New mesothelioma clinical trial

A Phase III clinical trial to compare the effectiveness of talc pleurodesis to an invasive surgical procedure called video-assisted thorascopic (VAT) cytoreductive pleurectomy in mesothelioma patients is being put into effect by researchers at Papworth Hospital and several other medical facilities in Great Britian.

This phase of the study is designed to determine if either technique is associated with higher one-year survival rates, and is also designed to determine if either technique offers better control of a condition that causes a build-up of fluid around the lungs called pleural effusion.

Both techniques are used in mesothelioma treatment and are designed to target the pleura, the membrane or sac which surrounds the lungs. In mesothelioma patients, fluid collects in this pleural area and affects normal breathing. Through talc pleurodesis, the surgeon injects talc between the two layers of the pleura. This irritates them and causes them to adhere to each other, which closes the space where fluid builds up.

In contrast, cytroductive pleurectomy involves the partial or complete removal of the pleural membrane using a surgical technique. This procedure can be performed through an open chest incision or by using the VAT technique.

The VAT technique is a minimally invasive procedure that uses small incisions to access the chest cavity, which allows the insertion of tiny cameras as well as surgical instruments. Through this procedure, surgeons are able to both view the chest cavity and perform certain surgical procedures through these tiny incisions. These tiny incisions lead to fewer side effects and less downtime than traditional “open” procedures.

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that afflicts the lining of the heart, lungs and stomach. Because it is so difficult to diagnose, and because it has a latency period measured in decades, the diagnosis of mesothelioma is usually a death sentence.