National Cancer Research Month 2024
May is National Cancer Research Month. Cancer research is an important part of the cancer treatment process. Without it, we would not be as far as we are today in the treatment of different cancers. One cancer that is very hard to treat is mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of certain areas of the body called the mesothelium. The main cause of mesothelioma is asbestos exposure. Asbestos is a group of minerals that are made up of microscopic fibers. When disturbed, these fibers are released into the air where they are then inhaled and become lodged in the lungs and mesothelium. Over time, the fibers cause inflammation and DNA changes, leading to cancer.
There are multiple clinical trials ongoing to try to improve the care for mesothelioma. One study looked at chrysotile asbestos exposure and it its relationship with mesothelioma. There is a debate about the merits of claims that chrysotile asbestos causes mesothelioma. This study looked to find a link between asbestos and individuals with BAP1 mutations. Mice with BAP1 mutations were examined after asbestos exposure and compared with mice without BAP1 mutations. It was found that BAP1 mice were more susceptible to mesothelioma, no matter how much asbestos the mice were exposed to. This showcased the dangers of asbestos and that even minimal amounts of asbestos can cause mesothelioma in susceptible populations.
Another study looked at the tumor microenvironment and fibroblasts, which are types of cells that give support to tissue. Certain fibroblasts can cause accelerated cancer growth, and some can cause slowed cancer growth. The study wanted to see how cancer behaved due to fibroblasts. It was found that different fibroblasts could be found in different stages of mesothelioma development. The researchers found that they could predict the severity of mesothelioma based on fibroblasts. The study also looked at how genes could be potentially used to target cancer cells. This research could potentially lead to new treatments for mesothelioma, which could potentially improve survival in mesothelioma patients.
Finally, researchers looked at the collagen receptor known as uPARAP. They noticed that uPARAP could be a potential target for treating mesothelioma. They also noticed that all mesothelioma cells that they studied had high levels of uPARAP. The researchers looked at the efficacy of different drugs against mesothelioma cells in a lab setting. The drugs that they studied were used to target uPARAP. It was found they could kill mesothelioma cells well. It could possibly mean that targeting uPARAP could be a key to fighting mesothelioma. More research is needed, but as they research uPARAP, they will be able to target it and improve mesothelioma treatment.
Whenever you have a hard-to-treat cancer like mesothelioma, it is important to perform research on the cancer. All these clinical trials are different, but they have one thing in common: they are trying to improve the care for mesothelioma and potentially improve the quality of life and survival of mesothelioma patients.
Were you diagnosed with mesothelioma or another cancer? Contact us today to see if you could be entitled to compensation. Call 412-471-3980 or fill out our contact form and a member of our team will get back to you as soon as possible.
