Mesothelioma Research

Due to its relative rarity, mesothelioma cancer research is fairly limited, yet advocacy groups are working to collect the necessary funds to continue researching the cancer further. While many breakthroughs have been made, further studies must be conducted in the search for a mesothelioma cure.

Breakthroughs in Mesothelioma Medicine

Various breakthroughs in the treatment of mesothelioma have made headway in the search for a mesothelioma cure. Some of the following breakthroughs were particularly important for mesothelioma research and treatment efforts:


Alimta is a chemotherapy medication that was approved by the FDA in 2005 and currently remains the only drug approved to treat mesothelioma. Typically, Alimta is used with Cisplatin and is one of the most effective forms of mesothelioma therapy.
Gene therapy is a form of treatment that uses genetically modified viruses to trigger cellular responses that fight tumors and ultimately destroy the mesothelioma cells.
Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy aims to be a more precise form of radiation and delivers higher doses of radiation to a cancerous area. This is especially important in mesothelioma, when the cancer can affect the area around vital organs such as the lungs and heart.
Biomarker research has indicated that the presence of certain cells in a patient’s blood may be indicative of mesothelioma. Fujirebio Diagnostics capitalized on this significant information and developed a blood test that helps catch mesothelioma in its earliest stages.
Clinical Trials Researching Mesothelioma

New treatments are tested on laboratory mice before being deemed safe for human use. Once treatment has met federal criterion, it will proceed to clinical trials, where supervising doctors measure the human effectiveness of the drug or procedure in question. Although clinical trials are not guaranteed to generate any specific results, they are often a worthwhile means of exploring treatments that are not currently widespread.

Clinical trials often test new adaptations for established treatments, such as new chemotherapy drugs or new methods of delivering radiation therapy. These medicines often go on to replace outdated treatments that posed a greater danger to patients. Many of these clinical trials offer up information that can also be used to improve the quality of life for current and future mesothelioma patients.

Phases of a Clinical Trial

Phase I involves determining dosage and administration information for a drug in question.
Phase II specifies a certain type of disease to be treated with the medicine or procedure. Here the interaction between treatment and illness will be measured, and special attention will be paid to the overall safety of the therapy.
Phase III involves comparing data from the trial to data from other treatments that are currently considered effective. Standards for existing treatments will be matched against the information from the tested treatment, and if the comparison is favorable towards the new drug, FDA approval will be pursued.
Although not all treatments will proceed through all three phases, any testing can play a role in continual development of new mesothelioma therapy.

Funding Research

As the number of mesothelioma occurrences and fatalities grew, the cancer began to attract more attention. After rallies began to take place on a national level, the U.S. Department of Defense allocated $50 million for mesothelioma research. This funding, awarded in 2008, was provided by the Department of Defense on behalf of the numerous veterans that were affected by asbestos used by the U.S. Armed Forces in World War I, World War II and other wars thereafter.

These funds are given out in increments of between $625,000 and $2.5 million for various studies at research facilities across the country. Some cities such as Libby, Montana have even developed facilities dedicated to mesothelioma research.

Mesothelioma News

Thanks to various advocacy groups, mesothelioma has become more publicized through mesothelioma news headlines, medical journals, awareness days and even fundraising campaigns. The Applied Mesothelioma Research Foundation and Pacific Meso Center, among other organizations, arranges multiple yearly benefits and festivities that not only bring attention to this disease but also contribute funds to research institutions.

September 26th has been designated National Mesothelioma Awareness Day, while fundraisers such as charity dinners and walks or 5ks are held year-round. These types of events increase visibility for the disease while allotting funds to clinical trials and research efforts that can improve the future of mesothelioma treatment.