Malignant mesothelioma is an extremely rare form of cancer that strikes just 3,000 patients in the United States each year. As a result, research and resources aimed at finding a treatment can be sparse. Fortunately, mesothelioma shares many characteristics with other challenging diseases, and research into treatments for those illnesses has contributed to the pool of knowledge about stopping the rare, asbestos-related disease. A recent report on a new, orally administered experimental treatment to stop the growth of nerve cell tumors sheds new light on halting the growth of malignant mesothelioma tumors.
Similarities Between Nerve Sheath Tumor Cells and Mesothelioma Cells
Though the new treatment approach is not aimed at treating malignant mesothelioma, the research authors note that the condition that they are focusing on shares a specific characteristic with the rare, asbestos-related disease. The Schwannomas tumors that the new study focused on grow on the nerves that bring hearing and balance information to the brain, and like mesothelioma, they are very hard to treat. Surgery is effective but carries the risk of causing significant damage to surrounding tissue.
The researchers from the University of Plymouth wrote in the journal Brain that they approached the treatment of schwannomas by focusing on the Hippo signaling pathway, which has also been shown to be effective in treating mesothelioma. This pathway, when functioning properly, controls organ size in human tissues and cells. When the pathway is dysregulated, it can result in tumor growth.
Previous Research Has Shown Hippo Pathway Intervention Can Slow Mesothelioma
By using drugs known as Hippo pathway inhibitors, mesothelioma researchers have been able to cause the death of tumor cells and an overall shrinkage of tumor size. Following this lead, the nerve sheath tumor researchers used a combination of patient-donor cells from surgical resections and mouse models of schwannoma tumors to show that after just 21 days of drug administration, tumor growth was significantly reduced.
Speaking of their success, Research Fellow Dr. Liyam Laraba of the University of Plymouth said, “We are really excited to show that blocking the Hippo pathway is highly effective in preventing schwannoma and meningioma growth.” Mesothelioma scientists are encouraged by the group’s success and hope that it can translate into additional answers for their own work.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, innovative research offers hope. For more information, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at 1-800-692-8608.
