For patients diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, immunotherapy has offered the greatest hope for extended survival time and improved quality of life. But the protocol is still new, and there is much that still needs to be learned. A recent study suggests that patients using the treatment have worse outcomes and reduced overall survival if they have detectable levels of acetaminophen in their bloodstream.
Immunotherapy Approved for Mesothelioma Treatment by FDA
Immunotherapy is an innovative treatment that leverages the body’s own immune system to help fight a variety of cancer types, including malignant mesothelioma. In June of 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda) for patients diagnosed with unresectable or metastatic malignant mesothelioma.
While Keytruda has delivered improved results for patients diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, the new report published in the Annals of Oncology is important. Researchers from Explicyte, a preclinical research organization in Bordeaux, France, reported that in studies involving an animal model of colon cancer, immunotherapy provided lower response rates in animals pretreated with acetaminophen.
Mesothelioma Patients Should Check With their Physicians Before Taking OTC Medications
Though the information in the study is preliminary, it points to the need for patients under treatment for malignant mesothelioma to check with their physicians before self-medicating with any over-the-counter medications. The researchers say that their finding suggest that acetaminophen, which many patients take for pain or fever, may decrease T-cell-mediated antitumor immunity in advanced cancer.
The authors write, “Our study reports the most comprehensive picture of the immunomodulatory effects of APAP [acetaminophen]. Our results confirm that more research should be performed to understand the impact of APAP on immunity and present a compelling case for caution in using this drug in cancer patients treated with ICB [immune checkpoint blockade]. Whether this rule applies at immunotherapy onset or all over the treatment duration, to all antipyretics, all regimens … and to other immuno-oncology agents … requires further investigations.”
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, keeping up with the latest research can be very helpful. For access to current information and other resources, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at 1-800-692-8608.
