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Clinical Trials

Emerging Treatments

Cancer trials are carried out to try to find new and better treatments for cancer. Trials that are carried out on patients are known as clinical trials.

Many drugs and treatments that have been tested in clinical trials are now in common use and without ongoing clinical trials it would not be possible to add to the current knowledge about effective treatments.

Clinical trials of a new treatment rarely stop when specialists agree that it works. There may be better ways of using it, such as giving it in different doses or combining it with other treatments.

The National Cancer Research Network (NCRN) provides the NHS with the infrastructure to support cancer clinical trials in England.

Listed below are the trials currently open or under development for mesothelioma. If you would like further information about clinical trials please speak with your doctor/nurse specialist.

Administration of HSV1716 in Patients with Mesothelioma
Location of trial: Sheffield

This study will assess whether HSV1716 is safe and well tolerated when administered into the pleural cavity of patients with inoperable malignant pleural mesothelioma. Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a type of cancer that occurs in the membranes, or linings, surrounding the lungs. The inner and outer surfaces of the linings form a cavity (the pleural cavity) around the lungs and for patients with this disease this cavity can become filled with fluid which causes pain and breathlessness. Some patients therefore require the fitting of a catheter to drain the fluid from the pleural cavity in order to ease these symptoms. Patients requiring this type of catheter will be eligible for the study and their catheter will be used to administer HSV1716 directly into the pleural cavity. Please follow this link to Cancer Research UK's information on this study
http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-help/trials/a-study-looking-hsv1716-treat-mesothelioma

MesoVATS Trial

Please note that the MesoVATS Trial has finished recruiting but follow up will continue until the end of 2012.

A study to compare a surgical treatment with a medical treatment for patients with a pleural effusion due to mesothelioma.

For most patients with mesothelioma the first symptom is shortness of breath, which is caused by a build up of fluid around the lungs (pleural effusion). The most common method of controlling the collection of fluid is by inserting a chest drain in the space between the lung and the chest wall, which will drain away the fluid, followed by the insertion of talc to stick the lung up against the chest wall to prevent further collection of fluid (medical pleurodesis).

Over the past five years an alternative procedure has been available namely a video assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) surgical pleurectomy. This procedure appears to be very effective at controlling the build up of fluid around the lungs and may improve survival. However, it may possibly cause more complications because it involves surgery.

The Trial will compare the two procedures to see whether the (VATS) Surgical Pleurectomy offers any benefit over the medical pleurodesis in terms of control of symptoms, improving survival, preventing the fluid in the chest cavity from coming back and your quality of life.

Please follow this link to Cancer Research UK's information on this trial
http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/trials/trials/trial.asp?=&trialno=4855

Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer Study (MALCS)

This study is looking at the occupations of men and women and the development of mesothelioma and lung cancer in relation to occupation.

Please follow this link to Cancer Research UK's information on this trial
http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/trials/trials/trial.asp?=&trialno=2253

Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (MARF) - International Symposium held in March 2013, USA

Liz Darlison recently presented at the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundations 2013 International Symposium, USA. She thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and came back with renewed energy and ideas and thought you might appreciate sight of the report she has written about her experience of attending the event.

MARF Report

Clinical Trials List on NHS Choices Website

This list on the NHS Choices website is provided by World Health Organisation (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry.

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/mesothelioma/Pages/clinical-trial.aspx