Results from a clinical trial at the Abramson Cancer Center in Philadelphia were recently published in Cancer Immunology Research, and the findings are somewhat inspiring for those suffering with advanced malignant pleural mesothelioma.
The trial, which involved the engineering of immune cells, reinforced the theory that immunotherapy may be the next advancement in the standard treatment of mesothelioma. Rather than depend on medicines or radiation, immunotherapy lets a patient’s own immune system battle diseases.
When the mesothelioma patient’s immune cells were harvested, researchers clinically engineered them with a molecule that attaches to a mesothelin protein, helping the immune cells recognize the cancerous cells. This method is used in treating certain blood cancers, but in the past, there has been less success on solid tumors. The trial at the Abramson Center modified the standard approach by enabling T-cells to return to their previous state after three days, preventing healthy cells from toxicity.
Researchers reproduced the harvested cells, allowing multiple infusions, and the engineered cells were then returned to the patient’s body. They found that the engineered cells displayed antitumor activity and even generated a natural response by the patient’s immune system, much like a vaccine.
Mesothelioma is primarily caused by exposure to asbestos, and because of its latency period, the disease is usually not detected until the victim is elderly. Also, the disease presents itself with symptoms common to other illnesses, so it’s difficult to accurately diagnose. This trial shows promise in helping to combat the disease’s aggressive nature.