Clapper, Patti, Schweizer and Mason

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare, aggressive cancer that is difficult to diagnose and manage, with the majority of cases carrying a prognosis ranging from 9 to 17 months.  Mesothelioma tumors arise from the mesothelial cells of serosal surfaces of the abdomen, lungs, or heart.  Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos and has a long latency period of 10 to 40 years between initial exposure and development of symptoms.  Standard therapies have not been very effective at treating mesothelioma, whose cells are considered to be highly resistant to apoptosis.

Due to such characteristics of mesothelioma, new targeted therapies are constantly being developed and researched. In this article, we discuss two current clinical trials that show some success in offering disease control in mesothelioma tumors.

One trial studied whether a metabolite, 3-O-Methylfunicone (OMF), produced by Penicillium pinophilum, could slow cell proliferation by stopping cell division and affect motility in solid mesothelioma tumors.  The researchers concluded that OMF might have the potential to be an anti-tumor drug for treating mesothelioma. 

Metabolites are small molecules that are a natural product of metabolism.  Metabolites can also in the form of chemical compounds, such as OMF.  Such metabolites, when introduced into the body, can prevent cell life and growth, including that of malignant cells.  OMF is, in a sense, a metabolic poison for malignant cells but not normal ones.

Another trial investigated the utility of Zoledronate (ZOL) and two forms of interleukin (IL-2 and IL-18) combined as anti-tumor agents that could act as a treatment strategy for mesothelioma.  What the researchers discovered was that with the addition of IL-18, gamma delta T cells expanded, creating a substantial antitumor effect. 

More studies will be done to continue to develop and test alternative treatments in search of more effective therapeutic interventions.  Hopefully, one day, not only will treatments lead to longer prognosis and higher quality of life, but also to a cure.