Could Mesothelioma Chemotherapy Ever Be Obsolete?

Oncologist Dr. Arek Dudek at Regions Hospital Cancer Care Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, believes his clinical trial involving a novel immunotherapy combination could change the way doctors treat pleural mesothelioma. Dudek is opening the only Phase II trial evaluating the combination of nivalumab (Opdivo) and ramucirumab (Cyramza) for previously treated mesothelioma patients. “This strategy – if successful, like we think it will be – could make treatment with chemotherapy obsolete,” Dudek told Asbestos.com. “People can be really excited about this one.” He based his optimism on the potential synergy between the two drugs that already have shown effectiveness for treating cancer as single agents. “What’s unique about this study is that it adds another dimension to immune therapy,” he said. “It’s a two-prong approach that could make a huge difference. Each drug effects the tumor, and its ability to avoid the immune system, in a different way.” Mesothelioma Trial Will Expand Soon Although it opens only at Regions Hospital this month, three other study sites are expected to begin recruiting for the trial soon. The sites include: University of Illinois Cancer Center, Chicago University of Minnesota Cancer Center, Minneapolis Indiana University Cancer Center, Indianapolis The goal for the second-line trial is to accrue 35 participants whose disease has progressed after chemotherapy. The trial is expected to run until 2021, and designed to measure response...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Source Type: news