Abstract
Our current understanding of mesothelioma in terms of disease induction, de-velopment, and treatment, is underpinned by decades of basic laboratory science. In this chapter, we discuss the tools that have been developed to aid our under-standing of mesothelioma such as cell lines and animal models. We then go on to detail the current use and understanding of conventional therapies for mesotheli-oma e.g. chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy; plus their mechanisms of ac-tion, and why they may be ineffective. Finally, we discuss a range of newer treatments that are either undergoing clinical trials or are still in the earlier stages of preclinical investigation. These including a growing number of immunothera-pies (e.g. checkpoint inhibitors), plus targeted therapies, the search for clinical bi-omarkers to predict whether patients with mesothelioma might respond to particu-lar treatments, and combined therapies where conventional treatments may be added to newer drugs. The strategy of repositioning existing drugs, approved for other diseases, to treat mesothelioma is also discussed.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Caring for Patients with Mesothelioma: Principles and Guidelines |
| Place of Publication | Switzerland |
| Publisher | Springer Nature |
| Chapter | 18 |
| Pages | 203-227 |
| Number of pages | 24 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 978-3-319-96244-3 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-3-319-96243-6 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2019 |