A new study published in Science reports that use of the drug Anakinra may be able to prevent the development of asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis. These researchers have concluded based on laboratory research that inhaled asbestos fibers cause chronic lung inflammation, linked to a particular complex of proteins, and that this inflammation causes cancer. The same protein complex is involved with other inflammatory diseases like gout, which has been successfully treated with Anakinra. This group of researchers believes that treating people exposed to asbestos with the drug Anakinra may prevent asbestos-related diseases from developing or could slow the progression of disease. The researchers are hopeful that Anakinra will be helpful as a preventative treatment, but it would not be a cure for asbestos-related diseases. This use of Anakinra has not been tested through clinical trials, but clinical trials are expected and are necessary to determine whether Anakinra will be safe and effective for this purpose.
For the full story, go to the U.K.’s Telegraph.
