Much is known about what causes malignant mesothelioma, but far less is known about how to treat it. Whether a patient is diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma or peritoneal mesothelioma, the prognosis for this rare form of cancer is extremely grim. Medical treatment for the disease has largely remained the same for years, but scientists at mesothelioma research centers are working every day to change the status quo, deliver more effective treatment, and improve patient quality of life.
Understanding Cancer Research
Cancer research occurs in laboratories found in hospitals, universities, academic medical centers, and even community clinics. Much of it is funded by the National Cancer Institute, while some is privately funded by drug and pharmaceutical companies, philanthropies, and advocacy organizations.
Finding better, more effective treatments is just one aspect of cancer research. Scientists conduct cancer research across four broad categories:[1]
- Basic research seeks answers to questions about why and how cancer cells grow and spread, often without concern for practical or clinical applications. Still, basic research provides a greater understanding of important aspects of cancer biology, including how cancer cells and tumors grow; how cancer cells respond to a specific drug; how cells communicate with one another; and why immune system cells attack and kill some cells and ignore others. The information obtained through basic research provides the foundation for future scientific advances.
- Clinical research, or clinical trials, tests drugs, medical devices, and other interventions in human volunteers to assess their safety and effectiveness. Both small, early-phase clinical research and larger, later-phase clinical trials are necessary to confirm whether a patient is more effective and/or better tolerated than is currently available. This type of research is required before medical innovations can be used routinely in medical care.
- Population-based research studies family histories, genetics, health behaviors, health histories, and environmental exposures to learn about the causes of cancer and its consequences. These studies rely on cancer registries and databases as well as observational studies, surveys of specific population groups, and studies of large families to identify associations or to highlight trends.
- Translational research is the culmination of the other three types of investigation. It takes the results of lab work, clinical trials, and population studies or some combination thereof and takes it into patient care. Translational research is also known as implementation research. It ensures that the findings from other studies are effective in real-world applications.
Cancer research involves collaboration between physicians and experts in a wide range of academic, scientific, and technical disciplines. It also requires funding from the government, the private sector, and philanthropic communities and participation from human volunteers.
Mesothelioma Research Centers
Malignant mesothelioma is both extremely rare and currently incurable, but researchers around the globe and across the United States are dedicated to improving outcomes by using existing treatments and creating new technologies and protocols. There are many academic medical centers and research institutes that are participating in clinical trials, drug investigations, and basic science to advance this goal. Some of the top research centers in the country include:
- The National Cancer Institute (NCI) – In addition to being the largest funder of cancer research in the world, the NCI has intramural divisions and centers located on campuses in suburban Maryland, where government and contract staff conduct research. The work done in these centers is in addition to the NCI’s extramural program, which supports investigators at universities, academic medical centers, and research institutions across the country, including those listed below.[1]
- The Mayo Clinic – In addition to having one of the largest mesothelioma practices in the country, the Mayo Clinic offers people with mesothelioma access to multiple clinical trials evaluating new therapies. Among the studies currently being conducted at the Mayo Clinic is a phase II trial evaluating the safety and effectiveness of adding surgery after immunotherapy for patients diagnosed with sarcomatoid mesothelioma.[2]
- University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center – The University of Chicago’s multidisciplinary mesothelioma team includes research scientists who are internationally renowned for improving mesothelioma patient outcomes. They are working toward developing novel treatment protocols that extend and improve lives.
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center – The UPMC Hillman Cancer Research Institute’s researchers collaborate with its clinician-scientists to advance promising laboratory studies into novel clinical trials and provide patients access to new treatments. The center is currently participating in a trial that is testing chemotherapy with or without immunotherapy to treat peritoneal mesothelioma.[3]
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center – Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center are constantly testing new ways to fight mesothelioma. Some of the clinical trials they have evaluated for safety and effectiveness include tumor vaccines, antibody therapies, T-cell–based treatments, molecularly targeted medications, and the use of anticancer viruses.[4]
- Johns Hopkins University/Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center – The Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University conducts basic and clinical research, as well as translational research that takes information learned from trials to their patients’ bedsides. One notable study conducted there determined that an immunotherapy-chemotherapy treatment coupled with in-depth genomic analysis led to improved survival for patients with mesothelioma.[5]
- MD Anderson Cancer Center – In addition to being a top-ranked mesothelioma treatment center, MD Anderson’s researchers are conducting groundbreaking research into the rare form of cancer, including studies of immunotherapy drugs, advanced surgical techniques, and targeted radiation therapy.
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital – Brigham and Women’s International Mesothelioma Program conducts pioneering research into novel therapies and new surgical treatments for mesothelioma designed to increase longevity and improve quality of life. Studies include applications in mesothelioma surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, rehabilitation, post-acute care, and supportive services.
These are just a few of the research and treatment centers that are working towards improving outcomes for mesothelioma patients. You can find many more mesothelioma treatment centers here.
