Cytogenetic Testing, Biomarkers and Establishing Specific Causation
Immunotherapy and malignant mesothelioma: clinical perspectives
The French Cancer Bulletin Journal recently published results affirming immunotherapy techniques for mesothelioma patients. Marc Gregoire and Frederic Ebstein comment that standard treatments for mesothelioma, including chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, have limited efficacy.
They note, however, that because some patients respond spontaneously to the tumor or have beneficial responses to immunotherapy, the immune system may respond better to malignant pleural mesothelioma under different circumstances.
Animal studies demonstrate the immunoreactivity to different immunotherapies. Clinical trials investigating Stage I and II mesothelioma patients show promising results with chemo-immunotherapies and immunotherapy. Additionally, the authors note that “recent progress in early detection techniques also provides hope that patients can be treated efficiently, at an earlier stage and well monitored. Thus, immunotherapy of cancer is undoubtedly a highly promising but also very challenging approach in the treatment of disease that has slipped through the defense lines of the immune system.”