Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that usually occurs in people who have been exposed to asbestos. It is highly resistant to the usual cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, and is responsible for the deaths of around 2,500 people in the U.S. every year.
However, researchers at the National Cancer Institute have found a way to significantly increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy on patients with mesothelioma.
They have discovered an immunotoxin called SS1P which will selectively target cells looking for a protein called mesothelin, of which there is more in mesothelioma cells.
Studies have looked at SS1P treatment before, which appeared promising but this study looked at it in combination with the most popular mesothelioma chemotherapy drugs. Of those patients who received the maximum dose, 77% experienced some reduction in the size of their tumors.
In addition there were few side effects.
Now that the dosing levels have been established, the study will be rolled out to a larger group of patients with mesothelioma.
