Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have seen promise in treating mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer caused by asbestos, with the common cold virus.
Treating mesothelioma takes a multi-modal approach which often includes surgery to remove tumors, radiation and chemotherapy. Although these treatments can prolong a person’s life, mesothelioma cannot be cured so researchers have been studying the effectiveness of immuno-gene therapy.
The researchers at University of Pennsylvania took the common cold virus and altered it to express high levels of an immune system stimulant called interferon-alpha. During a clinical trial treated nine mesothelioma patients with the virus to trigger their immune systems. Each of the patients experienced anti-body responses. Five of the patients experienced tumor regression with no side effects.
Treatment for mesothelioma can be costly and the victims of this disease often turn to mesothelioma attorneys to get the funding they need for medical care.
Medical professionals have been researching ways to pro-long the lives if mesothelioma patients who generally succumb to the disease months after diagnosis. They are making progress, but have not been able to cure this disease.
Preventing exposure to asbestos is crucial. Lawsuits initiated by mesothelioma lawyers and their clients have made the public aware of how dangerous asbestos is.
Mesothelioma usually manifests in patients two to five decades after asbestos exposure and generally afflicts older people and can seek compensation from the businesses responsible for their contact with the carcinogen when they hire a mesothelioma attorney.
