Mesothelioma Patients Can Participate in a Clinical Trial to Receive Experimental Treatment
Patients suffering from mesothelioma may take part in clinical trials for experimental treatments. This could improve their prognosis or quality of life.
Some of these medications are targeted treatments that kill cancer cells, while avoiding damaging healthy cells. Certain of these drugs can enhance the immune system.
Photodynamic therapy is a different promising experimental treatment. This involves combining a photosensitizer drug with chemotherapy.
Surgery
Mesothelioma surgery is a vital part of treatment as it removes the cancerous tissue, and may help with symptoms. It is not a cure, and some patients may not be able to respond to surgery. It is still an important alternative, as mesothelioma cells that are not properly disposed of can spread to other organs, or create new tumors. This can result in metastatic disease which is more difficult to treat.
The consequences of surgery can be severe, but there are several methods to help avoid these adverse effects and increase the odds of success. For example, doctors may employ a drug known as Melphalan, or a form of immunotherapy to boost the immune system and help make surgery more effective.
Mesothelioma research also includes identifying better ways to diagnose mesothelioma. Researchers are working to improve screening methods to help those exposed to asbestos get diagnosed earlier and receive aggressive treatment options.
Doctors are also looking at new treatment methods that could be used in conjunction with standard mesothelioma treatments, including radiation and chemo. Some of these treatments include targeted drugs, immunotherapy, and TTFields.
The drugs that target specific mesothelioma cancer cells are not harmful to healthy tissues. One drug, for example, targets the mesothelin proteins and kills mesothelioma while leaving normal cells unaffected. Another target is a gene and a drug known as tazemetostat is currently in clinical trials and has shown promise in reducing mesothelioma tumors through stopping the production of enzymes needed for cell growth.
Other experimental mesothelioma treatments include electrical fields that are alternating (alternating electric fields) to reduce the size of tumor cells or gene therapy to introduce genes into cells to make them more resistant to cancer. Gene therapy can make mesothelioma cancerous cells more easily to identify and eradicate with chemotherapy.
Clinical trials are the principal method that mesothelioma sufferers access experimental treatments. This process is regulated and overseen by the FDA, an oversight panel, and participants are fully informed of their health risks. Some mesothelioma sufferers may be eligible for treatment with expanded access (compassionate use), which is not part of a clinical study. This is an important step toward finding improved mesothelioma treatment. treatment mesothelioma and their families should carefully review the clinical trials available to determine the most effective option for them.
Chemotherapy
Combining immunotherapy with surgery and radiation can treat pleural fibrous. Immunotherapy is the process of combining medications that target specific cancer cells and stop their growth or mutation.
The research on mesothelioma immunotherapy is ongoing. These studies aim to improve multimodal treatment options and provide more options to asbestos-related illnesses patients.
Researchers are working on better ways to detect and treat mesothelioma, and also to identify more aggressive tumors that may require more aggressive treatments. These new methods can result in better outcomes for those diagnosed with mesothelioma and improve the odds of survival overall.
Certain experimental treatments are available only in certain mesothelioma clinics. Many experimental treatments are only accessible through clinical trials, which test novel treatments on mesothelioma subjects to assess their effectiveness and safety. Patients should discuss these options with their mesothelioma doctor who can assist them to identify a trial and decide whether they are eligible to participate.
For example, an intraoperative mesothelioma photodynamic therapy (PTD) study is being conducted. This trial is designed to reduce the requirement for EPP surgery. Prior to surgery, the patient will receive an injection of a photosensitive such as Photofrin or another similar drug. Then, the surgeon will use a light to activate the drug and kill mesothelioma tumor cells.
Another treatment for mesothelioma that is being investigated is a combination of PDT and immunotherapy. The IMPALA trial is investigating this treatment option for pleural mesothelioma. The trial hopes to recruit around 200 participants by late 2025.
Once a new treatment for mesothelioma is approved by the FDA the treatment can be offered to patients who are eligible. Doctors will continue to study the impact of the treatment on the prognosis of a patient's mesothelioma as part of post-marketing research.
Like any other medical treatment, there are certain risks that come with participating in a mesothelioma clinical trial. There is also the chance of severe or mild adverse effects. Patients can get financial aid from their mesothelioma lawyer doctor to cover any costs associated with treatment. These may be covered by a mesothelioma settlement, asbestos trust fund claim or other sources of financial compensation.
Radiation
The most common first step in mesothelioma treatment is to reduce the tumor's size. For many patients, this means surgery, which is often accompanied by chemotherapy and radiation. This is typical for pleural mesothelioma which is the most common type of cancer that is associated with asbestos exposure. However, for some pleural mesothelioma patients, the tumor might be too large for removal surgically. Patients may require additional treatments to shrink the tumor's size and allow them to live longer.
One experimental treatment for these patients involves using a new type of radiation therapy. This approach uses an approach that targets lasers to damage cancerous cells, without harming nearby healthy cells. The procedure involves the use of a drug to make cancerous cells sensitive. This type of mesothelioma treatment has proven successful in reducing the size of the tumor and enhancing the survival of patients.
Multimodal therapy is a different experimental treatment for mesothelioma that combines chemotherapy and surgery. This method is usually used in cases of pleural mesothelioma and in patients with mesothelioma stage IV as well as patients suffering from sarcomatoid or mixed histology forms of mesothelioma.
As part of mesothelioma research, doctors are constantly looking for better methods of delivering standard mesothelioma treatment. These strategies could include new approaches to treating mesothelioma or more effective technologies to deliver standard treatment.
Another experimental mesothelioma treatment that has potential is immunotherapy, an approach that aims at increasing the immune system's ability to recognize and eliminate mesothelioma tumor cells. Mesothelioma trials for immune therapy are examining a range of options for treatment including an immunotherapy vaccine that stimulates the immune system of the body to attack cells.
Anyone who is interested in mesothelioma clinical trials should talk to their doctor. They should look over the eligibility requirements and decide whether these trials are appropriate for them. Additionally, mesothelioma physicians can provide helpful tips on understanding the meaning of clinical trial terms and concepts. Patients can also download our free Questions to Ask Your Doctor Checklist so they are prepared for their next visit to the doctor. This is a crucial tool that can help patients get the most out of mesothelioma treatments.
Thorecentesis
Fluid can build up between two layers of tissue that cover the lungs. This condition, referred to as a pleural effusion, can cause chest discomfort, trouble breathing, and coughing. To diagnose and treat this condition, doctors use a procedure called thoracentesis (pronounced AH-toh-sent-EYE-sis). A health professional uses a needle during this minimally-invasive test to remove fluid from the pleural cavity, and then test it for the presence of mesothelioma. The doctor can also examine the fluid for other conditions, such as blood clots and heart failure.
A healthcare professional will test the pleural fluid using a needle that is inserted into one of your ribs, right above the lung. Your healthcare provider will use anesthesia to numb the area around the injection site prior to the test. The test can be performed in the office of a doctor or in a in a hospital. The procedure is fast and painless. It is also simple.
The results of the thoracentesis may be used to determine if you have an epithelial or sarcomatoid mesothelioma. This information will aid your doctor determine the best treatment for you. A doctor may also recommend a lung biopsy to examine a sample of mesothelioma for indications of cancer under a microscope. This test can be carried out in various ways, such as a thoracentesis, video-assisted thoracic surgery open lung biopsy or diagnostic laparoscopy.
Certain mesothelioma types cannot be treated. Your doctor will then use palliative procedures to reduce symptoms and slow tumor development. These include thoracentesis, or other palliative treatments to ease chest pain and breathing difficulties and breathing difficulties; a shunt to drain fluids; or pleurodesis to prevent the creation of new fluid in the chest.
Your mesothelioma doctor at Banner MD Anderson might also suggest clinical trials that can improve your quality-of-life and survival. These clinical trials could involve chemotherapy, surgery, radiation and targeted agents. Targeted agents work with your body's natural defenses in order to fight mesothelioma. They are designed to kill mesothelioma cancer cells without harming healthy, normal cells.