The challenges of treating malignant mesothelioma are undeniable: those diagnosed with the rare and deadly form of cancer are immediately told that their condition is terminal. Still, many patients are extending their survival time by taking advantage of innovative treatment options. A recent study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania made clear that immunotherapy is a more effective second-line treatment than chemotherapy.
Second-Line Treatment for Mesothelioma
Depending upon their overall health condition and how far their cancer has advanced, patients with malignant mesothelioma may be offered surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, or a combination of some or all of these options. Though these treatments can hold the tumors at bay, they eventually return. That is when second-line treatment decisions need to be made.
In the past, physicians had few options once their patients’ mesothelioma tumors returned. Chemotherapy was the standard, but immunotherapy has changed the landscape in many ways. Roger Kim of the University of Pennsylvania led a team to determine whether one second-line treatment was superior to the other.
Immunotherapy Provides Clear Survival Advantage as Second-Line Treatment
As described in the journal Lung Cancer, the researchers examined the outcomes of 176 patients with advanced mesothelioma, all of whom had initially been treated with chemotherapy. When they relapsed, 65% were treated with immunotherapy and 35% with chemotherapy. The difference in survival between the two groups was dramatic.
Twelve months after the second-line treatment, 36.7% of the mesothelioma patients who’d received immunotherapy were still alive, while only 15.6% of those who had received chemotherapy were. The median additional survival time was 3.7 months longer after immunotherapy. The study concluded that immunotherapy was a beneficial second-line treatment was beneficial for advanced malignant mesothelioma patients who had initially been treated with platinum-based chemotherapy.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, this type of research can guide many decisions. For more information, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net at 1-800-692-8608.
