• HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
Wednesday, August 6, 2025
BIOENGINEER.ORG
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
No Result
View All Result
Bioengineer.org
No Result
View All Result
Home NEWS Science News Health

Trial targets deadly lung cancer

Bioengineer by Bioengineer
October 30, 2020
in Health
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedinShare on RedditShare on Telegram

Urgent research as mesothelioma numbers peak

IMAGE

Credit: Flinders University

With more than 650 Australians diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma last year, Flinders University is leading new research to discover alternatives to chemotherapy and even prevent deaths by early detection in future.

One novel approach, using natural therapeutic benefits of curcumin, a key component of the spice turmeric, will be put to the test in a clinical trial in 2021 as part of world-leading research at Flinders University.

While asbestos is now banned from being used for new buildings, many houses still contain asbestos, so exposure during renovations is common. Australia has one of the highest per-capita rates of asbestos-related disease in the world.

Flinders University researchers are studying the safety and feasibility of using a form of intrapleural liposomal curcumins to benefit patient survival and quality of life – with fewer toxic side-effects than chemotherapy.

“That’s why it’s important to explore alternative therapies and facilitate early diagnosis to reduce suffering and support early intervention measures,” says Flinders University lead researcher Associate Professor Sonja Klebe.

As well, the researchers are looking for early diagnostic methods with a special lung fluid test. “In most cases, malignant mesothelioma is not diagnosed until it is in the late stages,” she says. “We’re hoping to find a way to test for the disease before it becomes invasive.”

Patients diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, the cancer caused by asbestos exposure, experience poor survival of 6-12 months following diagnosis and a five-year survival of less than 5%. Therapeutic options are limited due to high resistance rates to chemotherapy and the advanced age of patients (median age 75).

Associate Professor Klebe’s team will test the safety and feasibility of intrapleural liposomal curcumin to benefit patient survival and quality of life. Future treatments are expected to have fewer toxic side-effects than chemotherapy.

In addition, the researchers are investigating methods to facilitate early diagnosis, using novel techniques on the lung fluid that is drained in the early stages of diagnosis.

“In most cases, malignant mesothelioma is not diagnosed until it is in the late stages,” she says. “We’re hoping to find a way to test for the disease before it becomes invasive.”

In time for Asbestos Awareness Month in November, the experts warn the high number of cases could persist for years with hundreds more cases of the deadly disease possible after latency of more than 30 years from work-related (builders, plumbers, gasfitters, mechanics and marine engineers) or other exposure. Firefighters may also be at risk after the devastating bushfires razed old buildings and sheds across Australia.

###

See the latest research publications:
‘Malignant mesothelioma in situ: diagnostic and clinical considerations’ (2020) by E Pulford, DW Henderson and S Klebe published in Anatomical Pathology (Vol 52, Iss 6, page 635-642)
DOI: 10.1016/j.pathol.2020.06.010

See also:
The potential utility of GATA binding protein 3 for diagnosis of malignant pleural mesotheliomas (2020) by S Prabhakaran, A Hocking, C Kim, M Hussey and S Klebe has been published in Human Pathology
DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2020.08.005

Media Contact
Associate Professor Sonja Klebe
[email protected]

Related Journal Article

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pathol.2020.06.010

Tags: cancerClinical TrialsDeath/DyingEnvironmental HealthInternal MedicineMedicine/HealthPulmonary/Respiratory Medicine
Share12Tweet8Share2ShareShareShare2

Related Posts

Hidden Childhood Adversities Shape Adult Substance and Mental Health

Hidden Childhood Adversities Shape Adult Substance and Mental Health

August 6, 2025
Decoding Pediatric Behçet’s Disease Complexities

Decoding Pediatric Behçet’s Disease Complexities

August 6, 2025

Forensic Shotgun Pellet Analysis via Dual-Energy CT

August 6, 2025

Could Lithium Hold the Key to Understanding and Treating Alzheimer’s Disease?

August 6, 2025
Please login to join discussion

POPULAR NEWS

  • blank

    Neuropsychiatric Risks Linked to COVID-19 Revealed

    74 shares
    Share 30 Tweet 19
  • Overlooked Dangers: Debunking Common Myths About Skin Cancer Risk in the U.S.

    61 shares
    Share 24 Tweet 15
  • Predicting Colorectal Cancer Using Lifestyle Factors

    46 shares
    Share 18 Tweet 12
  • Dr. Miriam Merad Honored with French Knighthood for Groundbreaking Contributions to Science and Medicine

    47 shares
    Share 19 Tweet 12

About

We bring you the latest biotechnology news from best research centers and universities around the world. Check our website.

Follow us

Recent News

H. pylori Reduces miR-223 in Neutrophils

Hidden Childhood Adversities Shape Adult Substance and Mental Health

Calcifying Nanoparticles in Hepatic Cysts Linked to Autophagy

  • Contact Us

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Homepages
    • Home Page 1
    • Home Page 2
  • News
  • National
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Science

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.