Mesothelioma Stem Cell Research at PMC Holds Great Potential
The Pacific Heart, Lung & Blood Institute in California is moving forward with potentially groundbreaking stem cell mesothelioma research that could
dramatically change the treatment of this disease.
While mesenchymal stem cells already are utilized in therapies for several autoimmune diseases, the novel research will explore using them for the first
time as a vehicle to deliver molecular and gene therapies directly to mesothelioma
sites.
The goal is to develop a reliable therapy to provide consistent, long-term survival for pleural mesothelioma patients, which currently doesn't exist. The majority of mesothelioma
patients still die within two years of a diagnosis, even with the most aggressive, multimodality approach.
Researchers are conducting the studies at the Pacific Meso Center (PMC), which is part of the Pacific Heart, Lung & Blood Institute (PHLBI). The
research is under the direction of renowned surgeon and mesothelioma specialist Robert Cameron, scientific advisor at the PMC, chief
of thoracic surgery at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center and director of the UCLA Comprehensive Mesothelioma Program.
"This cutting edge strategy has the potential both to increase the chance of long-term survival and eliminate current treatments, such as radiation and
chemotherapy that come with significant side effects," Cameron said.
Stem Cells Provide Unique Delivery
Cameron believes the therapy can be most effectiv...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tim Povtak Tags: Research & Clinical Trials Source Type: news
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