Immunotherapy Clinical Trial Showing Promise in Stopping Mesothelioma Recurrence

Even after the best multimodal treatment approach – a combination of two or more therapies (chemotherapy, surgery and radiation) – the probability of mesothelioma cancer recurrence remains high because of the diffuse nature of the disease. Researchers are moving closer to fixing that dilemma. Doctors currently are testing a Wilms’ tumor 1 (WT1) peptide vaccine for its ability to halt mesothelioma recurrence in a Phase II clinical trial conducted at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. MD Anderson still is accepting new participants for this randomized study that began in 2013. The expected completion date is 2017. "To this point, it looks very promising," Anne Tsao, M.D., director of the Mesothelioma Program at MD Anderson, told Asbestos.com. "We've been encouraged with what we've seen." Immunotherapy Is the Key The vaccine is a form of immunotherapy designed to trigger the body's own immune system into preventing any new growth of the tumor. Tsao said the vaccine has been well tolerated by patients and shown no serious side effects. It is one of several immunotherapy agents researchers are exploring in the fight against mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer which has no definitive cure and is caused by exposure to asbestos fibers. Mesothelioma tumors typically have high levels of WT1, a protein that causes cell growth and regulates gene expression. When it becomes abnormal, it can lead to the development of cancer. The vaccine is given in combination with drugs GM-CS...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Treatment & Doctors Source Type: news