Although there is currently no cure for the deadly malignancy mesothelioma, UK researchers have just hailed a “truly wonderful” new treatment for this aggressive asbestos-related illness. Mesothelioma is an aggressive and uncommon kind of cancer that begins in the lining that covers the outside of several human organs. Health professionals say that mesothelioma primarily affects the lining of the lungs, though it can also damage the lining of the stomach, heart, or testicles. It is typically associated with asbestos exposure at work, and while therapy can help manage the lethal symptoms, it is either difficult to treat or incurable.
Every year, thousands of people are diagnosed with mesothelioma worldwide, and the disease has one of the lowest cancer survival rates in the world. However, patients may soon have hope, as UK researchers have announced the development of a “truly wonderful” new treatment for this aggressive asbestos-related cancer, which is the product of a ground-breaking clinical trial. A major advancement in the field of oncology, the latest clinical research demonstrates the encouraging outcomes of pairing ADI-PEG20 with chemotherapy for patients with malignant mesothelioma.
This collaborative effort, led by Queen Mary University of London and The University of Western Australia, highlights the global impact of this breakthrough. The international trial, which took place between 2017 and 2021 and involved patients from the UK, US, Australia, Italy, and Taiwan, revealed that the new drug, which cuts off the tumour’s food supply, quadrupled three-year survival rates. The study was published in JAMA Oncology. This novel strategy represents a breakthrough in the battle against mesothelioma and shows promise for improving survival rates.
“In this pivotal, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial in 249 patients with pleural mesothelioma, pegargiminase-chemotherapy significantly increased the median overall survival by 1.6 months and quadrupled the survival at 36 months compared to placebo-chemotherapy,” wrote the authors, who included Prof. Peter Szlosarek of Queen Mary, who led the research. Chemotherapy based on pegargiminase was well tolerated and did not provide any new safety indications.
The TGH Onco Life Cancer Centre in Talegaon’s Dr. Jyoti Mehta, MD, Radiation and Clinical Oncologist, exclaimed, “The success of this clinical trial raises optimism within the scientific community, emphasizing the importance of collaborative research and the pursuit of novel treatment strategies,” in an interview with HT Lifestyle. Patients suffering from malignant mesothelioma have hope thanks to the combination of ADI-PEG20 and chemotherapy, which shows promise for better prognoses and a higher standard of living.
“These early findings underscore the importance of continued investment in research and development to bring forth transformative solutions for challenging medical conditions,” the speaker declared, adding that more research and clinical validations would be necessary. The scientific community is looking forward to additional in-depth information about the mechanisms and long-term effects of ADI-PEG20 in the hopes that it will prove to be an amazing development in the field of cancer treatment related to asbestos exposure.
