A significant amount of research is dedicated to finding more effective approaches to malignant mesothelioma. Scientists are trying to determine the best surgical techniques, create better diagnostic tools and test the effects of various chemotherapy drugs. At Kazan, McClain, Lyons, Greenwood and Harley, we keep our ears to the ground for you, and we are excited about what we are hearing.
For example, some researchers decided to focus their investigation on improving the performance of the tools that are already available, such as cisplatin, which is one of the most common medications prescribed for mesothelioma patients. One team from Switzerland found that short-term starvation may actually give cisplatin a boost, according to a new study appearing in the journal BMC Cancer.
What does cisplatin do for mesothelioma patients?
There is no cure for mesothelioma, but there are several treatments that can help alleviate your symptoms and may even extend survival time. Chemotherapy is a powerful and valuable weapon, with doctors prescribing cisplatin alongside other medications, radiation and sometimes surgery.
Cisplatin, which is formulated with platinum, binds to areas of mesothelioma cells’ DNA, which makes it difficult for them to divide and allow the disease to grow.
Unfortunately, like many other chemotherapy drugs, cisplatin may cause various side effects, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hair loss, dry mouth, hiccups and, in some serious cases, unusual bleeding, pain in the extremities, vision loss, fevers and seizures.
The risk of these potential side effects can not only decrease your quality of life, they may also make you less willing to adhere to prescription instructions the way you should. That could lead to real trouble.
Study discusses the effects of short-term starvation
Considering how taxing cisplatin can be, anything that improves its performance would be welcome. One team of scientists from Switzerland recalled past studies that suggested short-term starvation helped control the symptoms of conditions such as rheumatic diseases and some types of cancer. When it comes to the latter, this effect may be partly attributable to cancer cells’ vulnerability to certain types of stress.
In order to test the effects of starvation, the researchers conducted various experiments that used either cell models or rodent models of mesothelioma. For the cell models, the scientists observed the different behaviors of mesothelioma cells as well as normal cells. After they were deprived of the serum that they needed for food, the diseased cells underwent a chain reaction that ultimately made it difficult for them to grow. Cisplatin increased this effect.
A similar effect took place in mouse models that were implanted with mesothelioma or lung cancer cells. The diseased cells became more susceptible to cisplatin if the host animal was deprived of food.
Always follow your doctors’ orders
As exciting as these results are, remember that the research is still in its early stages. Just because these effects were observed in cell and rodent models does not mean the same will be true for humans. Don’t be so quick to think that you should try short-term starvation to improve your response to cisplatin.
If you are still curious, you should try discussing this study with your doctor, listen with an open mind and follow his or her orders. Your doctor will also be able to help you decide the healthiest way to deal with the side effects of your treatment.
However, that’s not to say we aren’t still excited about this work. If additional studies bear out these results, that will be good news for future mesothelioma patients. According to the Environmental Working Group, this population won’t reach its peak for another 10 years or so.
