Mesothelioma Treatment Timeline

Mesothelioma Timeline at a Glance
250+ Years of Scientific Progress
First Cases	1767
Disease Named	1909
Asbestos Link	1960
OSHA Created	1970
First Chemo	2004
Immunotherapy	2020
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Executive Summary

The history of mesothelioma treatment spans more than 250 years, from the first documented cases in 1767 to the immunotherapy revolution of 2020 and the emerging therapies of today. This timeline traces the key milestones that transformed mesothelioma from an unknown pathological curiosity into a treatable—though still challenging—disease. Major breakthroughs include J. Christopher Wagner's 1960 proof that asbestos causes mesothelioma, the 2004 FDA approval of pemetrexed chemotherapy, and Dr. Paul Baas's CheckMate 743 trial that established immunotherapy as the new standard of care in 2020. Understanding this history helps patients and families appreciate both how far treatment has come and the ongoing research that promises even better outcomes in the future.

Key Facts

Key Facts: Mesothelioma Treatment Milestones

First Documented Cases: 1767 by Joseph Lieutaud (France) Disease Named "Mesothelioma": 1909 by J.G. Adami (UK) Asbestos-Mesothelioma Link Proven: 1960 by J. Christopher Wagner (South Africa) U.S. Evidence Established: 1964 by Dr. Irving Selikoff (Mount Sinai) OSHA Established: 1970 (influenced by Selikoff's research) First Staging System: 1976 by Dr. Eric Butchart International Mesothelioma Program Founded: 2002 by Dr. David Sugarbaker First FDA-Approved Chemotherapy: February 4, 2004 (pemetrexed + cisplatin) Tumor Treating Fields Approved: May 2019 (Optune Lua) Immunotherapy Approved: October 2, 2020 (nivolumab + ipilimumab) Survival Progress: From ~9 months untreated to 18+ months with modern therapy

Era 1: Discovery and Early Recognition (1767-1959)

The earliest chapter of mesothelioma history predates understanding of the disease or its connection to asbestos.

Year	Milestone	Significance
1767	Joseph Lieutaud documents pleural tumors during autopsies	First suspected mesothelioma cases
1843	Karl von Rokitansky identifies peritoneal tumors	Early peritoneal mesothelioma recognition
1870	E. Wagner describes pleural tumors ("endothelioma")	Detailed pathological description
1890	First documented U.S. mesothelioma case	Disease recognized in America
1909	J.G. Adami coins term "mesothelioma"	Disease receives formal name
1931	Klemperer and Rabin publish seminal paper	Distinguished from other pleural tumors
1947	First case formally recognized as mesothelioma	Medical acceptance of diagnosis

ℹ️ The Missing Link: Despite widespread industrial asbestos use during this period, the connection between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma remained unknown. Millions of workers were exposed without any understanding of the deadly consequences.

Era 2: Establishing Causation (1960-1979)

This era saw definitive proof that asbestos causes mesothelioma, leading to the first regulatory protections.

Year	Milestone	Significance
1960	J. Christopher Wagner proves asbestos-mesothelioma link	Landmark discovery in South Africa
1964	Dr. Irving Selikoff publishes U.S. study	6.8x higher mortality in asbestos workers
1965	Selikoff testifies before Congress	Influences federal policy
1970	OSHA established	Federal workplace safety agency created
1972	First OSHA asbestos standard	Initial exposure limits set
1976	Dr. Eric Butchart develops first staging system	Standardized disease classification

"The 1960s represented a turning point in mesothelioma history. Wagner and Selikoff's research proved what asbestos companies had hidden for decades: their products were killing workers. That evidence forms the foundation for the legal cases we pursue today."

— Paul Danziger, Founding Partner, Danziger & De Llano

Era 3: Surgical Development (1980-2003)

Surgeons developed and refined aggressive surgical approaches, establishing multimodal therapy.

Year	Milestone	Significance
1986	EPA proposes asbestos ban	Federal action against asbestos
1989	Asbestos Ban and Phase-Out Rule	Partial ban implemented
1992	Dr. Sugarbaker publishes EPP refinements	Improved surgical technique
1995	IMIG TNM staging system developed	International staging standard
Late 1990s	Dr. Paul H. Sugarbaker develops HIPEC	Peritoneal mesothelioma treatment
2002	International Mesothelioma Program founded	World's largest mesothelioma center

Era 4: The Chemotherapy Era (2004-2019)

FDA approval of pemetrexed established chemotherapy as standard treatment, though progress remained limited.

Year	Milestone	Significance
Feb 4, 2004	FDA approves pemetrexed + cisplatin	First approved mesothelioma drug
2011	MARS trial published	EPP shows no survival benefit
2012	Moffitt establishes mesothelioma center	Major center formalizes program
2018	Dr. David Sugarbaker passes; Dr. Bueno leads IMP	Leadership transition
2019	INITIATE trial proves dual immunotherapy concept	Sets stage for CheckMate 743
May 2019	FDA approves Tumor Treating Fields (Optune Lua)	Novel treatment modality

⚠️ 16 Years Without Progress: From 2004 to 2020, no new systemic therapy was approved for mesothelioma. Patients had essentially one first-line option. This long gap underscores why the 2020 immunotherapy approval was so significant.

Era 5: The Immunotherapy Revolution (2020-Present)

The approval of dual immunotherapy marked the most significant advance in mesothelioma treatment since 2004.

Year	Milestone	Significance
Oct 2, 2020	FDA approves nivolumab + ipilimumab (CheckMate 743)	First immunotherapy for mesothelioma
Jan 2021	CheckMate 743 results published in The Lancet	Full trial data available
2021	European approval of immunotherapy	Global standard of care
2023	Dr. Baas receives Heine H. Hansen Lifetime Award	CheckMate 743 leader honored
2023	SynKIR-110 CAR-T receives FDA Fast Track	Emerging cell therapy
2025	Johns Hopkins perioperative immunotherapy trial	28.6 months survival reported
2025	MSK launches CAR-T + anti-PD-1 phase I trial	Novel combination approach

✅ Survival Progress: The CheckMate 743 trial demonstrated 18.1 months median survival with immunotherapy—a 4-month improvement over chemotherapy. For non-epithelioid patients, survival more than doubled from 8.8 to 18.1 months.

"October 2, 2020 was a watershed moment for mesothelioma patients. For the first time in 16 years, we could tell newly diagnosed clients about a fundamentally new treatment option—one that offered real hope, especially for those with non-epithelioid disease who previously had so few options."

— Rod De Llano, Founding Partner, Danziger & De Llano

Current Research Frontiers (2024-2026)

Research continues on multiple fronts, with promising approaches in development.

Research Area	Status	Potential Impact
CAR-T Cell Therapy	Multiple trials ongoing	Targeted cell-based treatment
Gene Therapy	Inhalable formulations in development	Direct tumor targeting
TEAD Inhibitors	Preclinical/early clinical	Hippo pathway targeting
PARP Inhibitors	NERO trial ongoing	For BAP1-mutated tumors
Perioperative Immunotherapy	Promising early results	28.6 months survival achieved
Liquid Biopsy	ctDNA monitoring validated	Early detection, monitoring

== Survival Progress Over Time

Treatment advances have progressively improved survival for mesothelioma patients, as documented by national cancer statistics. ==

Treatment advances have progressively improved survival for mesothelioma patients.

Era	Treatment	Median Survival
Pre-2004	Supportive care only	~9 months
2004-2019	Pemetrexed + platinum	12-14 months
2020+	Nivolumab + ipilimumab	18.1 months
Selected patients	Trimodal therapy + HIPEC	35.6 months
2025 trial	Perioperative immunotherapy	28.6 months

"Looking at this timeline, the progress is remarkable. A diagnosis that once meant months to live can now mean years with modern treatment. And the pace of research is accelerating—the breakthroughs of the next decade will likely exceed everything that came before."

— David Foster, Client Advocate, Danziger & De Llano

Get Help Today

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, accessing the latest treatments—the result of more than 250 years of scientific progress—can significantly impact survival and quality of life. You may also be entitled to compensation from the companies responsible for your asbestos exposure.

The experienced mesothelioma attorneys at Danziger & De Llano have helped thousands of families navigate both the medical and legal challenges of this diagnosis.

📞 Call (866) 222-9990 or request a free case review online.

See Also

• History of Mesothelioma Research
• Dr. Paul Baas
• Dr. Irving Selikoff
• Dr. David Sugarbaker
• CheckMate 743 Trial
• Clinical Trials
• Treatment Options
• Mesothelioma Treatment Centers