Mesothelioma typically takes decades to develop, but it can go from the first symptoms to a fatal illness within a few years. Researchers have yet to pinpoint a treatment that would conclusively cure those diagnosed with mesothelioma. Much current medical research aims to find treatments that can improve quality of life and a possible future cure for mesothelioma and other forms of cancer that don’t respond well to traditional treatments.
Medical advances in Japan show promise for helping those struggling with mesothelioma. This new combination of treatments involves an unusual form of administration and involves two cutting-edge gene therapy drugs.
A new Japanese treatment comes as a nasal spray
Many forms of cancer treatments are intravenous, and some of them are drugs that people consume orally. However, the two drugs currently under investigation in Japan are intended for administration as a nasal spray and could help improve people’s survival rates and quality of life after a mesothelioma diagnosis.
SFD-p16 and SFD-p53, when combined with a specialized inhalant powder, can provide direct treatment for the lungs through nasal inhalation. On their own, each of these drugs significantly inhibited the growth of cancer tissue. In combination, these drugs could offer hope for both a longer survival timeline after diagnosis and less invasive treatments that patients can receive right in their own homes instead of at a hospital or specialized clinic.
It may be some time before there is any research into this drug in the United States, but advances in treating mesothelioma anywhere are promising for those with this cancer everywhere. Keeping up to date on improvements in medical technology will benefit those struggling with a recent mesothelioma diagnosis.