Researchers worldwide have long been frustrated by the challenge of treating malignant mesothelioma. The rare asbestos-related disease is notoriously resistant to traditional treatment approaches, and even new strategies using immune checkpoint blockades have provided a limited response. However, a recently published study from a global collaboration of scientists points to a gold complex as a potent treatment tool.
Gold Complex Turns Mesothelioma from “Cold” Cancer to “Hot”
Though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the immune checkpoint blockade combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab to treat unresectable malignant mesothelioma, the treatment only delivered an additional four months of median overall survival compared to platinum chemotherapy, but because mesothelioma tumors’ microenvironments only exhibit an intermediate inflammatory state when treated with the immunotherapy, it is considered a “cold” cancer.
In an effort to create sufficient stress within mesothelioma cells to trigger a response in the tumor immune microenvironment, and boost the effectiveness of immune therapy, a group of researchers from Vienna, Singapore, and Hong Kong tested gold complexes that have recently demonstrated a promising ability to initiate targeted stress-mediated cell death. Their testing identified a specific gold complex called 2G as the most effective immune response inducer against malignant pleural mesothelioma and reported that its use led to tumor-free conditions in immunocompetent mice for more than six months after vaccination.
Gold Complex Elicits Robust Immune Response in Mice with Mesothelioma
The researchers reported that seven of the eight immunocompetent mice with mesothelioma that they immunized with the 2G gold complex remained tumor-free for 5.5 months and four remained tumor-free for seven months. Discussing these results, the authors write, “These results indicate that 2G can be characterized as a bona fide ICD inducer” and that “A tumor-free survival period of 5-7 months holds clinical significance for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.”
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, studies like this one offer real hope for improved treatments and better outcomes in the future. For information on other resources, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at 1-800-692-8608.
