A Mesothelioma Cure?

As the rates of mesothelioma have risen steadily over the past generation, researchers have begun to seriously study ways to eradicate this terrible disease.  Although mesothelioma is presently considered incurable, there are currently over 100 mesothelioma clinical trials to research new treatments.  The field of mesothelioma research is moving forward quickly, and the treatment of mesothelioma patients is rapidly improving as our store of scientific knowledge increases.

The best way to ensure the optimal treatment for yourself or your loved one is to talk to your medical team, and make sure that your oncologist and other doctors are keeping up-to-date on the latest research on mesothelioma treatment.  Ask your doctor about the clinical trials for which you may qualify and discuss your options as soon as possible.

Encouraging results have been reported at certain centers, with a 46% to 53% survival rate after 5 years with the most favorable candidates who have undergone trimodality therapy (extrapleural pneumonectomy, radiation therapy, and multi-drug chemotherapy).  There are numerous cases where people have survived much longer than the average survival rates, sometimes as long as ten or twenty years.

While much progress has been made, however, more research is urgently needed to develop new treatments and ultimately a cure for mesothelioma.  If you are eligible, you may want to consider participating in a clinical trial.  By taking part in such a trial, you may be given access to promising new anticancer drugs and experimental therapies.  Your participation will also make an important contribution to our scientific knowledge of this devastating disease.

We still have much to learn about mesothelioma.  The research being done in clinical trials will ultimately help us find a cure for this rare and deadly form of cancer.