New Treatments
Photodynamic Therapy
This form of treatment uses highly focused light to kill cancer cells. The patient receives a drug called a photosensitizer which builds up in cancerous cells but not in healthy cells. The photosensitizer drug causes cells to be sensitive to light of specific wavelengths. Once the cancer cells have become sensitized, surgery is performed in order to place fiberoptic cables in the body. This enables the focusing of light of the correct frequency on the tumor. This process causes the photosensitizer drug to produce toxic oxygen molecules which kill the cancerous cells.
This treatment has been used successfully to combat other types of cancer and, hopefully, it will be just as successful in the fight against mesothelioma.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy utilizes the body's immune defense system to combat cancer cells. There are various therapies currently being tested that fall into this category.
Gene Therapy
This is a new therapy that is being tested at the University of Pennsylvania's Institute for Human Gene Therapy. www.med.upenn.edu/~nihgt. A "suicide gene" is implanted inside the tumor, making the cancer cells sensitive to drugs that are normally ineffective in fighting cancer. When administered, the drugs kill only the cancer cells, and the healthy cells are not harmed. This allows doctors to concentrate the treatment on the tumor only, as opposed to treatments like chemotherapy that kill cancerous and healthy cells alike.
Cytokines
Cytokines are proteins that effect the behavior of other cells. One type of cytokine molecule is called interleukin - 2 (IL2). IL2 causes immune system cells to grow. These cells, called T-cells, are also referred to as killer cells because they kill cancerous cells. Scientists theorize that injecting IL2 into the pleura of the lung will result in the death of the cancerous cells in the pleura. This treatment is now in the experimental stage but provides hope for the future.
Interferons
Interferons are cytokine proteins that act to enhance the body's immune system. Interferons stop the rapid growth of cancerous cells and, at the same time, increase the body's ability to fight off the malignant cells. Experiments are currently being conducted to see if interferons will combat the aggressive mesothelioma tumors.
Experimental Chemotherapy
L-NDDP
This is a new chemotherapy protocol that is being tested at the New York University Kaplan Cancer Center in New York City. (212) 263-8043 kccc-www.med.nyu.edu/mesoletter. Chemotherapy involves the use of toxic chemicals to kill cancer cells. L-NDDP is a compound that is administered directly into the pleura of the lung. The compound is cleared very slowly from the pleural cavity and, therefore, has more time to unleash its toxic effects on the tumor. This agent has also been found to effectively penetrate tumors by virtue of its creamy composition. L-NDDP has been found to be less toxic to the body than conventional chemotherapy drugs. Clinical trials with L-NDDP are currently being conducted at the Kaplan Cancer Center on patients with mesothelioma and the early results have been promising.
Onconase
Onconase is a new chemotherapy drug that is currently being tested in clinical trials. Onconase is a ribonuclease protein that promotes the anti-cancer effects of traditional chemotherapy. With conventional chemotherapy drugs, the body removes the drug from cancer cells. This results in the administration of high doses of the drugs in order to kill the cancer cells. Experiments have shown that Onconase causes cancer cells to be more susceptible to lower doses of toxic drugs. The administration of lower doses of toxic drugs that are still effective has the benefit of reducing the side effects of the treatment.
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