Experts are celebrating another reported case of mesothelioma immunotherapy leading to long-term survival.
The publication Frontiers in Oncology reports that a 67-year-old man has been cancer-free since 2018 thanks to immunotherapy. This type of mesothelioma treatment activates the patient’s immune system to attack cancer.
Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer with an average survival of 1-2 years. Most cases of people surviving for five or more years are due to people undergoing surgery. Stories of patients achieving long-term survival thanks to immunotherapy are encouraging.
“Immunotherapy is becoming the preferred treatment for pleural mesothelioma among doctors and patients,” says Mesothelioma Guide patient advocate and registered nurse Karen Ritter. “Hopefully the positive results we are seeing from cases like this will continue and eventually we will see complete treatment success.”
How Immunotherapy Helped the Mesothelioma Patient
The patient was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma in 2016. He received two lines of treatment, including chemotherapy, with no success. In 2018, his battle against cancer took a turn for the better.
From February to September 2018, the patient received 12 cycles of pembrolizumab, which is the generic name for the immunotherapy drug Keytruda. The therapy was given every three weeks.
The patient had a complete response to immunotherapy. His last follow-up examination was in August 2023, and he was still cancer-free. He has been in remission for six years and counting as of September 2024.
FDA Approvals of Immunotherapy for Mesothelioma
There are three immunotherapy drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for mesothelioma: Opdivo (nivolumab); Yervoy (ipilimumab); and Keytruda (pembrolizumab). The FDA approved Opdivo and Yervoy as a combination treatment, and Keytruda is approved in combination with chemotherapy for people with unresectable pleural mesothelioma.
Opdivo, Yervoy and Keytruda are all a type of mesothelioma immunotherapy called an immune checkpoint inhibitor. The therapies block the activity of a certain protein, which keeps the immune system active in looking for and attacking cancer cells.
Keytruda blocks the activity of the protein PD-L1, which is expressed on the surface of mesothelioma cancer cells. The protein binds with PD-1, which is a protein on immune system cells. The binding subdues immune system cells, and Keytruda keeps them active.
Other Cases of Immunotherapy Beating Mesothelioma
This is the second reported case in as many months highlighting the improvements seen with the use of immunotherapy for mesothelioma
In August, Mesothelioma Guide reported the case of a 74-year-old woman who is 12 months cancer-free thanks to Opdivo and Yervoy. Earlier in 2024, Mesothelioma Guide reported a case of a 59-year-old man who has been mesothelioma-free since 2021 thanks to Keytruda.
Patients diagnosed with mesothelioma who are interested in immunotherapy can contact Mesothelioma Guide for more information. Email registered nurse and patient advocate Karen Ritter at karen@mesotheliomaguide.com to learn about immunotherapy and other treatment options.
Sources & Author
- Case report: complete response and long-term survival on third-line immunotherapy in patient with pleural mesothelioma. Frontiers in Oncology. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11391104/. Accessed: 09/16/2024.
