CAR T-Cell Therapy Showing Promise with Pleural Mesothelioma

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center continues its drive toward a future that may involve innovative CAR T-cell therapy as part of standard-of-care treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma. The latest step was a clinical trial exploring a first-in-human, intrapleural-administered CAR T-cell therapy used in combination with pembrolizumab, a well-known immunotherapy drug also known by the brand name Keytruda. Results were impressive, including a 23.9-month median overall survival and an 83% one-year survival rate for patients. Cancer Discovery published the single-center study results July 15. “There is more work to be done, but what we saw was very encouraging,” thoracic surgeon and lead study author Dr. Prasad Adusumilli told The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com. “We are moving forward.” Adusumilli, vice chair for translational research at Memorial Sloan Kettering, predicted years ago that CAR T-cell therapy would one day “change the paradigm of treating mesothelioma.” Nothing since has changed his mind. CAR T-Cell Therapy Helped by Pembrolizumab CAR T-cell therapy, also known as chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, involves the laboratory reprogramming of a patient’s T cells, white blood cells that discourage infection and disease. In the laboratory, the cells are genetically modified to better recognize and fight the cancer. In the past, T-cell therapies have been effective only when treating blood cancers such as lymphoma an...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Source Type: news