Medical professionals in the United Kingdom are investigating whether mesothelioma patients’ intestinal ecosystem of mesothelioma patients plays a role in their response to immunotherapy. In preliminary investigations, researchers from the University of Leicester sequenced the genetic code of patients’ gut bacteria to determine whether there was a relationship between the two.
University of Leicester Plays Leading Role in Mesothelioma Research
The mesothelioma study was led by the University of Leicester’s Dean Fennell, a Professor of Thoracic Oncology and fellow of the academy of medical sciences. He has played a leading role in mesothelioma research and development for decades. His new investigation confirmed that certain gut bacteria can influence whether or not a patient’s immune system can fight the rare, asbestos-related disease.
The study, whose results were published in the journal Nature Communications, focused on identifying personalized treatment pathways for patients with relapsed mesothelioma. Dr. Fennell’s team evaluated the effectiveness of two immunotherapies, atezolizumab and bevacizumab. They found that both can achieve clinically meaningful controls but that a positive response was more likely if there were more anti-cancer immune cells in the mesothelioma, and that this was associated with whether a specific gut bacteria — Provetella, eubacterium ventriosum group and biophilia — was present.
Mesothelioma Researchers Optimistic About Findings
Addressing the impact this research may have on future mesothelioma care, Professor Fennell wrote, “A key implication of our work is that changing the gut microbiome might improve the odds of patient benefit to immunotherapy. This could be, for example, through specific changes to the diet such as increased fiber intake; something that can be actioned by the patient.”
Echoing Fennell’s conclusions, Dr Samantha Walker, Director of Research and Innovation at Asthma + Lung UK, said, “With mesothelioma treatment seeing only slow progress for several decades, and current treatments not working particularly well, these results will bring real hope to the thousands of people affected by mesothelioma. It’s truly remarkable to discover that something as simple as the food someone eats could have the potential to improve their response to immunotherapy.”
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, research like this offers real hope for more effective treatment in the future. For information on resources available to you, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at 1-800-692-8608.
