The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer held its 2023 World Conference on Lung Cancer last week, and much of the information presented focused on discoveries in malignant mesothelioma. One clinical trial’s results were presented focused on the importance of dendritic cells and how they can be leveraged to stimulate immune responses.
Mesothelioma Study Yields Promising Results
The phase 3 mesothelioma study being conducted at the Erasmus Medical Center Cancer Institute is known as the DENIM trial, and Dr. Joachim G. J.V. Aerts highlighted the potential importance of dendritic cells in future treatments for the challenging form of cancer. Dr. Aerts is a professor of pulmonary oncology and head of the Department of Pulmonary Medicine at the facility, which is located in Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
Dr. Aerts explained why dendritic cells are so important to the future of mesothelioma treatment. He says they are the most potent antigen-presenting cells in the body, and that by loading them with specific mesothelioma antigens there is a strong possibility of triggering a robust immune response. He and his fellow researchers hope that the treatment can elicit the activation of CD8-positive T cells, which are specifically known for their antitumor abilities.
Challenges of Treating Mesothelioma Require Innovative Approaches
Dr. Aerts notes that conventional treatments have failed to provide adequate answers for patients diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma and that this has necessitated a need to find better ways to leverage the body’s immune system. He said that though there have been some positive responses in patients treated with PD-1 inhibitors, most patients have not responded to immunotherapy, or have only seen short-lived positive results.
He and his colleagues believe that this is because the activation of the mesothelioma tumor microenvironment has not been strong enough, and hope that the approach that they are studying will yield better results.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, innovative studies like this one offer the best hope for a better future. For information on other resources available to you, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at 1-800-692-8608.
