Study Shows Impact of Chemotherapy on Mesothelioma

A U.S.-based study confirms what oncology experts have suggested for years — chemotherapy treatment prolongs life expectancy for malignant mesothelioma patients. Wayne State University School of Medicine researchers linked data from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database with Medicare claims data. The study took into account patient characteristics such as age, gender and amount of asbestos exposure. Not only did the findings show mesothelioma patients who have chemotherapy live longer, but it also proved multimodal therapy increases survival even more. The study is the first to evaluate population-based patterns for mesothelioma describing the impact of treatment on overall survival (OS). “None of the previous studies considered chemotherapy usage in their analyses,” lead researcher Jennifer Lynn Beebe-Dimmer wrote in the study. “We also established that surgery is associated with improved OS, and that chemotherapy modified the effects of surgery.” Medical oncologist Dr. Shirish Gadgeel, a member of the Human Investigation Committee at Wayne State, is the study’s senior author. Significance of Mesothelioma Chemotherapy Chemotherapy kills cancer cells and reduces tumors, but the aggressive treatment carries some negative side effects such as hair loss and vomiting. Although chemotherapy will not cure malignant mesothelioma, the Wayne State University study further validates its importance in treating ...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: chemotherapy clinical trial chemotherapy for mesothelioma doctor shirish gadgeel first line treatment for mesothelioma Human Investigation Committee at Wayne State mesothelioma diagnosis peritoneal mesothelioma wayne state university Source Type: news