Health Discoveries in Mesothelioma
Virus therapy studied for mesothelioma treatment
April 21, 2011
A research team at the University of Minnesota is conducting a new study on how patients with malignant mesothelioma respond to an innovative measles virus therapy.
Dr. Manish Patel, an assistant professor of hematolgy, oncology and transplantation, was recently awarded a grant from the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (MARF) to lead the project. The researchers will evaluate the results of delivering an oncolytic measles virus directly into the pleural cavity that surround the lungs.
An oncolytic virus selectively infects tumor cells and multiples to cause cell death. Phase I of the study will try to pinpoint possible biomarkers that may predict the response of mesothelioma patients' response to the virus therapy.
In addition, they will review the immune response to see if treatment with the measles virus can produce an anti-tumor immune response.
MARF is funding Patel's study as part of its ongoing research support program. In the past decade, MARF has awarded about $7 million in research grants to find new treatments and a cure for mesothelioma. Up to $100,000 for a two-year grant is awarded to each of several research projects annually.
The Cancer Institute within the North Shore-LIJ Health System has a multidisciplinary medical team that treats mesothelioma with radiation, surgery and chemotherapy.
Dr. Manish Patel, an assistant professor of hematolgy, oncology and transplantation, was recently awarded a grant from the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (MARF) to lead the project. The researchers will evaluate the results of delivering an oncolytic measles virus directly into the pleural cavity that surround the lungs.
An oncolytic virus selectively infects tumor cells and multiples to cause cell death. Phase I of the study will try to pinpoint possible biomarkers that may predict the response of mesothelioma patients' response to the virus therapy.
In addition, they will review the immune response to see if treatment with the measles virus can produce an anti-tumor immune response.
MARF is funding Patel's study as part of its ongoing research support program. In the past decade, MARF has awarded about $7 million in research grants to find new treatments and a cure for mesothelioma. Up to $100,000 for a two-year grant is awarded to each of several research projects annually.
The Cancer Institute within the North Shore-LIJ Health System has a multidisciplinary medical team that treats mesothelioma with radiation, surgery and chemotherapy.