Pleural Mesothelioma Clinical Trial Looks Promising

A clinical trial recently conducted in Japan and supervised by the Japanese Ministry of Health and cancer researchers Eli Lilly and Company had very promising results. They recently announced that a combination of Pemetrexed and Cisplatin, two chemotherapy drugs, safely and effectively treated patients suffering from malignant pleural mesothelioma and effectively prevented the spread of the asbestos cancer in trial participants.

Pleural mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that occurs in the pleura, or lining of the lung cavity, and is caused by exposure to airborne asbestos fibers. This study involved 20 participants who were between the ages of 20 and 75 and were given a pleural mesothelioma diagnosis and had visible and measurable cancerous tumors. Those who participated in this clinical trial were not eligible for any curative surgery and had not received chemotherapy treatment before the trial.

Participants were monitored throughout the study as they received two Pemetrexed plus Cisplatin chemotherapy treatments. Pemetrexed is a chemotherapy drug known as Alimta and is engineered to interfere with the reproduction and spread of cancer cells in the body by preventing the production of key enzymes needed for cell growth. Cisplatin is also a chemotherapy drug that is known to cause apoptosis or the death of cancerous cells. When accompanying Pemetrexed, these two drugs were very effective in preventing the spread of cancer to other parts of the body.

The findings of this clinical trial are extremely encouraging to oncologists and cancer researchers; not to mention the thousands of people suffering from pleural mesothelioma cancer or other malignant mesothelioma cancers and those suffering from other non-small-cell lung cancers. The combination of Pemetrexed and Cisplatin has been approved by the Federal Drug Administration and is a valid initial method of treatment for patients.

Common Mesothelioma Questions & Answers

Whether it is you or a loved one who has been given a mesothelioma diagnosis, the same common set of questions often pop into our minds. These are mesothelioma issues we've covered often on this blog, but they are so important, so critical, that they are worth revisiting from time to time. Covering the basics of mesothelioma is at the core of what we are trying to do in our effort to connect patients and families with critical information. As with any illness, you will learn a lot as you meet with doctors, but it is important to do your own research as well. Here are some common mesothelioma questions we've heard asked over the years by newly diagnosed patients:

What exactly is mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that attacks the mesothelium and is caused from exposure to airborne asbestos particles being inhaled and injested. Mesothelioma typically infects the pleura (lungs) or peritoneum (abdomen). The asbestos cancer forms around the lining of the organs. When infected by asbestos fibers, the cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and begin to divide at a rapid rate often causing malignant cells to develop and spread.

What causes mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma can be attributed to exposure to asbestos. Due to the long latency period of the disease, the asbestos exposure most often occurs decades prior to diagnosis, between 30-40 years prior in many cases. Many diagnosed with mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos in the workplace; however, the dangers of this exposure were also taken home to family members. Even low levels of exposure can lead to the development of mesothelioma. In addition, there are environmental exposures from deteriorating buildings and old asbestos construction materials to natural occurring asbestos in the earth being disturbed.

How is mesothelioma diagnosed?
If you have already received a mesothelioma diagnosis, then it may be a little less common to ask this question, but many family members and individuals in search of a second opinion are interested in understanding how mesothelioma is diagnosed. The symptoms of mesothelioma are similar to those of asbestosis, a non-cancerous yet life threatening inflammation of the lungs caused by exposure to asbestos, and lung cancer, making it difficult to identify. A complete patient history is required to determine a mesothelioma diagnosis including any exposure to asbestos. Of course, a physical examination is conducted as well as x-rays of the chest and abdominal area. A CT scan, MRI and biopsy are most often used to make a mesothelioma diagnosis.

What are the mesothelioma treatment options?
The treatment of mesothelioma varies from case to case. Factors that influence treatment options for mesothelioma include the location of the asbestos cancer, how far the cancer has developed, and the age and health of the individual diagnosed. Treatment options include surgery to remove the cells, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. The National Cancer Institute sponsors clinical trails to advance the treatment options for mesothelioma. Unfortunately, there currently is no cure for mesothelioma.

The toughest question, one of the first questions any normal person thinks of, is that of life expectancy. This must be determined on an individual basis. Like treatment, it depends greatly on the type of tumor (pleural mesothelioma or peritoneal mesothelioma), the stage of the disease, and the overall health of the patient.