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: Tags: Research & Clinical Trials Source Type: news