Surgery following chemotherapy shows mesothelioma treatment promise

October 4, 2004

A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology indicates neoadjuvant chemotherapy looks promising as a treatment method for malignant mesothelioma patients. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer associated most often to asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma can develop years after asbestos exposure, and prognosis is important, though long-term survival for mesothelioma patients is still grim.

A type of therapy being looked into for mesothelioma patients is neoadjuvant chemotherapy in hopes of shrinking the cancer prior to surgery so more of it can be removed. Some experts think neoadjuvant chemotherapy may kill cancer cells that have spread in the body immediately, opposed to waiting for a patient to undergo surgery and becoming well enough to tolerate chemotherapy.

The researchers that completed the recent trial consisting of 19 patients diagnosed with mesothelioma, including 17 that were considered to have poor long-term outcomes, concluded that neoadjuvant chemotherapy shows hope for the treatment of malignant mesothelioma, though more studies are needed. Mesothelioma patients are encouraged to discuss treatment options with their physicians.

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