On May 14, 2014, at 8 PM Eastern time, the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation will be holding a new installment of its “Meet the Mesothelioma Experts” series featuring Dr. Evan Alley of the University of Pennsylvania, who will discuss his new clinical trial available to pleural mesothelioma patients. The clinical trial will look into an agent that would inhibit the PD-L1 protein.
This installment of the “Meet the Mesothelioma Experts” is made possible by a generous educational grant by The Edgar Lomax Company.
PD-L1 is a protein believed to play a role in suppressing the immune system. Generally, it is associated with pregnancy and autoimmune diseases. In cancer, a high tumor expression of PD-L1 is linked with more aggressive disease and a poorer prognosis. Research into PD-L1 inhibitors has already shown much promise in melanoma, renal cell carcinoma and lung cancer, evidencing both tumor shrinkage and durable response, and prompting a number of mesothelioma centers to open trials testing similar agents.
Dr. Alley will discuss trial details in an interview with Mary Hesdorffer, Meso Foundation’s executive director and expert mesothelioma nurse practitioner. The interview can be listened to “live” by calling into a conference-call number. All listeners must RSVP ahead of time by visiting: www.curemeso.org/experts.
Dr. Alley is part of the Penn Mesothelioma and Pleural Program team and the interim chief of the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center.
