Mesothelioma is a rare but aggressive form of cancer that affects the lining of the lungs, heart, and other organs. It is primarily caused by exposure to asbestos, and unfortunately, it is often diagnosed in its later stages when treatment options are limited. Traditional treatments for mesothelioma include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, but these treatments are often associated with significant side effects and limited effectiveness in treating advanced stages of the disease.
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in using immunotherapy drugs as a potential treatment option for mesothelioma. Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that works by harnessing the body’s own immune system to fight cancer cells. In mesothelioma, immunotherapy drugs are often used in combination with other treatments to improve their effectiveness and reduce side effects.
There are several types of immunotherapy drugs that are currently being studied for the treatment of mesothelioma, including checkpoint inhibitors, CAR T-cell therapy, and cancer vaccines. Each of these drug types works in a slightly different way, but they all aim to boost the body’s immune response to cancer cells.
Checkpoint inhibitors are a type of immunotherapy drug that works by blocking certain proteins on cancer cells that prevent the immune system from recognizing and attacking them. By blocking these proteins, checkpoint inhibitors can help the immune system identify and destroy cancer cells more effectively. Some checkpoint inhibitors that have been studied in mesothelioma include pembrolizumab, nivolumab, and durvalumab.
CAR T-cell therapy is a newer type of immunotherapy that involves genetically modifying a patient’s T cells (a type of immune cell) to recognize and attack cancer cells. This approach has shown promising results in other types of cancer, but it is still being studied in mesothelioma.
Cancer vaccines are another type of immunotherapy that works by stimulating the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells. These vaccines can be made from cancer cells themselves or from proteins found on the surface of cancer cells. One cancer vaccine that has been studied in mesothelioma is called CRS-207, which is made from a weakened form of the bacterium Listeria and has been shown to stimulate the immune system to attack mesothelioma cells.
The benefits of immunotherapy drugs in mesothelioma treatment are still being studied, but there have been some promising results in clinical trials. For example, a 2016 study published in The Lancet Oncology found that a combination of pembrolizumab and chemotherapy improved progression-free survival (the length of time that a patient’s cancer does not get worse) in patients with mesothelioma compared to chemotherapy alone. Another study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in 2020 found that a combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab (another type of checkpoint inhibitor) improved overall survival in patients with mesothelioma compared to chemotherapy alone.
In addition to improving treatment outcomes, immunotherapy drugs may also have fewer side effects than traditional treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy. This is because they are designed to specifically target cancer cells, whereas traditional treatments can also damage healthy cells in the body.
However, it is important to note that not all patients with mesothelioma will benefit from immunotherapy drugs, and they may not be suitable for all patients. Patients with certain pre-existing medical conditions or who are taking certain medications may not be able to receive immunotherapy drugs, and some patients may experience serious side effects from these treatments.
In conclusion, while the use of immunotherapy drugs in mesothelioma treatment is still being studied, there is growing evidence to suggest that these drugs may improve treatment outcomes and have fewer side effects than traditional treatments. Patients with mesothelioma should talk to their healthcare providers about whether immunotherapy drugs may be a suitable treatment option for them.
