A mesothelioma diagnosis is a devastating one. There are some treatments that can improve the quality of life for the patients and some that might prolong life a bit. However, this is a medical condition that progresses quickly. Although there aren’t currently any cures for it, researchers are working to find new treatment options for mesothelioma.
Some patients who have malignant pleural mesothelioma can’t have surgery to remove all the cancerous cells. A trial that seeks to address that issue has entered phase 3. The trial combines chemotherapy and an immunotherapy drug to determine whether this improves the outcome for the patients.
What is a phase 3 trial?
A phase 3 trial means that the drug is being tested on humans. In the case of the DREAM3R study, researchers are enrolling individuals, ideally 480, who have been recently diagnosed with unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma. They are trying to determine whether the combination of medications in the trial provide an improved outcome over other currently approved treatments.
Most phase 3 clinical trial are double-blind. This means that some people in the study receive the test drug while others receive something else. The investigators over the study don’t know who receives which one, so that results are based on facts and not opinions.
Anyone who’s diagnosed with mesothelioma should review their legal options with an experienced attorney. While new treatments are always being researched, the prognosis still isn’t good right now. Seeking compensation through legal avenues can help you to offset the expenses so that your family members aren’t left wondering how they will make ends meet.