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The Philadelphia mesothelioma lawyers at Brookman, Rosenberg, Brown & Sandler recently learned about a new therapy that may give patients living with mesothelioma some much needed hope. A new technique has been discovered that might offer physicians a more effective method to identifying and destroying mesothelioma tumor cells.
Malignant mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive asbestos-related cancer for which there is currently no cure. Patients are typically diagnosed when the disease is in an advanced stage. The limited treatment options for mesothelioma presently include surgery and chemotherapy. While chemotherapy works by killing off cancer cells, it also inadvertently destroys healthy cells as well, which causes mesothelioma patients to suffer from a multitude of undesirable side effects when receiving chemotherapy. These include hair loss, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and a weakened immune system. The new innovative therapy can minimize these negative side effects.
Researchers at the University of Vermont, with support from the National Cancer Institute, have developed a targeted therapy that aims to identify and destroy only mesothelioma cancerous tumor cells and leave healthy cells intact. The researchers took acid-prepared mesoporous silica microparticles (APMS) and loaded them with doxorubicin (DOX), which is a specific type of chemotherapy drug known as an anthracycline antibiotic. The researchers then modified this combination by coating it with a specific antibody for mesothelin (MB). Mesothelin is a glycoprotein that is over-expressed in many cancers, including malignant mesothelioma. Essentially, the mesothelin-specific antibody helps the microparticles attach to the malignant tumor cells, allowing the doxorubicin to kill only the cancer cells.
The novel targeted therapy was tested on mice that were injected with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma cells. The mice were given intraperitoneal injections of the microparticles. The study results are promising. When compared to receiving doxorubicin alone, it appears the targeted therapy is more effective and less toxic. The researchers found that receiving treatment with APMS-MB-DOX microparticles can significantly reduce both tumor weight and volume. Additionally, the lab mice were maintained their overall health and weight and experienced fewer adverse side effects.
Researchers found that the targeted therapy increases cell death and decreases the proliferation of the cancerous mesothelioma cells. In addition, they were able to use a much lower dose of doxorubicin and still maintain its effectiveness. The findings can be found in the journal BMC Cancer.
If you or someone you love has suffered exposure to asbestos and developed mesothelioma or any other asbestos-related illness, we encourage you to contact the mesothelioma attorneys at the law firm of Brookman, Rosenberg, Brown & Sandler. With offices in Center City, Philadelphia, we are centrally located to represent victims of mesothelioma throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. We are an experienced, skilled team of mesothelioma lawyers who are dedicated to achieving justice and the compensation that our clients rightfully deserve. Call us today at 1-888-740-0924 to schedule a free consultation or contact us online.