With an estimated 43,000 people dying from mesothelioma annually, there has never been a more crucial time to find a cure for the vicious disease. Researchers at The University of Western Australia (UWA) may be well on their way to finding that cure.
While the treatment has only been performed on mice as of yet, the scientists at UWA tested an immunotherapy cocktail on mice infected with mesothelioma and found that the treatment completely removed the tumors.
Immunotherapy is a relatively new application for mesothelioma sufferers. Rather than use chemotherapy and radiation which break down the body’s natural defenses, immunotherapy stimulates specific proteins in the immune system, thereby building up the body’s natural defenses. In this study, the researchers at UWA combined three immunotherapy antibodies into a “cocktail” to treat mesothelioma tumors.
They found that the cocktail targeted the proteins in the immune system that they believed could attack and destroy the tumors. Three months after treatment, the mice are still completely free of tumors.
This research still needs to be tested on humans, but may mean that a cure for mesothelioma is on the horizon.
Mesothelioma is an incurable cancer that attacks the linings of the heart, lungs, abdomen, and, rarely, testicles. It is caused by exposure to asbestos fibers which are used in commercial applications and machinery. Without the proper warnings or protection, employees in these industries often contract mesothelioma.
Our team of Baltimore mesothelioma attorneys at The Law Office Matthew E. Kiely have been working to get compensation for mesothelioma sufferers for decades. If you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma, please contact us for assistance in getting the compensation you deserve. Call us at (410) 625-9330.
