Do you or a loved one have inoperable Mesothelioma tumors? If so, keep reading to learn about a promising Phase III clinical trial taking place at the Netherlands Cancer Institute that is showing significant tumor shrinkage without the use of chemotherapy. This breakthrough may help mesothelioma patients with inoperable tumors increase their life expectancies.
About the Mesothelioma Clinical Trial
The Phase III clinical trial, called Checkmate 743, has followed approximately 600 mesothelioma patients for two years. Half of the group has been undergoing normal chemotherapy to attempt to shrink their tumors. The other half of the group has been using a combination of drugs, Nivolumab, to attack and shrink the tumors, and Ipilimumab, which is an antibody that boosts the immune system.
Checkmate 743 Phase III Results
Results from the experimental use of Nivolumab and Ipilimumab found that of the patients receiving this combination of drugs:
- 41% of mesothelioma patients showed a “significant reduction” in the size of their inoperable tumors.
- 2% of patients showed a “complete reduction” of their inoperable tumors.
In contrast, 44% of patients in the chemotherapy group showed “partial” tumor reduction. While there’s an almost equal percentage of patients in both groups experiencing tumor reduction, researchers are encouraged about the combination of Nivolumab and Ipilimumab because it is giving Mesothelioma patients greater tumor reduction than chemotherapy alone.
Nivolumab and Ipilimumab Side Effects
As with any treatment of aggressive, inoperable tumors, the combined use of Nivolumab and Ipilimumab comes with side effects.
During the study, 33% of patients in the clinical trial reported severe side effects, causing 15% of patients in the experimental group receiving Nivolumab and Ipilimumab to leave the clinical trial prematurely. Researchers are still learning more about the side effects caused by the combined use of Nivolumab and Ipilimumab to treat inoperable Mesothelioma tumors so they can better understand the drugs and help patients weigh the benefits and risks of this experimental treatment.
What Does This Clinical Trial Mean for Louisiana Mesothelioma Victims?
Checkmate 743 is still an active clinical study for shrinking inoperable mesothelioma tumors, and the drugs are not currently FDA approved for use on patients in the United States. However, the study is showing promising results that this treatment may be able to provide more significant tumor shrinkage for mesothelioma patients with inoperable tumors. Should the clinical trial conclude that the treatment be made widely available, there’s a chance it will become FDA-approved and practiced here in Louisiana and elsewhere in the U.S.
How to Get a Settlement to Cover the Costs of Mesothelioma Medical Treatments
While this experimental treatment may not yet be an option for you, you may want to try chemotherapy to reduce the size of your inoperable mesothelioma tumor. Chemotherapy is an expensive medical treatment. As a mesothelioma victim, it’s not your fault that you were diagnosed with this condition due to asbestos exposure.
The state of Louisiana allows mesothelioma patients like you to file mesothelioma personal injury cases against the party responsible for your exposure to collect settlements for previous, current, and future medical bills, loss of wages, mental anguish, and pain and suffering. However, Louisiana asbestos law has a short statute of limitations for filing an asbestos lawsuit after you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma.
Received a Diagnosis? Reach Out to Us Today
If your doctor has told you that you have mesothelioma, contact our asbestos attorneys immediately at (504) 299-1214 or fill out our online contact form. Our mesothelioma lawyers can offer you a free consultation to listen to your unique case and give you legal advice on how to proceed.