Lung-sparing radical pleurectomy with intraoperative photodynamic therapy (PDT) demonstrates remarkable survival for patients with pleural mesothelioma. Nevertheless, most patients treated with this multimodal approach will develop local tumor recurrence. An understanding of potential causes of treatment failure is central to developing mitigation … [Read more...]
Recent Advances in Mesothelioma Treatment: Immunotherapy, Advanced Cell Therapy, and Other Innovative Therapeutic Modalities
Mesothelioma is a malignant condition arising from the pleura and peritoneum that is closely related to asbestos exposure [1]. Due to the prolonged time needed for one to fully develop mesothelioma, difficulty in diagnosing this condition early, its quick progression once manifested, and the limited [ mesothelioma treatment ] options, the prognosis … [Read more...]
Treatment of Pleural Mesothelioma: ASCO Guideline Update
Since the initial [American Society of Clinical Oncologists (ASCO)] clinical practice guideline on the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma (PM) was published in 2018, considerable progress has been made which has changed not only the management but even the name of this disease. This guideline update focuses on four key areas: the role of … [Read more...]
Treatment of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma: American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline
Introduction The purpose of this guideline is to provide recommendations for the management of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), an aggressive tumor with a poor prognosis. In the United States, about 3,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. The median overall survival of patients with advanced surgically unresectable disease is … [Read more...]
Immunotherapy for Treatment of Pleural Mesothelioma: Current and Emerging Therapeutic Strategies
Pleural mesothelioma is a rare malignancy associated with asbestos exposure and very poor prognosis, with a 5-year overall survival of 12%. Outcomes may vary according to stage at time of diagnosis and histologic subtype. Most recently, clinical trials utilizing dual checkpoint inhibitor regimens and chemotherapy in combination with immune … [Read more...]
FDA Approves Pembrolizumab Plus Chemo for Unresectable Advanced or Metastatic Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
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...]
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...]
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...]