The Peter MacCallum Cancer Center is a renowned cancer treatment center that has been a leader in mesothelioma research. Located in Melbourne, Australia, the facility affectionately referred to as “Peter Mac” is credited with several breakthroughs in cancer treatment, including having discovered the “Hippo” signaling pathway that holds promise for a better understanding of the disease. The center’s leader recently revealed that his center is testing five different treatment approaches centered on this pathway.
The Hippo Pathway’s Role in Mesothelioma Treatment.
Because malignant mesothelioma is both aggressive and so resistant to chemotherapy and other traditional treatments, researchers have worked to find a different approach, largely centered on stopping and killing the rare form of cancer as it grows. In that quest, they have identified the Hippo signaling pathway, named for one of its key signaling components – the protein kinase Hippo.
Mesothelioma researchers have found that the Hippo signaling pathway, which controls organ size through the regulation of cell proliferation and cell death, plays a role in the growth and development of the cancer’s tumors because many of the genes that are frequently mutated in mesothelioma are found on that pathway. Dr. Kieran Harvey, Group Leader and Program Head at Peter Mac, played a large role in discovering that pathway and is now using that discovery to drive innovation in mesothelioma treatment.
Five Mesothelioma Treatments Being Tested at Australian Oncology Center
According to Dr. Harvey, there are currently five treatments being tested at Peter Mac that target the Hippo Pathway, and most are being trialed as mesothelioma treatments. Discussing their current work, Dr. Harvey said, “In our study published earlier this month in EMBO Reports, we conducted genome-wide screens in mesothelioma cells and uncovered that the RAS pathway causes resistance to TEAD inhibition. What’s exciting is that we already have treatments available that target this pathway. In this study, we combined the two treatments and found that they worked synergistically to block proliferation of multiple mesothelioma and lung cancer cell lines and tumors.”
The researchers at Peter Mac are encouraged by this development and plan to test the treatment on patients with mesothelioma to determine whether it is effective outside of the laboratory.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, your best hope for the future lies in innovative research. For information about medical and legal resources available to you, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at 1-800-692-8608.
