug response and reduced tumor growth, and improved cancer cells’ sensitivity to cisplatin and radiation.
Histone deaceylase inhibitors (HDACi) have also shown to be effective for fighting different types of tumors. There are currently no YB-1 inhibitors available, so YB-1 was indirectly targeted through HDACi entinostat which inhibits YB-1 deacetylation. When tested, entinostat was very effective against pleural mesothelioma cells and had a strong synergistic relationship with cisplatin chemotherapy. The combination led to cells taking on more of the chemotherapy drug. In a mouse model, cisplatin and entinostat resulted in the stronger inhibition of growth of pleural mesothelioma compared to each treatment alone. Results from this study are similar to results from another study done on small cell lung cancer where there was a synergistic effect between the two drugs.
This study highlights why clinical trials are so important. All types of mesothelioma are aggressive cancers with no cure. There are certain treatments available that can alleviate symptoms and extend survival, but there is still no definitive cure for mesothelioma patients. Clinical trials help find new treatments that could potentially cure mesothelioma or at least extend the survival of patients. New clinical trials are always being performed so there will hopefully one day be a cure for the terrible disease.
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer of the lining of different areas of the body called the mesothelium. The main types of mesothelioma include pleural (lungs), peritoneal (abdomen), pericardial (heart), and vaginalis testis (testicles). The most common form of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma followed by peritoneal mesothelioma. The main cause of mesothelioma is asbestos exposure. Asbestos is a mineral that was used for its heat and fire-resistant properties. When microscopic asbestos fibers are inhaled, they become lodged in human tissue like the lungs and mesothelium. They cannot be broken down or removed by the body, leading to DNA changes and inflammation, turning healthy cells into cancer cells.
