University of Chicago Medicine has opened a new clinical trial studying whether a limited form of mesothelioma surgery can help patients whose cancer was previously considered inoperable.
The pilot study is now recruiting and is testing a procedure called a partial pleurectomy and decortication (P/D) in people with unresectable pleural mesothelioma.
For many patients, hearing the word “unresectable” has historically meant that surgery is off the table. This trial aims to challenge that idea by looking at whether a less aggressive operation could ease symptoms, improve quality of life, and possibly help patients live longer.
The study is being led by Dr. Darren Bryan, a thoracic surgeon at The University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center. Researchers launched the trial after noticing that some patients still had less chest pain and shortness of breath after surgery, even when doctors couldn’t remove all of the cancer.
That observation raised the question of whether a smaller, intentional operation could help mesothelioma patients feel better, even when curing the cancer isn’t possible.
What Is a Partial Pleurectomy for Mesothelioma?
Pleurectomy and decortication (P/D) is a lung-sparing surgery for pleural mesothelioma. In a standard P/D procedure, surgeons remove the diseased lining around the lung, called the pleura, along with visible tumor tissue while leaving the lung in place.
This clinical trial is studying a more limited version of that surgery called a partial pleurectomy. Instead of trying to remove all visible cancer, surgeons remove only part of the tumor to help relieve symptoms caused by pressure inside the chest.
This approach is sometimes called a “debulking” surgery, because it reduces the amount of the cancer in the chest rather than eliminating it entirely. It’s considered a palliative procedure, meaning the goal is to ease symptoms and improve daily life rather than improve survival.
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Who Qualifies for the New Mesothelioma Surgical Trial?
The trial is enrolling people with epithelioid mesothelioma, which is the most common and typically most treatable cell type. Importantly, the cancer must be limited to one side of the chest.
Patients must fall into one of two categories:
- Unresectable mesothelioma, meaning imaging scans show the tumor has spread into areas surgeons can’t safely remove, such as the heart, major blood vessels, esophagus, or spine
- Borderline resectable mesothelioma, where the tumor is extensive but surgeons might still be able to operate on it using more complex procedures
To be eligible, patients also need to have already completed at least 6 weeks of systemic treatment — typically chemotherapy, sometimes paired with immunotherapy drugs. Their cancer cannot have worsened after those initial treatments.
There are also health and lab requirements, including good organ function, adequate lung capacity, and strong overall health to safely undergo surgery. Patients with biphasic or sarcomatoid mesothelioma, or cancer that has spread beyond the chest, aren’t eligible for the trial.
What the Mesothelioma Surgical Trial Is Measuring
The pilot study plans to enroll about 30 patients with pleural mesothelioma. Over the roughly 2 years of follow-up, the researchers want to understand what real benefits this surgery brings to patients with late-stage cancer.
The UChicago mesothelioma study will track:
- Overall survival, or how long patients live after the procedure
- Surgical complications, to understand how safe the procedure is in this group
- Symptoms and quality of life, measured through patient questionnaires at set points after surgery
- Time from surgery to starting other therapies, which can affect treatment options later
Most patients are expected to go home within 3 to 5 days of the operation. Researchers will then follow up with them to evaluate how they feel physically and how their treatment progresses afterward.
Our Patient Advocates can help identify mesothelioma clinical trials you may qualify for based on your diagnosis and treatment history. Use our Free Clinical Trial Match to get started.
Why Quality of Life Matters
Many mesothelioma symptoms are caused by the tumor pressing on the chest cavity. Even when surgery can’t cure the cancer, removing some of the disease may relieve those symptoms and help patients feel more like themselves again.
For families, this kind of research matters because it focuses on improving a patient’s day-to-day quality of life. Better breathing, less pain, and more time spent doing the things you love can be just as meaningful as numbers on a survival chart.
The trial is one of the few in the U.S. specifically designed to measure those quality-of-life outcomes after surgery in patients with advanced mesothelioma.
How This Trial Fits Into Mesothelioma Research
Surgery has long been one of the most debated topics in mesothelioma care. The UK-based MARS2 trial, for example, raised questions about whether more aggressive operations actually help patients live longer.
That study found that extended P/D procedures didn’t improve survival compared to chemotherapy alone and, in some cases, caused more harm. The UChicago study takes a different angle.
Researchers want to know whether a more limited procedure can help patients who were never considered surgical candidates in the first place. It’s a pilot study, meaning it’s smaller in scale and designed to gather early data that could support a larger trial down the road.
This kind of research is important because it may give patients more options. Rather than “surgery or no surgery,” it asks: What kind of surgery, for whom, and with what goal in mind?
Get Trustworthy Help for Mesothelioma
Learning that you have inoperable malignant mesothelioma can leave you with a lot of questions. While researchers continue studying newer approaches like immunotherapy, targeted drugs, and clinical trials, many patients and families still need help understanding what options may be available right now.
At Mesothelioma Hope, we work to guide patients through a diagnosis, giving them a clearer picture of their options and what to expect moving forward.
Our nurses and Patient Advocates are here to help you:
- Understand your diagnosis and possible treatments
- Find top mesothelioma specialists and cancer centers
- Search for clinical trials you may qualify for
- Manage symptoms and treatment side effects
You don’t have to face this alone. Contact Mesothelioma Hope now or call (866) 608-8933 to get personalized support on your cancer journey.
