[en] Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is a cancer of the pleura caused mainly by the
inhalation of asbestos fibers. The impact of chemotherapy on the outcome of patients with
MM is still unclear. We hypothesized that unresponsiveness to chemotherapy is due to
inadequate gene expression in tumor cells. We have previously shown that inhibitors of
histones deacetylases (such as valproate, VPA) significantly increases the efficacy of
compounds used in chemotherapy (Vandermeers et al, 2010, Clinical Cancer Research 15:
2818). A recent clinical trial on relapsing MM patients has shown that VPA in combination
with doxorubicin improves response rates and quality of life (Scherpereel et al, 2011,
European Respiratory Journal 37:129).
