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There is always research going on in the area of mesothelioma. Much of this research has focused on learning exactly how asbestos changes normal cells to cause this cancer. Understanding how these fibers produce cancer might help us find ways to prevent those changes.
Now that we know about the dangers of asbestos, we can limit or stop its use in homes, public buildings, and the workplace. But rules to protect people from asbestos are much less strict (or they do not exist at all) in some other countries.
Doctors are always learning more about the best way to treat people with mesothelioma. New drugs are now being tested in clinical trials, along with other types of treatments. Treatments that combine surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy are now being studied and may provide the most promising option for some patients.
Another new approach is a type of gene therapy. This treatment uses special viruses that have been changed in the lab. The virus is injected into the space around the lungs where it infects the cancer cells. When this happens, the virus in turn injects a gene into the cancer that makes it sensitive to drug that otherwise would not harm the cancer.
Treatments that boost a person’s immune system to fight this cancer are also being tested.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) sponsors research studies with mesothelioma patients (clinical trials) that are intended to discover new and better treatments or to improve the existing treatments. Before any new treatment can be recommended for general use, doctors conduct clinical trials to find out whether the treatment is safe for patients and effective against the disease. Participation in clinical trials is an important treatment option for many patients with mesothelioma.
People interested in taking part in a clinical trial should talk with their doctor. Information about clinical trials is available from the Cancer Information Service (CIS) (see below) at 1–800–4–CANCER. Information specialists at the CIS use PDQ®, NCI's cancer information database, to identify and provide detailed information about specific ongoing clinical trials. Patients also have the option of searching for clinical trials on their own. The clinical trials page on the NCI's Cancer.gov Web site, provides general information about clinical trials and links to PDQ.
People considering clinical trials may be interested in the NCI booklet Taking Part in Clinical Trials: What Cancer Patients Need To Know. This booklet describes how research studies are carried out and explains their possible benefits and risks. The booklet is available by calling the CIS, or from the NCI Publications Locator Web site on the Internet.
People decide to particpate in clinical research for many reasons.
Some patients can gain access to promising drugs long before these compounds are approved
for the marketplace. Others particiapte for the free care. Whatever your motivation might be
you should be aware of patient's rights and your safety. In teh United States you will presented
with an "informed consent" form. This form explains the nature of the study, any potential risks,
and what may occur to you during the study. Also the informed consent form lets you know that
you have the right to leave any study at any time.
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