Peritoneal Mesothelioma Study Unveils Potential Treatment
According to a study recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) may be beneficial for malignant peritoneal mesothelioma patients.
The study, titled “Cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy for malignant peritoneal mesothelioma: multi-institutional experience,” was carried out in Sydney, Australia at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
T.D. Yan and colleagues evaluated cytoreductive surgery combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in 405 patients with diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (DMPM).
The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the overall survival of the patients. Another objective involved analyzing prognostic variables to determine what dictated the overall survival. A follow-up was performed with 401 patients (99 percent) included in the study.
The median follow-up period for patients was 33 months. The overall median survival was 53 months and the three- and five-year survival rates were 60% and 47%.
The researchers concluded that the data recovered from the study suggested that cytoreductive surgery combined with HIPEC may prolong the overall survival of patients with DMPM.
Malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure. Exposure occurs when the microscopic fibers that make up asbestos are either inhaled or ingested into the body. This typically happens after asbestos-containing materials are damaged or disturbed and have released asbestos fibers into the air.
Some of the more common locations for asbestos exposure have included the construction, shipyard, railroad, power plant, chemical plant and automotive industries. In addition to this, exposure in the home has also been a problem as those who worked around asbestos would carry home asbestos fibers on their skin and clothes, exposing family members to the hazardous substance.
Treatment for this cancer is limited to palliative care as a cure does not currently exist. However, studies such as the one conducted at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney, Australia are bringing researchers from around the world closer to finding a cure.
Additional information about mesothelioma may be found at the Mesothelioma Center.
