Research Done For Mesothelioma Cancer :-

An Australian paper, published in The Lancet in November 2003, is about this search. The researchers were looking into tests for proteins related to mesothelioma. This is early research, but they have had promising results. In their study, 84% of people with mesothelioma tested positive, compared to 2% with other cancers or other lung disease. In a group of people who had been exposed to asbestos but did not have mesothelioma, 7 out of 40 tested positive. 3 of these 7 developed mesothelioma and another got lung cancer within 5 years of the positive test. None of the 33 people who tested negative got mesothelioma within the 8 years following the study. It may be that researchers can build on this work to develop a test for screening for mesothelioma and tests for monitoring the disease in people who already have it.

Chemotherapy :-

It has been a major challenge for doctors to find chemotherapy drugs that work well in treating malignant mesothelioma. Many trials have been done using epirubicin, doxorubicin, Raltirexed, Irinotecan, Topotecan, Vinorelbine, cisplatin and methotrexate, but no standard treatment has been set. This has led researchers to look at newer chemotherapy drugs in combination with some already tried. Drugs and combinations in trial include

Gemcitabine and cisplatin
Vinorelbine (Navelbine)
Topotecan
Irinotecan, cisplatin and mitomycin C
Pemetrexed
Raltitrexed (Tomudex)
Onconase

Most studies giving gemcitabine alone have not been successful. A small number of trials using gemcitabine in combination with cisplatin, have produced some promising results. Many doctors now use this combination of drugs to treat malignant mesothelioma. But more trials are needed before it may be considered as standard treatment.