Mesothelioma Clinical Trial Involves Immunotherapy Before Surgery

Three of the country’s leading cancer centers have opened a collaborative clinical trial that potentially could change surgical treatment of mesothelioma. Researchers will measure the safety and efficacy of using two different immunotherapy drug regimens — Opdivo (nivolumab) and Yervoy (ipilimumab) — beginning 42 days before surgery. The hope is that at least one will make surgical resection more effective. Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University, MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas and Greenebaum Cancer Center at the University of Maryland are working together to enroll at least 30 patients for the study. Principal investigator Dr. Patrick Forde Forde, a thoracic oncologist at Johns Hopkins, spoke about the study to several patients and patient advocates in a conference call orchestrated by the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation in Washington, D.C. “The study is building on work already done for other cancers,” Forde said. “Initial results in other cancers, such as breast and lung cancer, have been promising with this approach.” Yervoy Delivered Just Once in Clinical Trial The study wants 15 patients receiving Opdivo before surgery and another 15 taking Opdivo and Yervoy. Opdivo will be given 42, 28 and 14 days before surgery. Yervoy will be administered just once, on day 42. The study also allows for patients to continue receiving regular immunotherapy treatments after surgery for up to one year or until disease progressi...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Source Type: news