Biological basis for novel mesothelioma therapies

Cet article passe en revue les connaissances concernant les caractéristiques histopathologiques, génétiques et épigénétiques du mésothéliome, puis analyse la façon dont ces connaissances, combinées aux progrès de l'immunothérapie, peuvent contribuer au développement de nouvelles thérapies ciblées

Résumé en anglais

Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that is associated with exposure to asbestos. Although asbestos is banned in several countries, including the UK, an epidemic of mesothelioma is predicted to affect middle-income countries during this century owing to their heavy consumption of asbestos. The prognosis for patients with mesothelioma is poor, reflecting a failure of conventional chemotherapy that has ultimately resulted from an inadequate understanding of its biology. However, recent work has revolutionised the study of mesothelioma, identifying genetic and pathophysiological vulnerabilities, including the loss of tumour suppressors, epigenetic dysregulation and susceptibility to nutrient stress. We discuss how this knowledge, combined with advances in immunotherapy, is enabling the development of novel targeted therapies.