Webinar Recap: Pleural and Peritoneal Treatment Updates
We recently hosted treatment-focused webinars featuring the latest advances in therapies for peritoneal and pleural mesothelioma. Our medical experts and mesothelioma survivors shared their medical insights and personal experiences.
Our webinars offer mesothelioma patients the opportunity to learn more about this rare cancer and understand both current and emerging treatment options. Participants can hear from those with first-hand experiences with mesothelioma treatment what to expect and ask questions.
2024 Peritoneal Mesothelioma Webinar: New Horizons in Treatment
Our expert panel included Dr. Edward Levine, a surgical oncologist and peritoneal specialist, and Tamron Little, a 17-year peritoneal mesothelioma survivor. This webinar highlighted the latest treatment strategies and research developments. Key takeaways included surgical standards, new therapies and clinical trials.
Current Treatment Approaches
Dr. Levine outlined the current standards for peritoneal mesothelioma patients. He explained, “The principal treatment for patients who are in good enough shape to undergo the procedure is cytoreductive surgery. This is an aggressive operation in the abdomen supported with heated or hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, which is abbreviated HIPEC for short.”
HIPEC involves delivering heated chemotherapy directly into the abdominal cavity after surgical removal of tumors. This approach aims to kill any remaining cancer cells and has shown promising results, particularly in improving survival rates.
Despite its effectiveness, HIPEC isn’t suitable for everyone. The discussion highlighted that, while HIPEC is a powerful tool, its success depends on the individual’s overall health, extent of disease and response to prior treatments.
Tamron’s advice for other survivors includes advocating for yourself, asking questions and seeking a second opinion. She advised, “Seek treatment at specialized centers with experience in mesothelioma. Don’t hesitate to ask questions about your treatment plan.”
New Research and Emerging Therapies
The webinar also covered exciting new research and experimental treatments, such as neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Before surgery, chemotherapy can shrink tumors, potentially making more patients eligible for HIPEC or other procedures. This approach is becoming more common as chemotherapy drugs improve.
Emerging as a vital part of treatment, immunotherapy harnesses the body’s immune system to fight cancer. Though still in the experimental phase for peritoneal cancer, drugs such as Keytruda (pembrolizumab), Opdivo (nivolumab) and Yervoy (ipilimumab) offer hope for better outcomes.
Immunotherapy can extend survival for several months for some patients. “This is actually a significant improvement in survival, probably a 20% improvement with those two immunomodulating agents,” said Levine.
CAR T-cell therapy is another innovative therapy that modifies a patient’s own T-cells to target cancer cells. Although it’s experimental for peritoneal mesothelioma, CAR T-cell therapy has shown effectiveness in other cancers and may offer new hope for mesothelioma patients.
Several clinical trials are open for peritoneal mesothelioma patients. These trials test new drugs, combinations of existing treatments and novel therapies. Participation in clinical trials can provide access to cutting-edge treatments and contribute to advancing medical knowledge.
2024 Pleural Mesothelioma Webinar: Advances and Patient Experiences
Our pleural mesothelioma webinar focused on treatment options and patient stories. The expert panel included medical oncologist J. Marie Suga, MD, thoracic surgeon Jeffrey Velotta, MD, and 9-year pleural mesothelioma survivor Michael Cole.
Key points discussed in the webinar included new treatment options and advances, patient experiences and clinical trials. Dr. Velotta highlighted the importance of an early pleural mesothelioma diagnosis: “The best way to improve survival is earlier diagnosis. The earlier you find out what it is, the earlier treatment, whether systemic, surgical or radiation. The earlier, the better.”
Treatment Options and Advances
Pleurectomy with decortication and extrapleural pneumonectomy are surgical options aiming to remove as much of the tumor as possible. The choice depends on the cancer stage and the patient’s overall health. Dr. Velotta detailed the difference.
“The main difference is that the EPP removes all of the lung lining, the visceral and parietal pleura in the diaphragm and the pericardial lining, but it also removes all of the lung. Whereas a P/D saves the lung. We call it lung-sparing surgery, which removes everything, all the tumor, the lining, and all that, except it saves the lung,” said Velotta.
Chemotherapy and radiation remain standard treatments, with new combinations and improved regimens enhancing their effectiveness. Chemotherapy before surgery (neoadjuvant chemotherapy) can also improve surgical outcomes.
Immunotherapy harnesses the body’s immune system to fight cancer. Dr. Suga explained further, “And so the anti-PD 1 and anti-PD L1 drugs, the way that I describe this to patients is that cancer cells often have this signal that allows them to cloak themselves from our immune system,” she said.
“These drugs allow your immune system to find these cancer cells and identify them as foreign bodies, destroying them as it would normally do for anything, not only cancer cells but perhaps infections that you might have,” Suga added.
Targeted therapy is an approach that targets specific cancer cell mechanisms. It has shown promise in treating pleural mesothelioma and is often used in combination with other treatments to improve results.
Patient Experiences and Success Stories
Michael’s experience was a highlight of the webinar. He was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in 2015 and initially underwent an EPP and several rounds of chemo. After a recurrence in 2018, Michael underwent immunotherapy and radiation. Since then, he’s only had slow tumor changes and no new growths.
He explained the hurdles of chemotherapy side effects. “After my surgery, they waited about 3 months and then started me on a regimen of cisplatin at 3-week intervals. I only made it through 4 rounds before my blood counts were so low that they stopped it. It wasn’t easy. The side effects were significant,” he said.
When asked about immunotherapy, Michael noted the positive outcomes he’s had. “The immunotherapy, for myself – I had virtually no side effects, just very mild side effects. And I was on it for quite a long time, from 2018 through 2023, because everything was working,” he said.
Michael added, “So we decided, my oncologist and I, to go ahead and continue. The immunotherapy seemed very helpful, and so I’ve had a good experience with it.”
Clinical Trials and Emerging Therapies
The webinar covered several ongoing clinical trials for pleural mesothelioma, including those focusing on new drug combinations, novel immunotherapy drugs and targeted agents. Both webinars provided valuable insights into the current and future directions of mesothelioma treatment.
Participating in clinical trials can offer access to cutting-edge therapies and contribute to advancing medical research. Keep abreast of new research and emerging therapies, and consult with your healthcare team to understand how these advancements might impact your treatment plan.
Patient Advocates can assist those interested in further information or enrolling in clinical trials. Staying informed and proactive in your treatment decisions can make a significant difference in managing mesothelioma. Patients and caregivers should remember the importance of consulting a specialized center for mesothelioma treatment or a second opinion.