The FDA has approved [ Keytruda (pembrolizumab) ] plus pemetrexed and platinum chemotherapy in the frontline treatment of patients with unresectable advanced or metastatic malignant pleural mesothelioma. Data from the phase 2/3 KEYNOTE-483 study (NCT02784171) showed that [ Keytruda (pembrolizumab) ] plus chemotherapy (n = 222) significantly … [Read more...]
Chemotherapy increases CDA expression and sensitizes malignant pleural mesothelioma cells to capecitabine treatment
Abstract: The combination of cisplatin and pemetrexed remains the gold standard chemotherapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), although resistance and poor response pose a significant challenge. Cytidine deaminase (CDA) is a key enzyme in the nucleotide salvage pathway and is involved in the adaptive stress response to chemotherapy. The … [Read more...]
Integration of the PD-L1 inhibitor atezolizumab and WT1/DC vaccination into standard-of-care first-line treatment for patients with epithelioid malignant pleural mesothelioma—Protocol of the Immuno-MESODEC study
Abstract Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive cancer with a very poor prognosis. Recently, immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) has taken center stage in the currently ongoing revolution that is changing standard-of-care treatment for several malignancies, including MPM. As multiple arguments and accumulating lines of evidence are … [Read more...]
Extended pleurectomy decortication and chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone for pleural mesothelioma (MARS 2): a phase 3 randomised controlled trial
Background: Extended pleurectomy decortication for complete macroscopic resection for pleural mesothelioma has never been evaluated in a randomised trial. The aim of this study was to compare outcomes after extended pleurectomy decortication plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone. Methods: MARS 2 was a phase 3, national, multicentre, … [Read more...]
Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma: Analysis of 70 Cases in the Last Decade
Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive tumor linked to asbestos exposure, with a latency period of about 40 years before symptoms appear. Despite affecting a minority of exposed individuals, its risk escalates with prolonged exposure. Originating from mesothelial cells, [ Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM) ] affected 30,870 … [Read more...]
Predictive potential of MRI in differentiating the predominant component in biphasic pleural mesothelioma
Purpose: To assess the potential of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values derived from diffusion weighted (DW) MRI preoperatively to predict the predominant histologic component among biphasic pleural mesothelioma (PM) tumors. Methods: ADC maps were generated from DW MRI scans. Histology and predominant component of [ biphasic pleural … [Read more...]
Validation of Inflammatory Prognostic Biomarkers in Pleural Mesothelioma
Asbestos exposure is known as the main elicitor of pleural mesothelioma (PM) development. The pathology’s rarity, wide range of growth patterns, and devastating prognosis have hindered a standardized treatment to date. This study intended to determine possible prognosticators contributing to adjusting the treatment allocation. This initiated the … [Read more...]
The U.S. banned asbestos, but its health impact will still be felt for decades
A new rule announced by the Environmental Protection Agency this week puts an end to the use of asbestos, a known carcinogen, in the United States. But researchers caution that we’ll likely still be dealing with the mineral’s public health harms for decades. The recently announced ban covers all forms of asbestos, including chrysotile asbestos, … [Read more...]
Impact of Surgery on Disease Progression and Survival of Patients with Pleural Mesothelioma
BACKGROUND: The effects of surgery on the survival of patients with pleural mesothelioma remain poorly understood. We compared the therapeutic outcomes of patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery or refusing surgery for pleural mesothelioma. METHODS: This retrospective study included consecutive [ patients with pleural … [Read more...]
Pegargiminase Confers Survival Benefit in Nonepithelioid Pleural Mesothelioma
Adding pegargiminase to standard chemotherapy can improve outcomes in patients with chemotherapy-naïve, nonepithelioid pleural mesothelioma, according to research published in JAMA Oncology. [Szlosarek PW, Creelan BC, Sarkodie T, et al. Pegargiminase plus first-line chemotherapy in patients with nonepithelioid pleural mesothelioma. The ATOMIC-Meso … [Read more...]