New approaches to treat malignant mesothelioma are currently being tested. They often combine traditional treatments or include something entirely new. They include
- Promising drugs
- L-NDDP (Platar): Intrapleural administration of this platinum product is designed to overcome the toxicity and drug resistance currently limiting the usefulness of platinum drugs like Cisplatin. NOTE: A recent trial produced remission in two patients.
- Endostatin has been shown to work with angiostatin in destroying a tumors' ability to grow blood vessels without harming normal cells.
- Lovastatin is a cholesterol drug shown in a recent study to potentially inhibit mesothelioma cancer cell growth.
- Intrapleural interferon gamma is the direct administration of the anti-cancer drug interferon gamma.
- Photodynamic therapy kills cancer cells using the energy of light.
- Immunotherapy treats cancer by helping the immune system fight the disease.
- Gene therapy treats cancer by correcting the genetic deficits that allow tumors to develop. A September 1999 study found that interferon interleukin prevented the growth of mesothelioma cells in mice.
Research is being conducted at various cancer centers all over the United States.
A recent study involving L-NDDP produced two cases of remission in mesothelioma patients. Another study found that a drug known as Lovastatin may hold promise for mesothelioma patients.
To learn more about mesothelioma clinical studies and journal medical journal articles, visit the Mesothelioma Web (http://www.mesotheliomaweb.org).
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