Malignant mesothelioma: Advances in immune checkpoint inhibitor and mesothelin-targeted therapies

Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer with a poor prognosis and limited treatment options. For many years, the only US Food and Drug Administration-approved first-line treatment for unresectable mesothelioma was pemetrexed plus cisplatin. However, the recent approval of nivolumab plus ipilimumab as frontline treatment for patients with pleural mesothelioma marks a significant milestone for the treatment of this disease. In this review, the authors describe recent advances in therapeutic strategies for the treatment of patients with advanced, unresectable mesothelioma, highlighting the emerging use of immunotherapy and mesothelin-targeted therapies for the management of malignant mesothelioma.

Automated summary

Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer with poor prognosis and limited treatment options. The recent approval of nivolumab plus ipilimumab as frontline treatment for patients with pleural mesothelioma represents a significant milestone in the management of this disease, highlighting the emerging use of immunotherapy and mesothelin-targeted therapies for advanced cases.