Nearly One-Third of Mesothelioma Patients Remain Untreated

A new report from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) shows between 20 and 30 percent of malignant mesothelioma patients do not receive any cancer treatment. The study, “Patterns of care and survival among patients with malignant mesothelioma in the United States,” published August 10 in the journal Lung Cancer, aimed to describe the patterns of care and subsequent survival among mesothelioma patients in the U.S. while adjusting for patient demographics and pre-existing health conditions. Using the NCI’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data, researchers discovered significant differences in treatment patterns and overall survival between pleural mesothelioma patients and nonpleural patients. Mesothelioma patients diagnosed with the pleural type and older than 70 were less likely to receive therapy compared to peritoneal mesothelioma patients and those diagnosed at younger ages. Key findings included: 29.3 percent of pleural mesothelioma patients do not receive treatment Pleural patients tended to be older and male (78.9 percent) Median survival was eight months for pleural patients and 18 months for nonpleural patients Pleural mesothelioma patients who received surgery and chemotherapy showed the best overall survival “These findings indicate the need for efforts to ensure equitable application of currently available therapies to all patients,” lead author Lindsey Enewold wrote in the study. Chemotherapy: Most Common Mesothelioma Treat...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: amount of mesothelioma patients eligible for surgery checkpoint inhibitors clinical trial enrollment cytoreduction surgery heated chemotherapy pleural mesothelioma heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy immunotherapy mesothelioma keytruda Lin Source Type: news