Finding the most effective treatment for malignant mesothelioma is a significant challenge. The rare and deadly form of cancer is notoriously resistant to chemotherapy and other traditional cancer treatments, leaving researchers to weigh the relative risks of more innovative or aggressive treatments. A study conducted by German researchers has concluded that the benefits of localized heated chemotherapy treatment outweigh the risks it poses to kidney health.
Hyperthermic Intrathoracic Chemotherapy Proven Effective in Treating Mesothelioma
The German researchers explored the use of Hyperthermic Intrathoracic Chemotherapy, or HITOC, in the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma. Writing in the journal Cancer, they explained that they had conducted a retrospective study to determine whether patients whose surgeries included the use of HITOC later developed kidney problems, and how severe those problems were.
HITOC offers the benefit of directly reaching microscopic mesothelioma cells left behind following surgery while at the same time avoiding the toxic effects that systemic chemotherapy is known to have. Rather than exposing healthy cells, the use of the rinse of heated chemotherapy drugs limits exposure to where the malignancy resides. However, the drugs used in HITOC are generally administered in higher doses, and these chemicals do circulate into the kidneys following the procedure.
HITOC Used in Mesothelioma Surgery Circulates to the Kidneys
Because the body’s circulatory system carries the chemotherapy drugs used in HITOC through the kidneys, mesothelioma patients who undergo the procedure are at risk for kidney failure. Their retrospective study analyzed the outcomes of 261 patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma, as well as patients with other pleural cancers, to see the impact of the drug on the kidneys.
Writing of their findings, Dr. Michael Ried of University Hospital Regensburg said, “Postoperative renal insufficiency appeared in 12% of the patients and 1.4% required temporary dialysis. Patients receiving high-dose cisplatin were 2.7 times more likely to suffer from renal insufficiency than patients receiving low-dose cisplatin.” They also found that the impact on the kidneys was temporary, and therefore considered the risk to be “within an acceptable range”.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, understanding the risks involved in various treatments is important. For information, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at 1-800-692-8608.
