Clinical Trials & Research
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A team of experts collaborates to provide advanced mesothelioma care. Call 310-267-4612 to learn more about mesothelioma treatment at UCLA Health. To reach our nurse practitioner, call 310-818-1304
Bringing new hope to mesothelioma care
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you’re not alone. At UCLA Health, you’ll have a world class team of mesothelioma experts by your side.
Our experts offer the most advanced treatments available, including promising new options through clinical trials. As a national leader in mesothelioma research, we drive innovation, discover new therapies, and deliver renewed hope to patients.
Find out if a clinical trial is right for you
Clinical trials test new ways to prevent, detect, or treat diseases like mesothelioma. By joining a trial, you may gain early access to promising treatments before they are widely available, and help improve care for future patients. At UCLA Health, our clinical trials explore advanced therapies, including immunotherapy, targeted drugs, and novel surgical approaches, aiming to improve outcomes and quality of life for those affected by mesothelioma.
Explore our research highlights
Advancing the care and treatment of mesothelioma depends on a strong foundation of ongoing research, clinical innovation, and evidence-based practice. Below is a curated selection of recent research highlights that reflect our continued commitment to improving outcomes for patients affected by this rare and complex disease.
Could MARS treatment affect survival rates?
This article looks at a major surgery called MARS (Mesothelioma and Radical Surgery), which removes the tumor and affected tissue. A recent study (the MARS-2 trial) questioned whether this surgery helps patients live longer. Mesothelioma experts from around the world raise concerns about how the study was done and explain why they believe surgery should still be part of mesothelioma care.
J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2024.
Freezing tumors using cryoablation
This study looks at cryoablation, a treatment that freezes and destroys cancer cells, and finds it may be a safe and effective option for people whose mesothelioma has returned.
Vasc Interv Radiol. 2017 Feb.
Immunotherapy before surgery
Looks at using immune-based treatments before surgery to see if it could improve outcomes for people with malignant pleural mesothelioma.
Clin Cancer Res. 2023.
How doctors are using tumor-treating fields
A study across multiple hospitals reviewing how a treatment called Tumor-Treating Fields is being used for patients diagnosed with mesothelioma.
Curr Oncol. 2023.
View additional mesothelioma publications
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- Experts propose a standard approach to mesothelioma surgery: Recommends a consistent, evidence-based method for surgery to improve care for patients across treatment centers. J Thorac Oncol. 2019 Aug.
- Using laparoscopy to better understand mesothelioma: Shows that a minimally invasive procedure called laparoscopy can help doctors more accurately see how far mesothelioma has spread—leading to better treatment planning. Ann Thorac Surg. 2021.
- Comparing two surgical options for mesothelioma: Finds that a less aggressive surgery (pleurectomy/decortication) may lead to better outcomes than a more extensive procedure in some patients with pleural mesothelioma. Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2023
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- Gene therapy helps immunotherapy work better in mesothelioma: Explores how a new type of gene therapy could make immune-based treatments more effective in people with mesothelioma. Clin Cancer Res. 2025 Apr 10.
- How the immune system and tumor proteins may guide future treatments: Examines the relationship between the immune system and tumor proteins, which could lead to more personalized therapies. JCI Insight. 2018 Apr 5.
- Expanding treatment options for inoperable mesothelioma: Explores how immunotherapy is helping patients with pleural mesothelioma who are not eligible for surgery. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2023.
- Boosting the immune system to fight mesothelioma: Tests tiny “factories” that release IL2, a protein that can help the immune system attack mesothelioma tumors directly. Clin Cancer Res. 2022.
- Improving response to immunotherapy: Examines how blocking certain cell signals (CDK4/6) may help make immunotherapy more effective in treating mesothelioma. Ann Thorac Surg. 2022.
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- Blood test may help detect if mesothelioma returns after surgery: Looks at how a specific blood marker, mesothelin, could be used to monitor patients after treatment. Ann Thorac Surg. 2017 Nov.
- Blood marker may help predict treatment success: Explores how a protein found in the blood (SMRP) might help predict how well patients respond to immunotherapy for mesothelioma. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2024.
- Gene patterns that help forecast outcomes: Identifies genetic patterns that could help doctors estimate how mesothelioma and lung cancer patients may respond to treatment. NPJ Precis Oncol. 2024.
- Combining data for better predictions: Shows that using both genetic and clinical information together can give a clearer picture of a patient’s prognosis. Br J Cancer. 2022.
- Protein levels and surgical outcomes: Shows that levels of a protein called PD-L1 might help predict how well patients do after surgery for mesothelioma. Ann Thorac Surg. 2021.
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- Targeted treatment for certain mesothelioma patients: Tests a drug called Tazemetostat in patients whose mesothelioma came back or didn’t respond to treatment. The drug works by blocking a protein that helps cancer grow, and may be especially helpful for patients with a gene change called BAP1. Zauderer MG, Szlosarek PW, Le Moulec S, et al. Lancet Oncol. 2022.
- New drug shows promise for aggressive mesothelioma: Studies a drug that blocks a key nutrient used by cancer cells, helping chemotherapy work better in more severe cases of mesothelioma. ATOMIC-Meso Study Group.JAMA Oncol. 2024 Apr 1.
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- Precise radiation therapy may improve tumor control: Finds that tomotherapy, a targeted form of radiation, can help limit tumor spread and reduce side effects. Pract Radiat Oncol. 2015 Nov-Dec.
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- Understanding malignant pleural mesothelioma: Offers a clear overview of mesothelioma—what it is, how it’s treated, and what research is being done to improve care in the future.Thorac Surg Clin. 2020.
- Overview of current treatments and future directions for mesothelioma: Provides a broad look at how mesothelioma is currently treated and what promising options are being developed. J Thorac Oncol. 2018 Nov.
- Early clinical trials explore new therapies for mesothelioma: Summarizes the latest experimental treatments being tested to offer more options for patients. Cancer Manag Res. 2015 Jan 23.
- Tumor thickness may help predict how mesothelioma will progress: Discusses how measuring the thickness of the tumor lining in the chest can help doctors estimate outcomes. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2019 Jan.
- New imaging guidelines aim to improve research and care: Outlines expert recommendations for using imaging like CT and MRI more consistently in clinical trials for mesothelioma. J Thorac Oncol. 2019 Oct.
- Image-guided procedures offer new ways to treat lung tumors: Reviews less invasive treatment options like ablation, which use heat or cold to destroy tumors without surgery. J Thorac Imaging. 2019 Jul.