Dr. Anne TsaoFocus: Pleural Mesothelioma

Dr. Tsao's Clinical Work

Because mesothelioma is such a rare disease, creating treatment plans specifically catered to the individual with mesothelioma is much harder than with other types of cancer. Dr. Tsao has made advances in her research to make personalized treatment a reality for more patients.

The current problem is that there is a limited amount of treatment options for treating mesothelioma. Dr. Tsao, however, has conducted studies on novel treatment methods as well as personalized care.

Dr. Tsao has also collaborated with mesothelioma specialists across the nation to work towards developing personalized mesothelioma treatment. In the study “Individualizing Mesothelioma Treatment: Small Steps Into a Brighter Future,” Dr. Tsao tackled the issue of personalizing care in part because of the expected rise in mesothelioma cases in the next decade. The study analyzed medical procedures with respect to genetic factors that may relate to more individualized care.

Phase I Clinical Trials Combining Chemo and Novel Treatment

Dr. Tsao is currently leading several clinical trials for mesothelioma patients. Her prolific research contributed to 2 studies published in 2013 regarding the combination of systemic chemotherapy (Alimta and cisplatin) and novel drugs that inhibit mesothelioma growth by blocking signaling pathways.

The novel drugs in question were imatinib and cediranib. While the trial involving imatinib didn’t show much of a clinical benefit, cediranib combined with systemic chemotherapy had promising results and is moving forward.

Get connected to clinical trials like these to expand your treatment options today.