High Dose Radiation with Pleurectomy Shows Promise in Controlling Mesothelioma

High dose radiation therapy, as a follow-up to aggressive pleurectomy/decortication surgery for patients with pleural mesothelioma, has produced impressive results in a recent Italian study. Researchers in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano, in northern Italy, reported a median survival rate of 33 months for the 20 consecutive patients enrolled at the cancer institute. "We think our approach is a concrete alternative option for the cure of MPM (malignant pleural mesothelioma)," lead researcher Emilio Minatel, M.D., told Asbestos.com. "We have very encouraging results of local control and survival in a very select population." The results were published in the November edition of the international journal Lung Cancer. The study provided some much-needed encouragement for mesothelioma patients. There currently is no cure for mesothelioma cancer, which is caused by exposure to asbestos fibers. The results also have delivered fuel to the on-going debate about those who believe that lung-sparing P/D surgery is a better option than the more-radical extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP), which involves the removal of an entire lung. The survival rate in the study was 70 percent at two years and 49 percent at three years or more. The estimated progression-free survival rate was 68 percent at two years and 46 percent at three years. The radiation dosage used in the study was 50Gy in 25 fractions. Areas ...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Research & Clinical Trials Source Type: news