Webinar Recap: Mesothelioma Clinical Trials 101

Our recent webinar, Mesothelioma Clinical Trials 101, walked patients and families through the basics of clinical trials. Amy Edel, senior editor and content strategist for The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com, hosted the discussion. Dr. Catherine Perrault, medical officer at The Mesothelioma Center and board-certified family physician, shared her expertise as a former practicing clinician.

Dr. Perrault said every major advance in mesothelioma treatment started with a clinical trial. She said, “Clinical trials are at the heart of every new treatment advancement that has happened in mesothelioma.” 

Throughout the event, Dr. Perrault covered what trials involve, how they work and how patients can benefit. She also introduced a new tool on Asbestos.com that helps patients find mesothelioma clinical trials near them.

Types of Mesothelioma Clinical Trials

Dr. Perrault explained that there are different categories of mesothelioma clinical trials and she walked us through each. She said the goal for every trial is to improve patient outcomes and safety.

She noted more than 50 active clinical trials are currently accepting participants with mesothelioma. These trials include testing of diagnostics, new therapies, surgical approaches and quality-of-life research.

Types of Mesothelioma Trials

• Biomarker studies: Look at specific proteins or genes to track how a tumor behaves and match patients to targeted treatment
• Diagnostic trials: Test new or faster ways to identify mesothelioma
• New therapy trials: Study immunotherapy, targeted therapy or combination approaches such as pairing medication with surgery
• Observational or quality-of-life studies: Focus on comfort and daily living rather than tumor treatment, covering areas such as counseling and nutrition
• Surgical trials: Test the safety, risk and outcomes of surgical procedures, including newer approaches

Some trials combine more than one category, so a patient might qualify for both a new therapy study and a quality-of-life study simultaneously. Dr. Perrault said defining success looks different for each trial, since one might measure survival time while another tracks side effects or a wider range of eligible patients.

Mesothelioma affects fewer than 3,000 people in the U.S. each year so there may be limited mesothelioma-only trials, however, Dr. Perrault explained that a number of other cancer trials include mesothelioma patients in them. Some trials are also specifically designed for the types of mesothelioma patients have such as pleural or peritoneal types mesothelioma. Dr. Perrault said this makes trial participation especially valuable, since it helps match patients with the most effective treatment for their specific diagnosis.

Who Is Eligible for Mesothelioma Clinical Trials?

Every trial sets its own eligibility requirements and exclusion criteria and Dr. Perrault said the list “can be as long as a CVS receipt.” These requirements help researchers identify the patients who are the best fit for a particular study and protect participants’ safety.

Eligibility criteria explain who can join a trial. Exclusion criteria explain who isn’t a good fit for the trial. Dr. Perrault gave an example of a trial designed for pleural mesothelioma with the sarcomatoid cell type wouldn’t accept patients with peritoneal mesothelioma and the epithelioid cell type and vice versa. 

Dr. Perrault said these requirements can quickly narrow the pool of eligible patients, especially for studies focused on a specific mesothelioma subtype. Not qualifying for one trial doesn’t mean a patient won’t qualify for another, since dozens of studies have different requirements.

Questions to Ask Before Enrolling

Dr. Perrault shared a list of questions that patients should ask before enrolling in any trial. She said that asking these questions up front helps patients and their doctors make a fully informed choice.

Questions Before Enrolling

• Costs: Who covers the cost of the trial and any related testing?
• Phase: What phase is the trial in and how does it compare to the standard of care?
• Purpose: What is the trial trying to accomplish and does it treat mesothelioma specifically?
• Risks and side effects: What risks come with this treatment and what side effects should patients expect?
• Testing requirements: What tests, scans or visits does the trial require?
• What happens after: What support remains available once a patient leaves the trial or it ends?

Dr. Perrault recommended that patients write these questions down and bring them to both their care team and their trial team. That way, no one misses a detail and everyone can speak up if something feels wrong. She also shared details about how phases work within trials, the different experts who run trials and the process in detail during the webinar.

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The Importance of Informed Consent in Clinical Trial Participation

Before anyone joins a trial, the research team walks them through the informed consent process. Dr. Perrault stressed that participation is always voluntary and patients can leave a trial at any time.

“There is no penalty for withdrawing from a clinical trial,” she said. Leaving a trial won’t affect a patient’s ability to get other treatment later.

Dr. Perrault also encouraged patients to loop in their oncologist right away. She recommends patients share their informed consent packet with their doctor so both teams can watch for any interactions between trial treatments and other care.

Weighing the Pros and Cons

Mesothelioma clinical trials offer real benefits and Dr. Perrault said many patients feel hopeful about the access trials provide. Patients who join a trial can get early access to a promising treatment well before it becomes available to everyone else.

At the same time, trials come with tradeoffs. Dr. Perrault explained that a new treatment might not work better than the standard of care and patients still always receive at least that standard of care as a baseline during trials. She also noted trials can require more visits, more testing and closer coordination between a patient’s home team and the trial team, which can feel demanding for patients and their families.

Dr. Perrault said the right choice depends on each patient’s situation and goals. “You have to have the right information in front of you for you to make the right decision,” she said.

How Costs Are Covered

Cost ranks high on the list of patient concerns and Dr. Perrault explained that in most trials the sponsor covers costs directly related to the investigational treatment or testing. A patient’s regular insurance typically covers routine care costs. 

Travel can add unexpected costs for patients who live far from a trial site, including hotels, transportation and time away from work. Dr. Perrault said some trials offer grants to help offset these expenses.

Dr. Perrault explained that many trials set aside a specific financial portion for anything tied to the new therapy or its required testing, separate from a patient’s routine insurance coverage. This breakdown changes from trial to trial, so she encouraged patients to ask about it directly before they enroll. 

How Patient Advocates Can Help

Dr. Perrault said The Mesothelioma Center’s relationships with clinical trial investigators and treatment centers help Patient Advocates identify potential trial opportunities for eligible patients. Patient Advocates play a central role in helping patients find and learn more about clinical trials. 

Dr. Perrault said Patient Advocates can review your location and history to identify nearby trials and check for eligibility or exclusion criteria. She added that Patient Advocates help translate dense trial medical jargon into helpful information for patients. 

The Mesothelioma Center also launched a new Clinical Trial Search tool to make this process easier. Patients can enter a zip code, age range and mesothelioma type to generate a list of nearby trials within 50 to 300 miles and that list can go directly to an oncologist for further discussion.

Common Clinical Trial Myths

Dr. Perrault closed the discussion with a look at a few myths she often hears from patients. Her goal was to answer common questions and provide information patients can trust.

Debunking Common Trial Myths

• Myth: Joining a trial makes you a “guinea pig.” 
• Fact: Every trial participant receives at least the standard of care, and any new treatment has already shown promise in lab testing before reaching human trials.
• Myth: Once you join, you can’t leave. 
• Fact: Participation stays voluntary from start to finish and patients can leave a trial at any point without penalty.
• Myth: Patients might get a placebo instead of real treatment. 
• Fact: Every participant receives the standard of care as a baseline.
• Myth: Trials are a last resort. 
• Fact: Dr. Perrault said patients can consider trials from the moment of diagnosis, as options are available at every stage.

Clinical trials play an important role in testing new treatments and expanding options for people with mesothelioma. With more than 50 trials for mesothelioma patients currently enrolling participants, Dr. Perrault encouraged every patient to explore whether they qualify.

“This isn’t a last-ditch effort,” she said. “This could provide huge possibilities for treatment for you and for future patients.”