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Have you or someone you know been diagnosed with mesothelioma?
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Clinical Trials

Mesothelioma Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are currently ongoing in the effort to find a cure for malignant mesothelioma. These trials are made up of research studies that evaluate possible new treatments effectiveness. safely, in the hope that one day a cure will be found. Although clinical trials offer no guarantee of success and require some degree of risk, they often involve the newest technology and research. In addition, researchers do not undertake these trials without a belief that the results will have some value in treating mesothelioma. Below is a list of current treatment research.

Combination chemotherapy

Chemotherapy drugs have been combined with successful results in treating other forms of cancer, and show mixed results in treating mesothelioma. Recently, a study was conducted to evaluate the possible benefit of a combination of Cisplatin and Gemcitabine in treating malignant mesothelioma. This drug cocktail was tested on 21 advanced mesothelioma patients, and resulted in forty seven percent showing a partial response to the treatment.

Intracavitary chemotherapy

Research is being conducted on this form of chemotherapy, which instills chemotherapy drugs directly into the pleural or peritoneal spaces. This form may have advantages over traditional chemotherapy as it allows for much higher doses without severe side effects. Recent studies have shown that this treatment may have positive effects on reducing tumor size and controlling pleural effusions.

Brachytherapy

This form of treatment uses radiation therapy within the pleural or peritoneal space. A radioactive substance is typically placed within the cavity.

Multimodality therapy

Multimodality simply refers to a combination of treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation to maximize results.

Gene Therapy

This experimental form of treatment uses a genetically tailored virus to attack tumor cells in an effort to make them vulnerable to tumor drugs.

Immunotherapy

This form of treatment attempts to boost the body.s natural immune system in order to better fight cancer cells.

Photodynamic therapy

This treatment utilizes photosensitive drugs, or those which are sensitive to light to saturate tumor cells, which are then exposed to light.

Benefits of Participating in a Clinical Trial

Risks Involved in Clinical Trials

Although clinical trials are designed to maximize patients. safety, certain risks do remain. It is important to ask about these risks as well as discuss them with your health care provider. A common concern of patients. is that they will be .guinea pigs. of researchers by participating in a clinical trial. It is important to realize that in most trials done, the experimental treatment is compared to the standard mesothelioma treatment. Even if a test patient does not receive the experimental drug or treatment, they will still receive standard therapy, usually at little or no cost. If a placebo is used instead of another treatment, you will be informed of this before the trial begins.

Clinical trials are used as a research tool for future treatments, and are not guaranteed to work. However, they do offer another treatment option, and provide patients with an opportunity to contribute to a future cure. For these reasons, the good from these trials usually outweighs any risk involved.

Questions to Ask Before Committing to a Mesothelioma Clinical Trial

You may want to ask your doctor, nurse or researcher administering the mesothelioma clinical trial questions before committing oneself.

Ask questions such as:

Some doctors are reluctant to have their patients participate in mesothelioma clinical trials. This may be due to any number of reasons, including: