A recent study provides preclinical evidence that treating pleural mesothelioma with a DNA hypomethylating agent (DHA) is an effective form of therapy.
Recently, the co-targeting of the immune checkpoint inhibitors CTLA-4 and PD-1 has emerged as a common type of treatment for pleural mesothelioma (PM) patients because it results in a better overall survival rate than conventional chemotherapy.
“The analysis by tumor histotype demonstrated a greater efficacy of ICI therapy in non-epithelioid (non-E) vs. epithelioid (E) PM; although some E PM patients also benefit from treatment,” the study stated. “This evidence suggests that molecular tumor features, beyond histotype, could be relevant to improve the efficacy of ICI therapy in PM.”
Tumor DNA methylation “emerges as a promising factor to explore, due to its potential role in driving the immune phenotype of cancer cells,” the study stated.
Researchers utilized a panel of cultured pleural mesothelioma cells of different histotypes.
“The identified role of a DNA hypomethylating agent in shifting the phenotype of pleural mesothelioma cells towards an immune-favorable state supports its role in clinical trials of precision epigenetic therapy combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors,” the study concluded.
The study has not been certified by peer review.
Mesothelioma: What it Is and How It’s Treated
Mesothelioma is one of the rarest and most aggressive forms of cancer and the only known risk factor caused by asbestos exposure. The most common type of this disease is pleural mesothelioma, which affects the membrane around the lungs.
Regardless of the type of mesothelioma, all cases can also be classified by cell type. Epithelioid mesothelioma accounts for more than 50% of all diagnoses. In these cases, the cancer cells grow faster but don’t spread as easily, making the disease more treatable.
The overall prognosis for those with malignant pleural mesothelioma is bleak. The average 5-year survival rate is just 10%. The more the cancer has spread beyond the lungs, the lower the survival rate. However, treatment can help patients live a few months longer and make them more comfortable in the meantime.
Chemotherapy is a popular treatment for mesothelioma, but this type of therapy is not effective on its own. Instead, doctors typically combine it with other treatments, such as immunotherapy or gene therapy.
