LONDON, UK – Scientists in the United Kingdom have developed a groundbreaking new drug that offers hope for patients battling a hard-to-treat and aggressive form of cancer. According to researchers at the Queen Mary University London, the new treatment has shown significant improvement in survival rates and represents the first breakthrough in mesothelioma treatment in 20 years. The findings were published in the journal JAMA Oncology.
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops in the lungs and is mainly caused by exposure to asbestos at work. It is aggressive and deadly, with one of the worst cancer survival rates in the world. Researchers at Queen Mary University of London conducted an international trial spanning five countries – the US, the UK, Australia, Italy, and Taiwan. The study found that the new drug, which works by cutting off the tumour’s food supply, increased three-year survival rates and improved average survival by 1.6 months.
In the ATOMIC-meso trial, patients with pleural mesothelioma who received the new drug ADI-PEG20 (pegargiminase) in combination with chemotherapy survived for an average of 9.3 months, compared to 7.7 months for those who had the placebo and chemotherapy. The average “progression-free survival” was also longer for those who received the new drug.
The new drug works by depleting arginine levels in the bloodstream, which is crucial for the growth of tumour cells that cannot manufacture their own arginine. The research team stated that this is the first successful combination of chemotherapy with a drug that targets cancer’s metabolism developed for this disease in 20 years.
Professor Peter Szlosarek, who led the study, expressed his excitement about the results, describing the new discovery as “truly wonderful.” He noted that the new treatment, ADI-PEG20, is now improving the lives of patients affected by mesothelioma. This development represents a significant advancement in the treatment of this deadly disease, providing hope for patients and their families.