For the last 25 years, mesothelioma — both pleural and peritoneal — is responsible for almost 2,500 deaths each year in the UK.
Mesothelioma UK, the national asbestos related cancer organisation, has published news of the latest research into treatment for the condition.
Despite the importation and manufacture of all types of asbestos products having been prohibited for the last 25 years, mesothelioma — both pleural and peritoneal — is responsible for almost 2,500 deaths each year in the UK. The HSE estimates a similar number of deaths occur each year due to asbestos related lung cancer.
MARS 2 study
This study assesses the use of radical surgical options, primarily to test the hypothesis that surgery and chemotherapy is superior to chemotherapy alone with respect to overall survival times. It’s secondary aims include health related quality of life, safety and progression free survival.
Surgery in mesothelioma patients is invariably either a pleurectomy — removal of a part, or all of the pleura — or a pleurectomy decortication — removal of the inner pleura.
Mesothelioma UK reports that the risks of surgery, which include infection, dyslexia, pneumonia, cardiac complications, respiratory failure and post operative pain, often outweigh the benefits conveyed to some patients in improved health related quality of life and survival times.
MITOPE study
More positively, an update on the MITOPE study led by Professor Dean Fennell, Director of Mesothelioma research at Leicester Universities Hospital in conjunction with RS Oncology, reports the first dosing of a patient in a Phase 2 clinical trial with a novel investigational anti-cancer treatment, RSO-021, for patients with malignant pleural effusion and mesothelioma.
Professor Fennell described RSO-021 as;
“A unique mechanism of action which we believe could provide new hope for patients”.
RSO-021 is administered weekly into the pleural space following drainage of the malignant pleural effusion.
Jarrett Duncan, CEO of RS Oncology: (RSO-021)…
“This is an exciting novel anti-cancer treatment that can potentially help a global population of cancer patients who are left with little or no options”.
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