October 27th, 2004

A report recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology has indicated that a form of chemotherapy prior to surgical treatment could assist those with mesothelioma and could enhance the effects of the surgery.

The chemotherapy being researched for this purpose is called neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and it is thought that this treatment could shrink the tumor prior to surgery making it far easier for surgeons to remove the remainder of the tumor effectively, thus increasing the chances of operational success. Some experts in the field have also stated that this type of chemotherapy may also actively kill off cancer cells straight away.

Trials have recently been conducted into the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy prior to surgery, and the most recent trial was carried out with nineteen patients, out of which seventeen had a poor prognosis. The patients were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the form of cisplatin and gemcitabine cycles every week for three weeks. This was followed by surgery to remove the remainder of the tumor.

The results from the tests showed that the average survival time increased to 23 months, and for a couple of the patients this was as high as approximately 40 months. Experts have stated that this type of chemotherapy shows a positive outlook for those that are due to be treated with surgery, but that further research must be carried out first.