5-Year Recap | 2018-2023 Mesothelioma Treatment Advances

Data Showed Opdivo+Yervoy Do More Than Extend Survival

In the clinical trial, Opdivo+Yervoy treatment came with several benefits. Patients reported lessening symptoms and improved quality of life. The drug combination also extended survival better than chemo.

Opdivo+Yervoy Worked Well Against Difficult-to-Treat Cell Types

Most mesothelioma patients have tumors consisting of epithelial cells.Historically, this cell type has had the best prognosis. Sarcomatoid and biphasic cell types are less common and do not respond well to most treatments.

The Opdivo+Yervoy combination was the first therapy to work well against these cell types. For patients with sarcomatoid or biphasic tumors, the combo more than doubled survival.

Opdivo+Yervoy Changed Surgery Eligibility

In 2022, researchers reported another potential benefit of this drug pair. Doctors treated a pleural mesothelioma patient with Opdivo+Yervoy. Before treatment, the case was considered inoperable. However, the drug combo shrunk the tumors substantially, making the patient eligible for surgery.

Specialty Care Matters for Mesothelioma

In 2022, new data emerged showing the importance of specialized mesothelioma care. Researchers compared mesothelioma patients treated by providers with different levels of mesothelioma expertise. They found mesothelioma-specific care had several benefits, including:

• Better access to surgery: Patients who received specialty care were more than 3 times as likely to undergo surgery.
• Boosted treatment use: A higher percentage of specialty care patients underwent any form of treatment.
• Improved survival: Patients treated by specialists survived about 6 months longer than those who were not.

This study highlighted the importance of working with experienced doctors. Patients looking for the best treatments should work with cancer centers that specialize in mesothelioma. This may provide access to more effective therapies and a better chance of long-term survival.

2024 and Beyond

Mesothelioma research advancements since 2018 have improved prognoses and quality of life for many patients, and the work continues. Researchers continue to study new treatments and diagnostic tools. A number of ongoing clinical trials will continue into 2024 and beyond. This ongoing work offers hope for even better treatments in the future.