New study advances personalised medicine for rare Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Brussels, Belgium, 15 July 2026. A recent study published in Translational Oncology has revealed significant progress in the treatment of peritoneal mesothelioma (PM), a rare and aggressive cancer that accounts for approximately 10–15% of all mesothelioma cases.

Conducted through the EURACAN network and the EORTC SPECTA Arcagen study, the research provides a real-world comparison of genomic profiling strategies designed to bring personalised medicine to patients with limited therapeutic options.

The study evaluated two primary genomic initiatives: the European-wide Arcagen study, which used panel-based profiling, and the French AURAGEN platform, which utilised whole-genome sequencing (WGS). While the WGS approach identified a higher total number of gene alterations (100 compared to 25 for Arcagen), both platforms were equally successful at identifying actionable therapeutic targets. Of the 56 patients analysed, 44 were found to have targetable alterations suitable for clinical trials, off-label therapies, or approved treatments.

A critical differentiator between the two methods was the turnaround time (TAT) for delivering molecular reports. The Arcagen platform demonstrated a significantly faster median TAT of 12 days, compared to 50 days for the AURAGEN platform. This speed is considered vital for patients who require rapid treatment adjustments after standard care has failed.

The clinical impact of this profiling was highlighted by a success story involving a patient with an ALK:STRN fusion identified via Arcagen. This discovery allowed the patient to switch to a targeted therapy, Alectinib, and they remained on the treatment 15 months later. Researchers noted a high prevalence of other mutations such as BAP1, NF2, and CDKN2A/B across the cohort.

The study concludes that these two genomic approaches are complementary in clinical practice. While whole-genome sequencing is ideal in early settings where surgical tissue is accessible, panel-based profiling offers a faster route for “in-time” treatment options using archival or biopsy material. Ultimately, the research underscores the high value of routine molecular profiling for PM patients, as clinically relevant alterations were found in most samples analysed.