Japanese researchers recently reported positive results in the testing of a new compound that could prove successful in the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) cancer.
Researchers recently announced the isolation of a novel anti-MPM compound known as JBIR-23. In this study, JBIR-23 was found to exhibit a cytotoxic effect on mesothelioma cells. This cytotoxic effect led to the apoptosis (cell death) of mesothelioma cells. When researchers took the study from the test tube into living mice with mesothelioma, they found JBIR-23 prevented tumor growth without evident side effects.
Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer caused almost exclusively by asbestos exposure. Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with the cancer each year. Like other asbestos-related diseases, mesothelioma has a severe latency period in terms of the development of symptoms. In most cases, patients with mesothelioma will not experience symptoms until 20 years have passed since their initial exposure to asbestos.
Because of the long latency period associated with the cancer, the disease has usually progressed to later stages of development by the time of diagnosis. Most symptoms of mesothelioma are also found in less serious lung conditions, and this complication can lead to a wrong diagnosis or a delay in accurate diagnosis. The later the cancer is diagnosed, the more difficult it is to treat.
Unfortunately, the aggressive cancer does not respond well to current mesothelioma treatment options and researchers across the world continue to conduct studies like these in an effort to better understand the disease and develop more effective treatments.
Researchers reported, “In conclusion, JBIR-23 exhibited significant antitumoral efficacy in MPM tumor xenografts in nude mice with no weight loss and any other obvious adverse effects. Furthermore, JBIR-23 not only prevents tumor growth but also leads to a reduction in the volume of tumors. These results suggest that JBIR-23 is a promising lead compound for use in MPM-specific therapeutic drugs without any side effects.”
Additional information on mesothelioma may be found through the mesothelioma Center.