Mesothelioma Resource
Mesothelioma: Trials,
Treatment, Specialists
Track mesothelioma clinical trials in real time. Find cancer centers with mesothelioma programs. Follow the research that's changing outcomes.
What You Need to Know
Evidence-based mesothelioma information. Sourced from NIH, NCI, and published research.
Understanding Mesothelioma
A rare cancer caused by asbestos exposure. Most cases develop in the lining of the lungs (pleural) or abdomen (peritoneal). Talc contaminated with asbestos is a documented exposure pathway.
Types & Diagnosis
Three main types: pleural (75%), peritoneal (20%), and pericardial (rare). Diagnosis typically involves imaging, biopsy, and staging to determine treatment options.
Treatment Options
Multimodal treatment combines surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Immunotherapy (nivolumab + ipilimumab) became first-line in 2020. HIPEC shows promise for peritoneal cases.
Clinical Trials
Active trials are testing immunotherapy combinations, gene therapy, targeted drugs, and surgical techniques. Dozens of trials recruiting now.
Treatment Landscape
Current and emerging mesothelioma treatments being tested in clinical trials.
Immunotherapy
Checkpoint inhibitors (nivolumab, pembrolizumab, ipilimumab) now standard first-line for unresectable mesothelioma.
Chemotherapy
Pemetrexed + cisplatin/carboplatin remains the backbone. Often combined with immunotherapy or given before surgery.
Surgery
Pleurectomy/decortication (P/D) or extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) for eligible pleural cases. Cytoreductive surgery + HIPEC for peritoneal.
Radiation
Intensity-modulated radiation (IMRT) used post-surgery. Proton therapy under investigation for better tumor targeting.
Targeted Therapy
BAP1, NF2, and other biomarker-driven trials. Antibody-drug conjugates entering mesothelioma trials.
Gene Therapy
Oncolytic virus and gene transfer approaches in early-phase trials. Several showing durable responses.
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers
NCI-designated cancer centers with dedicated mesothelioma programs and clinical trial access.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, MA
Moffitt Cancer Center
Tampa, FL
Penn Medicine / Abramson Cancer Center
Philadelphia, PA
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, MN
National Cancer Institute (NIH)
Bethesda, MD
University of Chicago Medicine
Chicago, IL
The Talc Connection
Talc deposits naturally occur alongside asbestos. Contaminated talc products, including cosmetic talcum powder, are a documented mesothelioma exposure pathway.
Research published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and other peer-reviewed sources has established links between talc exposure and mesothelioma diagnosis, particularly among workers in talc mining and processing.
TalcTrials tracks the clinical trial landscape for both ovarian cancer and mesothelioma, the two cancers most closely associated with talc and asbestos exposure.