[On October 02, 2020], the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Opdivo (nivolumab) in combination with Yervoy (ipilimumab) for the first-line treatment of adults with malignant pleural mesothelioma that cannot be removed by surgery. This is the first drug regimen approved for mesothelioma in 16 years and the second FDA-approved systemic … [Read more...]
Durvalumab with first-line chemotherapy in previously untreated malignant pleural mesothelioma (DREAM): a multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 trial with a safety run-in
Background: There is a strong unmet need to improve systemic therapy in mesothelioma. Chemotherapy with cisplatin and pemetrexed improves survival in malignant pleural mesothelioma, and immune checkpoint inhibitors are an emerging treatment in this disease. We aimed to evaluate the activity of durvalumab, an anti-PD-L1 antibody, given during … [Read more...]
Telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter mutations identify a genomically defined and highly aggressive human pleural mesothelioma subgroup
Purpose: Human malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is characterized by dismal prognosis. Consequently, dissection of molecular mechanisms driving malignancy is of key importance. Here we investigate, whether activating mutations in the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene promoter are present in MPM and associated with disease progression, … [Read more...]
Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
Clinical practice guidelines for the management of malignant pleural mesothelioma were released in May 2020 by the EuropeanRespiratory Society, European Society of Thoracic Surgeons, European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, and European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology. Epidemiology Research Priorities The task force recommends … [Read more...]
Nivolumab/Ipilimumab Demonstrates Durable OS Benefit in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
[ An Opdivo plus Yervoy combination ] significantly improved overall survival (OS) versus chemotherapy in the first-line treatment of patients with unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma, according to findings from a prespecified analysis of the phase 3 CheckMate-743 trial (NCT02899299) that were presented during the 2020 International … [Read more...]
Questioning the prognostic role of BAP-1 immunohistochemistry in malignant pleural mesothelioma: A single center experience with systematic review and meta-analysis
Introduction: The prognostic role of BRCA1 associated protein-1 (BAP1) expression in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a matter of debate. We aimed to clarify whether MPM patients with loss of BAP1 expression have better overall survival (OS) compared to BAP1 positive patients. Methods: [ BRCA1 associated protein-1 (BAP1) ] … [Read more...]
[Transforming Growth Factor Alpha] Promotes Chemoresistance of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
Background: There is no standard chemotherapy for refractory or relapsing malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Our previous reports nevertheless indicated that a combination of an anthracycline (doxorubicin) and a lysine deacetylase inhibitor (valproic acid, VPA) synergize to induce the apoptosis of MPM cells and reduce tumor growth in mouse … [Read more...]
Bristol Myers Squibb’s Opdivo-Yervoy combo helps mesothelioma patients live longer
Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Opdivo-Yervoy combo is awaiting some critical decisions in non-small cell lung cancer, but in the meantime, it’s making its mark in a smaller indication, too. The immuno-oncology [ Opdivo-Yervoy combo ] topped chemo at extending the lives of phase 3 trial patients with previously untreated malignant pleural mesothelioma … [Read more...]
Comparative analysis of prognostic histopathologic parameters in subtypes of epithelioid pleural mesothelioma
Aims: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare malignancy with dismal prognosis. While [ epithelioid malignant pleural mesothelioma ] is associated with more favorable outcome, additional factors are needed to further stratify prognosis and to identify patients who can benefit from multimodal treatment. As [ epithelioid malignant … [Read more...]
The Role of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients with Resectable Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma – An Institutional and National Analysis
BACKGROUND: There is no standard of care with respect to the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in resectable malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). We performed an intention-to-treat analysis with data from a single institution and the National Cancer Database (NCDB) to identify whether the use of [ neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) ] impacts … [Read more...]