Mesothelioma Clinical Trial Reports

Before any new treatment can be recommended for general use, doctors conduct clinical trials to find out whether the treatment is safe for patients and effective against the disease. Participation in clinical trials is an important treatment option for many patients with mesothelioma.  Because mesothelioma is very hard to control and medical experts believe that there could be an epidemic of mesothelioma cases in years to come, clinical trials (research studies with people) are designed to find new treatments and better ways to use current treatments, raising hope for victims of this devastating disease.

Phase III Vorinostat (SAHA) for progressive or relapsed malignant pleural mesothelioma patients

Doctors use the chemotherapy drug vorinostat to kill cancerous cells and stop their division, and they also believe it can block enzymes that cells need in order to grow and multiply.  Studies are currently in the third phase to understand its effects on epithelial, sarcomatous, and recurrent mesothelioma.  Phase III Vorinostat (SAHA) trials for progressive or relapsed malignant pleural mesothelioma patients are currently underway at the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at UCLA and Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center - NCI Clinical Studies Support, Bethesda, Maryland.

Phase II Pemetrexed Disodium with Gemcitabine or Carboplatin advanced malignant mesothelioma patients

The Phase II Pemetrexed Disodium with Gemcitabine or Carboplatin advanced malignant mesothelioma patients clinical is a study to investigate the effects of chemotherapy drugs pemetrexed disodium, gemcitabine, and carboplatin on advanced and recurrent malignant mesothelioma.  This study is being conducted in several locations across the country including Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Phase II AZD2171 for patients with unresectable malignant mesothelioma

Phase II AZD2171 for patients with unresectable malignant mesothelioma is investigating the use of chemotherapy drugs to inhibit enzymes that slow the growth and block blood flow into the tumor.  It is hoped that the results from this study could help victims suffering from epithelial, sarcomatous, advanced, and recurrent malignant mesothelioma.  Studies are underway in Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming.