New Targeted Therapy May Benefit Mesothelioma Patients

For newly diagnosed mesothelioma patients, standard treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and multimodal therapy, which combines these options in various ways. However, more physicians are adding precision medicine to the mix, including targeted therapies such as immunotherapy or drugs aimed at a specific genetic mutation in a tumor. Clinical trials have shown a new drug called AZD5363 attacks a gene that is mutated in some mesothelioma tumors. The drug was not designed for mesothelioma patients, but it may offer another mesothelioma treatment avenue in the future. Limited Options Inspire New Treatments Given how challenging it is to treat mesothelioma effectively, new therapies producing better results are needed. The experimental medication AZD5363 is one potential candidate for helping those diagnosed with mesothelioma. A phase I clinical trial published in 2017 tested the drug in 90 patients with several different types of cancerous solid tumors. These are tumors that originate in an organ or solid tissue, including linings of body cavities. Solid tumors do not include blood or immune system cancers such as leukemia or lymphoma. Patients participated in the 2017 clinical trial in cancer centers throughout Europe and the United States. How May the New Drug Benefit Mesothelioma Patients? Although mesothelioma was not a focus of the trial, the drug may benefit patients with the asbestos-related disease because of the way it acts on certain tumors...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Source Type: news