First New Mesothelioma Treatment in 15 Years Approved By FDA
By Ken Wilson
It’s not often that we get to report new treatments for mesothelioma.
While we do see a lot of clinical trials, the standard treatment plan for malignant pleural mesothelioma has been relatively unchanged for many years. Most patients go through surgery (if they are able to), radiation and chemotherapy.
It can be an aggressive treatment plan. In many instances, doctors diagnose mesothelioma when patients are in the late stages, which means the treatment is challenging because the cancer has spread.
That’s why recent news of the FDA approving the first new treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma in 15 years is so encouraging.
In May 2019, the FDA approved utilizing Tumor Treating Fields for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma in combination with chemotherapy. The approved device is called the NovoTTF-100L System (manufactured by Novocure). It is a non-invasive method that works by delivering electric fields tuned to specific frequencies that disrupt solid tumor cell division. In other words, it hinders mesothelioma tumors from growing and spreading.
The treatment is approved for mesothelioma patients who are not candidates for surgery. Only 10 to 20 percent of patients with pleural mesothelioma are candidates for surgery. The remaining 80 percent of patients typically receive palliative care to improve their quality of life. The use of Tumor Treating Fields is a promising development for those who cannot have surgery to remove the tumors as it may extend their lives and improve treatment outcomes. It was approved under the agency’s Humanitarian Device Exemption pathway, which was created to encourage the innovation of therapies for underserved patients with rare diseases.
The FDA’s approval for the use of Tumor Treating Fields was based on a trial that included 80 pleural mesothelioma patients. Overall, the patients lived an average of 18.1 months, including 21.2 months for patients with epithelioid malignant pleural mesothelioma and 12.1 months for those with non-epithelioid malignant pleural mesothelioma.
That might not seem like a long time, but for late-stage pleural mesothelioma patients who are not candidates for surgery, it can mean more time spent with their loved ones, which is priceless.
As an attorney who has helped mesothelioma patients for over 30 years, the absolute worst part of my practice is seeing people who worked hard for the entire careers have their golden years cut short. Anything that can help extend the amount of time they have with loved ones and diminish their suffering is very positive news and should be celebrated as such.
People who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and their loved ones should discuss all treatment options with their oncologist in order to make an informed decision that is in the best interest of the mesothelioma patient.
Let’s all hope that we continue to see more new treatments for mesothelioma in the years to come.
Ken Wilson has devoted his career to helping mesothelioma victims. He represents asbestos cancer patients nationwide from his office in Aiken, South Carolina. Wilson is on the Best Lawyers in America list for Product Liability Litigation (Plaintiff). RPWB lawyers were among the first in the country to hold asbestos manufacturers liable for causing mesothelioma. To learn more about our 40-year history helping asbestos victims, please click here. You may contact us at 1-866-594-8765 or use the form on this page to begin a free, no obligation case review.
Our Experienced Lawyers
How can we help? Fill out the form for a free case review.
Contact Us
- Toll Free: 888.293.6883
Case Types
Related Posts
Aug 10, 2022
With a New Law, Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Victims Finally Have Legal Recourse
For more than 30 years, the drinking water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune was contaminated with a cocktail of dangerous toxins linked to cancer, leukemia, Parkinson’s disease and other serious medical conditions. Now after intense lobbying by veteran’s groups and others, victims of Camp Lejeune’s contaminated water have legal recourse for compensation. On Wednesday, […]
READ MOREAug 03, 2022
Congress Passes Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Law
Over a 34-year period, many thousands of Marines and their families were exposed to dangerous water contamination at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. After a long wait, justice may finally be in sight. Congress approved bi-partisan legislation on Tuesday night that will clear the way for veterans and their families to seek compensation in federal […]
READ MOREJul 05, 2022
Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Law Close to Passing, Would Finally Bring Justice to Veterans and their Families
A bill that is close to becoming law could finally provide justice and financial relief to veterans and their families for health problems caused by water contamination at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. The bi-partisan Honoring our PACT Act of 2021 has passed both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. It was sent […]
READ MOREJun 21, 2022
RPWB Helped Doctors Get Refunds for Non-Conforming Records Software
RPWB attorneys played a leading role in more than 5,000 doctors’ offices receiving refunds for being misled about their electronic medical record software qualifying for Medicare and Medicaid incentives. For years, Greenway Health sold software it claimed was certified under the federal government’s “Meaningful Use” program. That program includes financial incentives designed to reward physicians […]
READ MOREApr 28, 2022
Federal Court Certifies Fair Labor Standards Act Collective Action Against Las Vegas Restaurant
A federal district court has authorized notice to current and former employees of the Boiling Crab restaurant in Las Vegas, Nevada who were employed at any time between March 23, 2018 and October 26, 2020. The notice permits current and former workers to opt-in to the pending litigation alleging that employees were improperly denied compensation […]
READ MOREApr 26, 2022
Whistleblower Case Involving Medicare/Medicaid Fraud Settles for $24.5 million
Physician Partners of America, of Tampa, Fla., has agreed to repay the federal government $24.5 million in a settlement to resolve four whistleblower cases brought under the False Claims Act. Current and former employees of the company came forward to allege that the company billed Medicare and Medicaid for unnecessary medical testing and services, paid […]
READ MOREApr 05, 2022
EPA Proposes Asbestos Ban
Many people do not realize it, but asbestos is not banned in the United States despite the fact it kills thousands of Americans each year by causing mesothelioma cancer and other forms of lung disease. That might be about to change. The EPA has announced it intends to ban the known carcinogen using new authority […]
READ MOREApr 04, 2022
Asbestos Awareness Week Shines Light on Mesothelioma, a Cancer that Continues to Devastate
The first week of April 2022 is Asbestos Awareness Week in the United States. Members of both houses of Congress unanimously approved resolutions making the designation. Once ubiquitous in worksites and homes throughout the country, we are still experiencing the negative health effects of asbestos decades after its peak use. Mesothelioma, the insidious cancer caused […]
READ MORENov 04, 2021
U.S. News: RPWB is a Best Law Firm for National Mass Torts & Class Actions
RPWB is a top plaintiff law firm for our work on national mass torts and class actions, according to the 2022 Best Law Firm rankings by U.S. News & World Report. In addition to the national ranking for mass torts/class actions, RPWB was listed as a Best Law Firm for personal injury, product liability, medical […]
READ MOREOct 06, 2021
Jury Awards $8.2 million to Soldier in 3M Military Earplugs Case
Pensacola, Fla. – Another federal jury has found 3M liable for producing defective earplugs that caused our nation’s veterans to suffer from hearing loss and tinnitus. On October 1, 2021, jurors awarded $8.2 million to Army veteran Brandon Adkins of Washington, marking the third trial in which plaintiffs have been awarded money from 3M to […]
READ MORESep 23, 2021
Burke: The Challenges and Responsibility of Representing Veterans
RPWB member Beth Burke led a continuing legal education session on representing veterans and military personnel at the Southern Trial Lawyers Association Annual Fall Conference in Louisville on Sept. 17. The topic was especially important to Burke, who grew up not far from Charleston. Southern states produce 44 percent of our nation’s troops. Charleston is […]
READ MOREAug 19, 2021
16 RPWB attorneys named to 2022 Best Lawyers list
Mount Pleasant, S.C. – Sixteen RPWB attorneys are listed in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® list for numerous practice areas including personal injury, product liability, mass tort and medical malpractice litigation. RPWB is the top-listed plaintiff firm in South Carolina for mass tort/class actions & product liability litigation. For the first […]
READ MOREJul 19, 2021
The combination of two drugs showed encouraging results for patients suffering from advanced peritoneal mesothelioma.
The use of a checkpoint inhibitor along with a drug to slow the growth of new blood vessels may delay the progression of peritoneal mesothelioma as well as increase the life expectancy of patients diagnosed with the deadly disease caused by asbestos exposure. A study by the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center found […]
READ MOREMay 03, 2021
Jury Returns $7 million Verdict Against 3M in Military Earplugs Lawsuit
Jurors in the first military earplug lawsuit returned a $7 million verdict that included more than $6 million in punitive damages against 3M for selling the military faulty earplugs. Combat Arms earplugs were widely used in the military between 2003 and 2015. The design of the earplugs made it difficult for service members to get […]
READ MOREApr 16, 2021
RPWB Attorneys Investigating Paraquat, a Herbicide Linked to Parkinson’s Disease
CHARLESTON, S.C. – RPWB attorneys are investigating the cases of farmers, agricultural workers, crop dusters and groundskeepers who developed Parkinson’s disease after using Paraquat weed killer. Several herbicides contain Paraquat, including: Gramoxone, Ortho-Paraquat, Para-SHOT, Parazone, Quick-Quat, Firestorm and Helmqua. The herbicides have been used in the United States since 1964, and have come under increased […]
READ MORE