The results of a study performed by the National Institute of Cancerologia in Mexico City may raise new hopes for patients diagnosed with the asbestos-related illness, mesothelioma.
The study, which followed 30 patients with pleural mesothelioma from September 2007 until April 2009, aimed to determine whether the use of liposomal doxorubicin and cisplatin, two chemotherapy medications, would improve the survival rates of the patients.
Cisplatin is a drug approved by the Federal Drug Administration in 1976 and is often used in combination with the drug Alimta in the treatment of mesothelioma.
Researchers of the Mexican-based institute hope the liposomal form of doxorubicin, combined with cisplatin, will allow patients to remain stable for a longer period of time. The chemical makeup of liposomes is similar to a human’s cell membrane, which allows the drug to be delivered in a more potent way than other methods. Typically, a single drug chemotherapy treatment has had a 20 percent success rate for mesothelioma patients, while the combination therapies have produced a slightly higher response of 25 percent.
According to Dr. H. Ian Robins, a University of Wisconsin Professor and oncologist who specializes in cancers relating to asbestos, combination therapies such as the combination tested in the National Institute of Cancerologia’s study, may hold the key to higher survival rates for mesothelioma patients.
Typically developed through exposure to asbestos, mesothelioma is a rare cancer that accounts for three percent of all cancer diagnoses in the United States. Due to an the long latency period associated with mesothelioma, many patients will not experience related symptoms until 20 to 50 years after exposure, when the disease has already progressed to later stages.
There are a number of factors that can impact a patients’ mesothelioma survival rate including the age of a patient at the time of diagnosis and the stage of the cancer’s progression. Currently, there is no cure for mesothelioma, although treatment such as chemotherapy can help a patient combat the cancer.
Although the release date of the study testing cisplatin and liposomal doxorubicin has yet to be determined, many patients and families are hopeful that the results will offer a brighter future for those who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma.
Additional information about mesothelioma and mesothelioma treatments may be found through the mesothelioma Center.