Malignant mesothelioma is one of the most challenging diseases confronting modern medicine. The aggressive form of asbestos-related cancer has been resistant to traditional therapies, stymying researchers, frustrating physicians, and devastating patients and their families. A recent study examining variations in lung cancer microenvironments has yielded information that may provide new answers and avenues of exploration for those trying to find a cure.
Microenvironment Study May Explain How Mesothelioma Tumors Spread
In a study published in Cancer Discovery and reported at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024, researchers from UCL Cancer Institute and the Francis Crick Institute classified four different tumor environment subtypes in lung cancer that may also apply to mesothelioma tumors. The team found that each subtype was associated with a different pattern of cancer metastasis.
Though they are different diseases, malignant pleural mesothelioma and non-small cell lung cancer share many characteristics, most notably their aggressive nature and the difficulty in providing patients with extended survival. The study, which is part of the Rubicon project that is working to create a map of lung cancer immunology, investigated samples of tumors and normal tissue taken from 81 patients with non-small cell lung cancer and delivered notable results.
Lung Cancer Microenvironment Study Identifies Varying Immune Cell Volumes
In looking at the different components of the microenvironment surrounding lung cancer tumors, the researchers found varying numbers of immune cells in each, as well as variations in the neutrophils in the areas. Neutrophils are white blood cells that help the immune system fight infections and heal injuries.
The researchers found that areas of tumors that have a high number of those helper cells, when combined with low infiltration of T and B cells and macrophages and a greater distance from a reliable blood supply, allow the tumors to evade the immune cells that are most essential to fending off cancer’s spread. Armed with this knowledge, scientists seeking novel treatments for mesothelioma may be able to measure the number of neutrophils in patients’ tumor microenvironments and use that information to inform their treatment approach.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, this type of research can provide real value. For more information on state-of-the-art treatment for this challenging disease, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at 1-800-692-8608.
