COVID-19 Pandemic Delays Mesothelioma Clinical Trials

Medical centers across the country have slowed or stopped the enrollment of new patients in mesothelioma clinical trials because of the all-consuming COVID-19 pandemic. The pause in enrollment options could be critical for newly diagnosed patients with pleural mesothelioma, whose life expectancy is often just six to 12 months. Clinical trials are research studies where patients can find cutting-edge treatments not yet approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Those experimental treatments go beyond standard of care, which generally has not been effective for this rare and aggressive cancer caused by asbestos exposure. “The clinical trials are mostly on hold due to COVID-19,” Dr. Raphael Bueno, director of the International Mesothelioma Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, told The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com. “[We] hope to open back up in May.” The highly regarded Pacific Mesothelioma Center, which is part of the Pacific Heart, Lung & Blood Institute in Los Angeles, has continued screening patients for clinical trials, but on a limited basis. Scientific advisor Dr. Robert Cameron, one of the country’s most respected mesothelioma experts, called clinical trial activity “day to day,” due to the pandemic. Mesothelioma Patients Face Challenges During Pandemic The delay of clinical trials is one of many concerns facing patients with mesothelioma. Cancer patients undergoing treatment are typically immunocompromised and are at great...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Source Type: news