Epithelioid Tumors Have Improved Chemotherapy Response

Learn how chemotherapy response to tumors differs based on cell types, offering hope for improved survival rates.

Highlights:

Mesothelioma, cancer affecting different parts of the body, can have varying treatment approaches based on tumor location and cell types
Epithelioid mesothelioma, the most prevalent cell type, shows higher survival rates and better response to chemotherapy compared to other cell types
Recent research highlights the importance of identifying the cell type in mesothelioma patients to personalize treatment and enhance overall outcomes

Patients diagnosed with mesothelioma may be perplexed by the number of tests ordered by their oncologist. While they may think of the disease in broad terms, there are major changes in therapy – and treatment success – depending on where the disease presents in the body and the type of cells that make up their tumors. A recent study found that cancers composed of epithelioid cells react better to chemotherapy than tumors composed of other cell types.

Epithelioid Mesothelioma and Higher Survival Rates

Malignant mesothelioma affects numerous sections of the body, and tumors can be made up of many types of cells. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of asbestos-related disease, and it occurs in the lining of the cavity surrounding the lungs, whereas peritoneal mesothelioma forms in the lining surrounding organs in the abdomen and pericardial mesothelioma tumors form in the lining of the cavity surrounding the heart.

Mesothelioma - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment & Prevention
Mesothelioma is a rare, aggressive and deadly cancer of the mesothelial tissue lining the internal organs and is incurable in most of the cases.

‘Promising breakthrough for mesothelioma patients! Epithelioid tumors show improved responses to chemotherapy, leading to better survival rates. #Mesothelioma #CancerResearch #MedicalBreakthrough’

Mesothelioma tumors, no matter where they grow, are made up of cells that can take various shapes. The epithelioid cell type is the most prevalent, followed by the sarcomatoid cell type. Biphasic tumors comprise both types of cells. It has long been recognized that patients with epithelioid tumors had a higher chance of survival (). A study undertaken by doctors at Barcelona's Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron may explain why.

Epithelioid Mesothelioma's Positive Response to Chemotherapy

Physicians who studied the data of 189 patients treated for pleural mesothelioma between 2002 and 2020 reported in the journal Nature that individuals with epithelioid tumors responded better to chemotherapy than those with other cell types. Patients with epithelioid cancer who received chemotherapy had a median progression-free survival of 4.8 months, while those with other cell types had a progression-free survival of 3.6 months.

Dr. Susana Cedres, the study's lead author, stated, "Median OS [overall survival] of epithelioid patients treated with first-line chemotherapy was 26.7 months versus 15.0 months in non-epithelioid patients." Patients with non-epithelioid tumors had a worse prognosis in our study."

Reference:

Malignant Mesothelioma - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519530/)

Source-Medindia

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