MONTGOMERY, Ala. (PRWEB)
March 31, 2021

Central Alabama Radiation Oncology (CARO) is pleased to announce the availability of Optune Lua for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Experts at CARO are now certified to prescribe this wearable and portable medical device, the first FDA-approved mesothelioma treatment in more than 15 years.

Optune Lua is approved for the first-line treatment of adult patients with unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic, MPM to be used concurrently with pemetrexed and platinum-based chemotherapy. “Most people with MPM are not candidates for surgery, and approved, non-surgical treatments are very limited,” said Dr. Robert Franklin, M.D. “We are pleased that with Optune Lua, CARO can now offer the latest approved therapy as part of a combination treatment, giving another, much-needed option to patients and their families,” said Franklin.

Optune Lua is a wearable and portable device that can be started through a virtual interaction. Optune Lua delivers Tumor Treating Fields to the region of the tumor. Tumor Treating Fields therapy, which uses electric fields tuned to a specific frequency, is designed to specifically target and directly disrupt dividing mesothelioma cells, inhibiting tumor growth and possibly causing affected cancer cells to die while sparing normal, healthy cells.

Optune Lua for MPM is classified as a Humanitarian Use Device (HUD), approved under the Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE) which encourages companies to innovate in rare diseases with underserved patient populations. The FDA approved Optune®, another Tumor Treating Fields delivery system, under the Premarket Approval (PMA) pathway in 2011 for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma (GBM) and in 2015 for the treatment of newly diagnosed GBM in combination with temozolimide. Since 2011, more than 15,000 patients with GBM have been treated with Tumor Treating Fields.

About Central Alabama Radiation Oncology

You don’t have to travel out of state to receive the highest quality care and emerging treatments. CARO’s facilities house the most advanced technology of its kind in Alabama. CARO’s approach to treatment begins with a care plan that is custom tailored to the patient’s needs and diagnosis. Physicians, nurses, radiation therapists and administrative staff are all dedicated to working together to achieve the patient’s goals. CARO offers a welcoming environment where patients, family members, and friends can expect the staff to be sensitive, respectful and courteous always. To learn more, visit http://www.carollc.com.

About Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Malignant pleural mesothelioma, or MPM, is a rare cancer that has been strongly linked to asbestos exposure. Approximately 3,000 people are diagnosed with MPM in the United States annually. Prior to the FDA approval of Optune Lua, pemetrexed plus cisplatin was the only FDA-approved therapy for patients with MPM that could not be surgically removed.

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