New treatment for a rare and aggressive cancer improves survival rates in breakthrough clinical trial
The phase 3 clinical trial, published today in JAMA Oncology and sponsored by Polaris Pharmaceuticals, has unveiled a breakthrough in the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), a rare and often rapidly fatal form of cancer associated with exposure to asbestos and which has limited therapeutic options. The trial found that a combination treatment of traditional chemotherapy with a new drug, ADI-PEG20, increased the median survival of participants by 1.6 months, and quadrupled the survival at 36 months, compared to placebo-chemotherapy.