{"id":842,"date":"2020-04-17T13:29:33","date_gmt":"2020-04-17T17:29:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/?page_id=842"},"modified":"2025-11-19T16:37:54","modified_gmt":"2025-11-19T21:37:54","slug":"gene-therapy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/treatment\/gene-therapy\/","title":{"rendered":"Gene Therapy"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>What Is Gene Therapy?<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-21042\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/gene-therapy-e1672172425216-300x197.jpg\" alt=\"Research technician with multipipette in genetic laboratory\" width=\"300\" height=\"197\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/gene-therapy-e1672172425216-300x197.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/gene-therapy-e1672172425216.jpg 681w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Cancer appears in the body when a human carcinogen, such as asbestos, causes an otherwise healthy cell to divide and disperse abnormally. This abnormal multiplication of cells is a genetic mutation that scientists hope to resolve with the help of gene therapy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gene therapy replaces the cells with synthetic cells<\/strong> in the hope that they will provide the immune system with enough energy to do its job of defending the body against attack by cancer cells.<\/p>\n<p>Gene therapy is an experimental treatment that has been in its testing phase for several decades but has not yet been approved by the FDA for first- or second-tier treatment.<\/p>\n<p><strong> The preferred treatment options for mesothelioma include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"\/treatment\/chemotherapy\/\">Chemotherapy<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/treatment\/radiation\/\">Radiation<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/treatment\/surgery\/\">Surgery<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>However, <strong>gene therapy can be introduced as an additional, supporting treatment<\/strong> to counteract the defective genes in a cell. Gene therapy has so far proven to aid some patients fighting mesothelioma.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Learn how gene therapy and other treatments can help you in our <strong>Free Mesothelioma Guide<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div data-vqueid=\"1361\" class=\"widget widget_oscar-vque default image-right has-img\"><style type=\"text\/css\" data-style=\"default\">.widget_oscar-vque.default{margin:60px auto;max-width:315px}.widget_oscar-vque.default:first-child{margin-top:0}.widget_oscar-vque.default:last-child{margin-bottom:0}.widget_oscar-vque.default>a{background:#2F293D;display:block;padding:20px;border-radius:10px;color:#fff;text-decoration:none}.widget_oscar-vque.default img{margin:0 auto 20px;max-width:150px;width:100%}.widget_oscar-vque.default .vque-content{font-size:16px;text-align:center}.widget_oscar-vque.default strong.subheading{display:block;line-height:1;font-size:14px;margin-bottom:5px}.widget_oscar-vque.default strong.heading{font-size:20px;display:block;margin:0 0 25px}.widget_oscar-vque.default ul{font-size:16px;text-align:left;list-style:none;max-width:265px;line-height:1.4;margin:15px auto 25px}.widget_oscar-vque.default ul li{padding-left:28px;margin-bottom:10px}.widget_oscar-vque.default ul li:last-child{margin-bottom:0}.widget_oscar-vque.default ul li:before{font-family:\"mesohope\" !important;font-display:swap;speak:none;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-transform:none;line-height:1;-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased;-moz-osx-font-smoothing:grayscale;content:\"\\e904\";border:none;position:absolute;left:0;top:0;background:#0FAEBF;width:20px;height:20px;border-radius:20px;line-height:20px;text-align:center;font-size:12px}.widget_oscar-vque.default strong.button.arrow{width:100%}@media screen and (min-width: 768px){.widget_oscar-vque.default{max-width:620px}.widget_oscar-vque.default>a{padding:0}.widget_oscar-vque.default>a>div{display:block;display:flex;align-items:center;flex-wrap:wrap;flex-direction:row-reverse}.widget_oscar-vque.default>a>div>div{padding:0 25px 0 0;width:41%}.widget_oscar-vque.default>a .vque-content{width:59%;padding:30px;text-align:left}.widget_oscar-vque.default img{max-width:90%;margin-bottom:0}.widget_oscar-vque.default strong.subheading{font-size:16px}.widget_oscar-vque.default strong.heading{font-size:24px;margin:0 0 16px}.widget_oscar-vque.default ul{max-width:none}.widget_oscar-vque.default strong.button.arrow{width:auto}.widget_oscar-vque.default.image-left>a>div{display:block;position:relative;overflow:hidden}.widget_oscar-vque.default.image-left>a>div img{max-width:100%}.widget_oscar-vque.default.image-left>a>div>div{float:left}.widget_oscar-vque.default.image-left>a>div>div:first-child{width:27%;padding:30px}.widget_oscar-vque.default.image-left>a>div>div.vque-content{width:73%;padding-left:0}}<\/style><a href=\"\/mesothelioma-guide\/\" title=\"Get Your Free 2026 Mesothelioma Guide\" class=\"cte\" data-ce-category=\"In-Content Ads\" data-ce-label=\"Get Your Free 2026 Mesothelioma Guide Ad\" data-desktop-image=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/guide-image-vertical.png\"><div><div><div class=\"image-fade\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"296\" height=\"290\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/guide-image-vertical.png\" class=\"attachment-Medium size-Medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"Mesothelioma Guide Images\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/guide-image-vertical.png 296w, https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/guide-image-vertical-55x55.png 55w, https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/guide-image-vertical-102x100.png 102w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 296px) 100vw, 296px\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vque-content\"><strong class=\"heading\">Get Your Free 2026 Mesothelioma Guide<\/strong><ul>\n<li>Symptoms &amp; staging<\/li>\n<li>Average prognosis<\/li>\n<li>Life-extending treatments<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong class=\"button arrow\" title=\"Get Your Free Guide\">Get Your Free Guide<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div>\n<h2 id=\"works\">How Does Gene Therapy Work?<\/h2>\n<p>Gene therapy involves the replacement or addition of mutated genes into a cancerous cell.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Genes injected through gene therapy may affect cancerous cells in multiple ways, including:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Causing healthy cells to multiply<\/li>\n<li>Helping other genes that mend damaged genes or cells<\/li>\n<li>Suppressing cancerous cell advancement<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>One type of protein and tumor suppressor gene is <a href=\"\/mesothelioma\/diagnosis\/genetics\/bap1\/\">BAP1<\/a>, which acts as a moderator for environmental toxins like asbestos, which is the only known cause of mesothelioma.<\/p>\n<h3>BAP1 and Gene Therapy for Mesothelioma<\/h3>\n<p>Cells with lower levels of BAP1 appear to have a reduced ability for DNA repair once compromised by environmental carcinogens. Doctors feel this is a possible <a href=\"\/mesothelioma\/diagnosis\/genetics\/\">genetic reason<\/a> why healthy cells in mesothelioma patients become triggered by asbestos and turn into cancer.<\/p>\n<p>By targeting the BAP1 gene through gene therapy, doctors can help patients better defend against mesothelioma cell growth.<\/p>\n<p>While the process is difficult and still being studied, the best practice currently is to inject new genes into the cell using a vector (an organism that spreads infection). Viruses typically act as gene therapy vectors and can deliver genetic material and target cancer cells, leaving healthy cells intact so that they can do their job.<\/p>\n<h2>Types of Gene Therapy<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-21043\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/gene-therapy-scientist-e1672172507920-300x168.jpg\" alt=\"A scientist using a microscope to assist with her work on gene therapy\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/gene-therapy-scientist-e1672172507920-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/gene-therapy-scientist-e1672172507920-726x406.jpg 726w, https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/gene-therapy-scientist-e1672172507920.jpg 744w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Different types of gene therapy have been tested and used for patients with mesothelioma. These various trials target specific genes so that they can effectively attack cancerous cells.<\/p>\n<p>One common approach is the use of<strong> gene transfer<\/strong>, which works by injecting foreign substances to trigger effects.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/treatment\/targeted-therapies\/angiogenesis-inhibitors\/\">Angiogenesis inhibitors<\/a> are used to stop the growth of blood cells, which ultimately starves the tumor. Oncolytic viruses are the most common use of gene therapy. They\u2019re used to genetically alter viruses to attack cancerous cells once injected.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Some further types of gene therapy and how they work include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"special diamond\">\n<li><strong>Suicide Gene Therapy:<\/strong> This type of gene therapy is used as a gene transfer, which works to kill mesothelioma cells. This is done by modifying cells to produce enzymes, which triggers what is known as \u201csuicide cells\u201d, and causes the cell to die. One type of suicide gene therapy is called gene-directed enzyme-producing therapy or GDEPT.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Cytokine Gene Therapy:<\/strong> This type of gene therapy is signaled by cytokines, which act as molecules that signal communication from cell to cell within the immune system. This communication tells cells where to move to attack cancerous areas. Cytokine for gene therapy speeds up this communication to rush those cells to attack the cancer.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Tumor-Based p53 Gene Therapy:<\/strong> p53 is a tumor-suppressor gene that is one of the genes mutated when cancer is present. Experts believe that targeting this gene specifically to repair it will be a step forward in finding a longer-lasting <a href=\"\/treatment\/\">treatment for mesothelioma<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Doctors hope that gene therapies like these could help mesothelioma patients potentially live longer.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"benefits\">Benefits of Gene Therapy for Mesothelioma<\/h2>\n<p>The benefits for mesothelioma using gene therapy reflect those of other similar treatments such as <a href=\"\/treatment\/virotherapy\/\">virotherapy<\/a>. Gene therapy is limited in its ability to treat mesothelioma fully without the help of other treatments.<\/p>\n<div class=\"did-you-know icon-bell\"><style type=\"text\/css\">.did-you-know{background:#F3F2F0;border-radius:10px;margin:40px 0;padding:20px 20px 20px 80px;position:relative}.did-you-know:before{position:absolute;left:20px;top:20px;width:45px;height:45px;background:#0FAEBF;border-radius:50px;color:#fff;text-align:center;line-height:45px;font-size:27px}.did-you-know .heading{font-size:24px;color:#100134;padding:10px 0;display:block;margin:0 0 5px}.did-you-know h2,.did-you-know .h2,.did-you-know h3,.did-you-know .h3{font-size:24px;line-height:1.14}@media screen and (min-width: 1024px){.did-you-know{padding:25px 25px 25px 90px}.did-you-know:before{left:25px;top:25px}.did-you-know .heading{padding:8px 0}.did-you-know h2,.did-you-know .h2,.did-you-know h3,.did-you-know .h3{font-size:24px;line-height:1.14}}<\/style><strong class=\"heading\">Did You Know?<\/strong><p>However, <strong>one of the benefits of gene therapy is its ability to target cancerous cells specifically, <\/strong>leaving the patient room to fight off the disease using the remaining healthy cells.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Various clinical trials have indicated that the use of gene therapy has shown impressive results. In one trial, 12 patients tolerated the treatment well, experiencing a stable response after just one month of treatment.<\/p>\n<p>The <strong>median survival rate for patients in the trial was 449 days, or 15 months, with the assistance of gene therapy<\/strong>. It was observed that this treatment boosted pre-existing anti-tumor antibody responses and transitory inflammatory responses.<\/p>\n<p>The best way to determine whether you&#8217;re a good candidate for gene therapy is to speak with a mesothelioma doctor. Use our <strong>Free Doctor Match<\/strong> to find top specialists in your area.<\/p>\n<div id=\"25223\" class=\"one-off-25223 widget widget_oscar-vque one-off\" data-vqueid=\"25223\"><style type=\"text\/css\" data-style=\"one-off\">.one-off-25223{margin:60px auto}.one-off-25223 a{box-shadow:0 4px 4px 0 rgba(0,0,0,.25);display:block;background:#e4f4f6;padding:20px 25px 200px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;position:relative;overflow:hidden;max-width:360px;margin:0 auto}.one-off-25223 a::before{background:#0FAEBF;border-radius:50% 50% 0 0;content:'';position:absolute;bottom:0;height:19%;width:135%;left:-60px;z-index:0}.one-off-25223 .vque-content,.one-off-25223 .image-wrap{z-index:1;position:relative}.one-off-25223 .image-wrap{width:100%;position:absolute;left:-10px;bottom:-15px}.one-off-25223 .image-wrap img{position:absolute;bottom:0;width:100%;max-width:unset;left:0}.one-off-25223 .heading{font-size:27px;line-height:33px;text-align:center;display:block;max-width:340px;margin:5px auto 25px}.one-off-25223 ul{list-style:none;margin:-10px auto 22px;text-align:left;font-size:16px;line-height:26px}.one-off-25223 ul li{margin:0 0 15px;position:relative;padding-left:35px}.one-off-25223 ul li::before{font-family:\"mesohope\"!important;speak:none;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-transform:none;line-height:1;content:\"\\e904\";background:#0FAEBF;width:21px;height:21px;display:block;position:absolute;left:0;top:4px;border-radius:50%;color:#fff;font-size:11px;text-align:center;line-height:21px}.one-off-25223 p{text-align:center}.one-off-25223 .button{padding:12px 16px;display:block}@media screen and (min-width:768px){.one-off-25223 a{max-width:620px;padding:30px 30px 35px;border-radius:0 0 4px 4px}.one-off-25223 a::before{border-radius:50%;height:155%;width:150%;right:-550px;left:unset;bottom:-295px}.one-off-25223 .heading{text-align:left;margin:2px 0 25px;max-width:unset;font-size:24px}.one-off-25223 ul{margin:-7px 0 30px;max-width:365px;line-height:23px}.one-off-25223 ul li::before{top:1px}.one-off-25223 .image-wrap{max-width:unset;position:absolute;right:-25px;bottom:-35px;margin:0 0 -2px;left:unset;width:380px}.one-off-25223 .image-wrap img{position:relative;bottom:0;left:0;width:380px}.one-off-25223 .button{display:inline-block;padding:14px 25px}.one-off-25223 p{text-align:left}}@media screen and (min-width:1150px){.one-off-25223 a{padding:30px}}<\/style><a href=\"\/get-matched\/\" title=\"Get Matched With a Mesothelioma Doctor\" class=\"cte\" data-ce-category=\"In-Content Ads\" data-ce-label=\"Get Matched With a Mesothelioma Doctor Ad\"><div>\r\n    <div class=\"vque-content\">\r\n        <strong class=\"heading\">Get Matched With a Mesothelioma Doctor<\/strong>\r\n        <ul>\r\n            <li>Find top specialists near you<\/li>\r\n            <li>Seek compensation for travel & care<\/li>\r\n            <li>Get medical guidance<\/li>\r\n        <\/ul>\r\n        <p><strong class=\"button arrow\" title=\"Get Matched Now\">Get Matched Now<\/strong><\/p>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"image-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\"  src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Doctors-ad.png\" alt=\"Get Matched With a Mesothelioma Doctor\" class=\"lazyload\" ><\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/a><\/div>\n<h2>Current and Ongoing Research into Gene Therapy<\/h2>\n<p>The FDA has not yet approved the mainstream use of gene therapy for patients with mesothelioma. However, in August 2017, the FDA approved it as a treatment for certain types of cancer.<\/p>\n<p>Specifically, the use of Kymriah gene therapy was approved for pediatric and young adult patients who have been diagnosed with a form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cNew technologies such as gene and cell therapies hold out the potential to transform medicine and create an inflection point in our ability to treat and even cure many intractable illnesses.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2014 Dr. Scott Gottlieb, FDA Commissioner<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Doctors continue to study gene therapy and specific genes that can play a positive or negative role in a patient&#8217;s <a href=\"\/mesothelioma\/prognosis\/\">prognosis<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For example, researchers recently found that patients with the gene CHST4 had better health outcomes than those who didn&#8217;t, according to a 2024 study published in <em>MDPI<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>The company Genprex also announced encouraging results from a preclinical data set about Reqorsa\u00ae, a new gene therapy that could help mesothelioma and lung cancer patients, in late 2024.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"effects\">Gene Therapy Side Effects<\/h2>\n<p>Gene therapy has been known to cause varying levels of side effects. Typically, these side effects are slight and disappear within 24 to 48 hours.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The most common side effects include flu-like symptoms such as:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<ul class=\"special diamond\">\n<li>Fever<\/li>\n<li>Severe chills (or rigor)<\/li>\n<li>Changes in blood pressure<\/li>\n<li>Nausea<\/li>\n<li>Vomiting<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\n<p>Experts have been concerned about the potential side effects of injecting genetic mutations within the body, such as exposing healthy cells to harmful viruses.<\/p>\n<p>However, patients have not exhibited these symptoms in clinical trials, and gene therapy remains an asset in treating patients with mesothelioma.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"treatments\">Undergoing Gene Therapy and Other Mesothelioma Treatments<\/h2>\n<p>Gene therapy is a promising treatment with the potential to restore hope to patients living with mesothelioma. With its varying abilities and methods of targeting and destroying cancerous cells, it is one of the most promising treatments in expanding research for mesothelioma.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/treatment\/clinical-trials\/\">Clinical trials<\/a> are currently accepting patients diagnosed with mesothelioma to test out gene therapy treatments.<\/p>\n<p>Contact our Patient Advocates today at <a href=\"tel:+18666088933\" title=\"Click to call (866) 608-8933\" class=\"in-content-tel-link\" data-ce-category=\"Click to Call\" data-ce-label=\"(866) 608-8933\">(866) 608-8933<\/a> to learn more about this emerging mesothelioma treatment.<\/p>\n<div class=\"faq-wrap\"><h2 class=\"faq-wrap-heading\">Mesothelioma Gene Therapy FAQs<\/h2><div class=\"faq\" data-faq=\"1\"><h3 class=\"faq-heading\">Is there a gene therapy for mesothelioma?<\/h3><div><p><strong>Yes<\/strong>, there is a gene therapy for asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma. It works by replacing normal cells with synthetic ones to better target and destroy cancer cells.<\/p>\n<p>Mesothelioma gene therapy is currently available through clinical trials.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"faq\" data-faq=\"2\"><h3 class=\"faq-heading\">Does mesothelioma have a genetic basis?<\/h3><div><p>The <strong>only known cause of mesothelioma is asbestos exposure. <\/strong>You&#8217;re\u00a0highly unlikely to develop this cancer if you haven&#8217;t been exposed.<\/p>\n<p>That said, hereditary gene mutations may make it more likely for you to develop mesothelioma after asbestos exposure. For example, those with changes in the BAP1 gene are at a higher risk.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"faq\" data-faq=\"3\"><h3 class=\"faq-heading\">What is the newest treatment for mesothelioma?<\/h3><div><p>Gene therapy is one of the newest treatments for mesothelioma.<\/p>\n<p>In clinical trials, mesothelioma specialists are using gene therapy along with surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation, to help halt the spread and growth of mesothelioma tumors.<\/p>\n<p>To learn more about gene therapy or find a clinical trial near you, <strong>contact our Patient Advocates at <a href=\"tel:+18666088933\" title=\"Click to call (866) 608-8933\" class=\"in-content-tel-link\" data-ce-category=\"Click to Call\" data-ce-label=\"(866) 608-8933\">(866) 608-8933<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"faq\" data-faq=\"4\"><h3 class=\"faq-heading\">Are we closer to a cure for mesothelioma?<\/h3><div><p>There is currently no cure for mesothelioma, but some patients have been able to live for 15 years or more with the right treatments.<\/p>\n<p>By studying gene therapy and other emerging cancer treatments, doctors hope to find new ways of helping patients live longer and ultimately a cure.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"faq\" data-faq=\"5\"><h3 class=\"faq-heading\">Are there side effects of gene therapy? <\/h3><div><p>Unfortunately, yes. Like most other mesothelioma treatment options, there are side effects of gene therapy.<\/p>\n<p>Common side effects resemble cold or flu symptoms, and typically ease after 24-48 hours after treatment.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\": [{\"@type\": \"Question\",\"name\": \"Is there a gene therapy for mesothelioma?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\": \"Answer\",\"text\": \"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Yes&lt;\/strong&gt;, there is a gene therapy for asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma. It works by replacing normal cells with synthetic ones to better target and destroy cancer cells.&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;Mesothelioma gene therapy is currently available through clinical trials.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\"}},{\"@type\": \"Question\",\"name\": \"Does mesothelioma have a genetic basis?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\": \"Answer\",\"text\": \"&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;only known cause of mesothelioma is asbestos exposure. &lt;\/strong&gt;You&amp;#8217;re\u00a0highly unlikely to develop this cancer if you haven&amp;#8217;t been exposed.&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;That said, hereditary gene mutations may make it more likely for you to develop mesothelioma after asbestos exposure. For example, those with changes in the BAP1 gene are at a higher risk.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\"}},{\"@type\": \"Question\",\"name\": \"What is the newest treatment for mesothelioma?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\": \"Answer\",\"text\": \"&lt;p&gt;Gene therapy is one of the newest treatments for mesothelioma.&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;In clinical trials, mesothelioma specialists are using gene therapy along with surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation, to help halt the spread and growth of mesothelioma tumors.&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;To learn more about gene therapy or find a clinical trial near you, &lt;strong&gt;contact our Patient Advocates at (866) 608-8933.&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\"}},{\"@type\": \"Question\",\"name\": \"Are we closer to a cure for mesothelioma?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\": \"Answer\",\"text\": \"&lt;p&gt;There is currently no cure for mesothelioma, but some patients have been able to live for 15 years or more with the right treatments.&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;By studying gene therapy and other emerging cancer treatments, doctors hope to find new ways of helping patients live longer and ultimately a cure.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\"}},{\"@type\": \"Question\",\"name\": \"Are there side effects of gene therapy? \",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\": \"Answer\",\"text\": \"&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately, yes. Like most other mesothelioma treatment options, there are side effects of gene therapy.&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;Common side effects resemble cold or flu symptoms, and typically ease after 24-48 hours after treatment.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\"}}]}<\/script><style type=\"text\/css\">.faq-wrap{background:#E4F4F6;padding:20px 15px;margin:40px -15px}.faq-wrap:first-child{margin-top:0}.faq-wrap:last-child{margin-bottom:0}.faq-wrap .faq{background:#fff;padding:15px;border-radius:10px;box-shadow:0px 20px 20px rgba(0,0,0,0.03);margin:15px 0 0 0}.faq-wrap .faq:first-child{margin-top:0}.faq-wrap .faq .faq-heading{color:#100134;font-size:21px;margin-bottom:15px}.faq-wrap .faq p{margin-bottom:20px;line-height:1.5}.faq-wrap .faq p:last-child{margin-bottom:0}.faq-wrap .faq .learn-more{color:#248AFF;display:block;padding-right:17px;text-align:right;position:relative;line-height:1}.faq-wrap .faq .learn-more:visited{color:#248AFF}.faq-wrap .faq .learn-more:visited:hover,.faq-wrap .faq .learn-more:hover{color:#34d}.faq-wrap .faq .learn-more:after{font-family:\"mesohope\" !important;speak:none;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-transform:none;line-height:1;-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased;-moz-osx-font-smoothing:grayscale;content:\"\\e905\";position:absolute;right:0;top:3px}h2.faq-wrap-heading{margin-bottom:25px}@media screen and (min-width: 768px){.faq-wrap{padding:25px 15px}}@media screen and (min-width: 1024px){.faq-wrap{border-radius:10px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;padding:25px}.faq-wrap .faq{padding:25px}.faq-heading{font-size:24px}}<\/style><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What Is Gene Therapy? Cancer appears in the body when a human carcinogen, such as asbestos, causes an otherwise healthy cell to divide and disperse abnormally. This abnormal multiplication of cells is a genetic mutation that scientists hope to resolve with the help of gene therapy. Gene therapy replaces the cells with synthetic cells in&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":0,"parent":39,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-842","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/842","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=842"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/842\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/39"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=842"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}