Prof. Dr. med. Isabelle Schmitt-Opitz

Area of Research

Description of Research Interest

The research focus of the working group led by Prof. Dr. Isabelle Schmitt-Opitz is the improvement of malignant pleural mesothelioma treatment.
One main focus of experimental research is the investigation of new therapeutic approaches using cell culture and small animal models of malignant pleural mesothelioma. With the help of a preclinical animal model a new therapy strategy was found to reduce recurrence rates by adding intracavitary local cisplatin bound to fibrin after tumor resection. After promising results a clinical phase I study proofed, that intracavitary local use of cisplatin/fibrin in human can be used safely. In this INFLuenCe Meso phase I study, 12 patients were successfully treated without limiting side effects. A clinical phase II study (INFLuenCe Meso II), was started to obtain first results about the efficacy of the treatment.
In further experimental studies, the possibility to use intracavitary chemotherapy to sensitize patients for a subsequent radiotherapy is examined. This would allow the use of a lower radiation dose and thus this therapy would be available to a larger amount of patients. In a second project, new medication for the treatment of mesothelioma is searched for. For this purpose, cells isolated from the tumour tissue are treated with various new active substances and the effect on cell growth is examined. Further focus is the identification of new molecular markers, which are traceable in the tumour tissue or blood of patients.

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