Lung Mesothelioma Is Incredibly Difficult To Treat

Like other lung tumors, pleural mesothelioma presents a major challenge for the oncologists. Apart from classical approaches based on radical surgery, aggressive chemotherapy and irradiation of lungs, there are very little therapeutic options. The fact that most patients get diagnosed at late stage of this cancer doesn’t help in improving their chances of survival.

Recent relative progress in the treatment of cancer left lung malignancies on the side line of progress. New targeted therapeutics allow to improve the survival of breast cancer patients by almost three times and give many women many additional years of life. The same or similar drugs extend the life of patients with lung mesothelioma by few months only.

New therapeutic approaches offer hope

Not everything is doom and gloom though. Although slowly, new drugs do get developed. Each new treatment allows to extend the median survival of lung mesothelioma patients by few months. If more such drugs developed, a significant progress can be achieved. A number of promising drugs is now in the development by major pharmaceutical companies.

A significant improvement in treatment of this malignancy was recently achieved by the use of photodynamic therapy. Researchers from the Perelman Schools of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania tried a new conservative lung-sparing surgery in combination with photodynamic therapy technique.  Surgery in this case intends to remove only the bulk of tumor. Any metastases (which are present almost always) remain in the lung. Photodynamic therapy is used to eliminate them, or at least to slow down their development.

The idea of photodynamic therapy is quite interesting. A special drug capable of accumulating in cancer cells is given to the patients. Drug is not toxic and does not create any major side effects. But it has a special property: when irradiated by the certain type of light, it starts to produce very aggressive free radicals that kill and damage the surrounding cells. Since drug is located mostly in cancer cells, they will be the most affected by the radicals. Initial results published in 2012 indicate that patients who underwent this treatment survive for at least two years, which is twice longer than average post-diagnosis survival period of just one year typical for this disease.

Gene therapy for lung mesothelioma is also being investigated. In the course of this therapy, specific genes capable of killing cancer cells get delivered to tumor with the help of modified herpes simplex virus. Phase 1/2 clinical trials are now on the way to establish if this therapy is effective.

Not everyone might be at risk – genetic tests need to be developed

Recently, it came to the attention of scientists that the incidences of malignant mesothelioma are higher in some families. This implies that there are specific genes responsible for predisposition to this disease. If the genes are identified and proper tests developed, we can clearly identify those people who are really at risk and direct the resources to monitor their health closely instead of trying to follow everyone with the known exposure to asbestos.

Lots of work needs to be done to deliver the meaningful help to people with asbestos-linked lung malignancies. The recent progress in treatment and management of these conditions offers the hope that real improvements are not far away.