Marjorie G. Zauderer, MD, medical oncologist, co-director, MSK Mesothelioma Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the importance of optimizing care for patients with mesothelioma.

The field of mesothelioma is beginning to extrapolate data from other cancers to inform treatment strategies in mesothelioma, Zauderer says. Additionally, mesothelioma is being divided into unique disease subtypes based on biologic factors. 

However, despite these efforts, patients with mesothelioma are not receiving enough, if any, care for their disease, Zauderer explains. Although treatment-free intervals may be optimal in some cases, it is important that patients are seen by centers that regularly treat patients with mesothelioma. 

Moreover, data have shown that surgical outcomes are better in patients with mesothelioma who receive care at high-volume centers vs low-volume centers. As such, patients should seek treatment at the best regional center near them, Zauderer concludes.

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Marjorie G. Zauderer, MD, discusses the importance of optimizing care for patients with mesothelioma.  



Dr. Zauderer on the Importance of Optimizing Care in Mesothelioma 

Marjorie G. Zauderer, MD, medical oncologist, co-director, MSK Mesothelioma Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses emerging treatment strategies in mesothelioma.

Following the 2004 FDA approval of pemetrexed in combination with cisplatin for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma, therapeutic advancement was stagnant in this disease, Zauderer says. However, in October 2020, the FDA approved the frontline combination of nivolumab (Opdivo) and ipilimumab (Yervoy) for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Although nivolumab/ipilimumab has improved survival for many patients with mesothelioma, novel therapies are needed to continue advancing the field forward, Zauderer explains. Research efforts are under way to determine which patients are best suited for immunotherapy, chemotherapy, or chemoimmunotherapy, as well as to evaluate novel ways to activate the immune system. For example, clinical trials are ongoing to evaluate CAR T-cell therapies targeting mesothelin. 

Although targeted therapy has been game changing in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) management, the therapeutic modality has not had the same degree of success in mesothelioma, Zauderer says. In part, this is because mesothelioma is characterized by tumor suppressor genes instead of oncogenic-activating genes that are associated with NSCLC. As such, therapies targeted against 

 alterations are being evaluated in mesothelioma, Zauderer concludes.

Marjorie G. Zauderer, MD, discusses emerging treatment strategies in mesothelioma.  



Marjorie G. Zauderer, MD

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Dr. Zauderer on the Importance of Optimizing Care in Mesothelioma

Dr. Zauderer on Emerging Treatment Strategies in Mesothelioma