According to a promising article posted by the fine folks over at AboutMesothelioma.net, an experimental drug used for treating cancer, known as NGR-hTNF, had positive results when used as a means of treating mesothelioma.

According to the study, 57 patients who had already received chemotherapy treatment and had experienced a relapse of the disease were given the drug.  NGR-hTNF combines an amino acid sequence known as a peptide with a protein that helps bolster the immune system’s response to tumor growth.  The drug seemed to be somewhat effective at temporarily stopping the advance of the cancer, which affects the pleural lining of the lung, in 26 of the patients.  The length of the effectiveness appeared to be five months, and the median length of survival for patients was 12 months.

This might seem like bleak and not-particularly-good news, but mesothelioma is such a ravaging and devastating disease that any bit of news like this is emphatically good news.  With a cancer like mesothelioma, where the prognosis is almost always death and where the lifespan of those diagnosed is often measured in months, not years, every step forward is a great leap in the right direction.

Mesothelioma Treatment

If you are diagnosed with this devastating disease, it might be a good idea to contact an experienced mesothelioma lawyer with a proven track record of success.  When picking such a lawyer or law firm, be sure to do your homework.  Taking their win/loss ratio into account is usually a good tactic.  Though previous case histories don’t guarantee a particular outcome, since each case is different, you might be able to look at it as an indicator of the competence of the lawyer in question.

Though a mesothelioma diagnosis is a terrible affliction, there are constantly advances in treatments, many of which can improve the quality of life of victims.  Who knows—one day, if we’re lucky, this disease might be easily curable.  We have hope.