This year’s American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting featured multiple presentations on developing treatments for malignant mesothelioma. Two of the most notable studies focused on the use of pembrolizumab, or Keytruda. The first looked at the drug in combination with chemotherapy as a first-line treatment, while the second examined its use for mesothelioma patients whose disease has relapsed. In both applications, researchers expressed optimism about the therapy’s use.
Pembolizumab and Chemotherapy Extend Mesothelioma Overall Survival
The first notable data presented at the ASCO meeting was that a pembrolizumab-containing regimen reduced the risk of mesothelioma death by 21% compared with chemotherapy alone. A total of 440 patients were assigned to receive the gold standard chemotherapy treatment either with or without the immunotherapy drug dosed at 200 mg every 3 weeks for up to 35 cycles. They found that patients who received the combination therapy provided significant improvement in survival, as well as in progression-free survival.
Pembrolizumab and AXL Kinase Inhibitor Controlled Relapse Mesothelioma
A second notable mesothelioma study was conducted and presented by BerGen BioASA, looking at the combination of pembrolizumab with their bemcentinib selective AXL kinase inhibitor in 26 patients with relapsed mesothelioma. The study was part of the MiST 3 trial being pursued at the University of Leicester, UK. That study found that 46.2% of participants experienced control rate at 12 weeks, 38.5% at 24 weeks, and an overall response rate of 15.4%. The combination of the two drugs was well tolerated and considered generally safe.
Researchers Find New Approaches to Malignant Mesothelioma’s Challenges
Malignant mesothelioma is a rare and deadly form of cancer. It is extremely aggressive, and physicians struggle to extend patients’ survival and improve their quality of life. Studies like the two announced at this year’s ASCO provide significant hope that patients can enjoy more time with family and friends after diagnosis.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma and need information on where to access treatment, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at 1-800-692-8608.
