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British cancer researchers are hopeful that a new drug called ganetespib will give a boost to patients undergoing standard chemotherapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma. Mesothelioma, a virulent cancer caused by asbestos, is diagnosed at a higher rate in the UK than anywhere else in the world. Although there is no cure, mesothelioma can sometimes be slowed with a mix of two chemotherapy drugs, pemetrexed (Alimta) and cisplatin. But a new trial that will involve 140 mesothelioma patients in the UK will test whether adding the experimental drug ganetespib to the standard chemotherapy regimen could improve outcomes. Ganetespib inhibits a molecule called heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) that governs multiple cellular functions necessary for rapid tumor growth and proliferation. The goal of the trial is to determine the most appropriate safe dose of ganetespib and to measure its effectiveness. In a news release on the clinical trial, known as Meso 2, chief investigator Dean Fennell of the University of Leicester’s Department of Cancer Studies and Molecular Medicine said, “We think this is a new way of being able to target mesothelioma. Laboratory tests show ganetespib is extremely active in mesothelioma – and combined with chemotherapy, this treatment could shrink cancers down and improve symptoms for patients.” Pleural mesothelioma begins on the lining between the chest wall and the lungs. As its spreads, it inhibits a patient’s ability to breathe, causing symptoms such as chest pain, cough and shortness of breath. It is most common in people who have lived or worked around asbestos for a period of time. Ganetespib is the lead investigational cancer drug made by Synta Pharmaceuticals. According to the company, “Treatment with ganetespib has been shown in preclinical models to reduce some aggressive features of tumors, such as the ability to induce the growth of new blood vessels (angiogenesis), to spread to other organs in the body (metastasis), and to resist attack by traditional therapies (chemo-resistance).” The trial is being supported by Cancer Research UK, the National Institute for Health Research Cancer Research Network, Synta Pharmaceuticals, and University College London. It will run until 2015. Disclaimer: The information in this article is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this article. This article was written by a third party and its content reflects the views of the third party and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions or of Surviving Mesothelioma or Cancer Monthly. If anyone is in the unfortunate position to be suffering from Mesothelioma compensation they are likely to be offered with choice of treatments, which were dependent upon the several factors. To know more about Mesothelioma lung cancer just do visit us.
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