DeCure's autonomous Cancer AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for malignant pericardial mesothelioma — screening already-approved drugs against its 2-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleMalignant pericardial mesothelioma maps to a 2-gene Open Targets module — the target space DeCure's AI scientist screens approved drugs against.
DeCure.ai methodSignature reversal (LINCS) plus network proximity (STRING) rank already-approved drugs likely to perturb this module — the same engine that produces DeCure.ai's repurposing hypotheses.
Repurposing thesisScreening approved medicines against this disease module, then publishing the evidence for the strongest candidate. Known pharmacology and human exposure data make the first question sharper — they do not establish safety or efficacy in a new indication.
Research record
01
ResearchComing soon
Candidate research + dossier — target rationale, drug-repurposing thesis and evidence pack.proof: Published dossier + on-chain hash
02
ValidationComing soon
In-vitro biological validation at a contract research org (CRO).proof: CRO contract + in-vitro report
03
Peer review & paperComing soon
Peer-reviewed paper published open-access (preprint + journal).proof: DOI + open-access link + on-chain hash
Current lead
No approved-drug candidate for malignant pericardial mesothelioma is corroborated in the literature DeepSearch retrieved. Some conditions are managed with non-pharmacological care — a device, surgery or physical therapy — rather than a medicine; that may be the case here, or the literature we found may simply be too sparse yet to support a drug-repurposing angle.
Molecular view
catenin beta 1 (CTNNB1) — CTNNB1 is one of the genes genetically linked to this disease in Open Targets — shown as context, not as a drug target we're pursuing: no approved-drug candidate for this disease is yet corroborated in the literature we found.
Loading structure…
helix sheet prodrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 8Z10 · 2.35 Å · ligand PROLINE (PRO). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
Primary malignant pericardial mesothelioma is an exceedingly rare tumour arising from the mesothelial cells of the pericardium. Diagnosis is typically delayed because initial symptoms are non-specific; pericardial effusion is often the first sign, and pericardial fluid can initially test negative for malignancy. In one reported case, a 32-year-old woman was diagnosed four months after the onset of pericardial effusion. The disease is aggressive, and overall survival after symptom onset is generally reported as up to six months. A 56-year-old woman with recurrent pericardial effusion eventually died of refractory heart failure despite surgical procedures and cancer treatment.
One case report describes a patient who remained clinically stable at 15-month follow-up after surgical management, which the authors note significantly exceeds the typical survival duration reported in the literature. Another case report describes a giant primary pericardial mesothelioma and states, through a literature review, that there is currently no satisfactory treatment method and the average survival period remains low. A public education guide notes the disease is primarily linked to asbestos exposure and presents significant challenges in diagnosis and treatment due to its rarity and non-specific symptoms.
All available evidence comes from single case reports or literature reviews. No controlled trials, no prospective studies, and no systematic comparisons of different treatment regimens exist for this disease. What is still missing is any funded clinical trial, any reliable patient stratification by histology or molecular markers, and any standardised treatment protocol that has been tested in more than a handful of patients.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Pan African Medical Journal · 2020 · 5 citations · open access
Primary malignant pericardial mesothelioma: a case report
AbstractMetastases to the heart and pericardium are much more common than primary malignant neoplasms. Primary malignant pericardial mesothelioma is a rare tumor that arises from the mesothelial cells of the pericardium. It is usually characterized by a delayed diagnosis, a low response to treatment, and a poor prognosis with an overall survival up to six months after the onset of symptoms. We report a rare case of a 32-year-old woman with primary pericardial malignant mesothelioma that was diagnosed 4 months after the onset of pericardial effusion as the first clinical manifestation.
Symptomatic malignant pericardial effusion due to advanced pericardial malignancies: a palliative approach.
AbstractWe read with great pleasure the manuscript by Gong et al. published in a recent issue of the Journal of Thoracic Disease . Authors describe a rare pericardial neoplasm—primary malignant pericardial mesothelioma (PMPM)—complicated by superior vena cava compression and pericardial constriction (1). They did a commendable job in describing the diagnostic and treatment challenges related to their case. We would however like to highlight the palliative therapeutic approach which remains an extremely important treatment aspect in such cases.
Primary Pericardial Mesothelioma: Surgical Management and Clinical Outcomes - A Case Report
AbstractPrimary pericardial mesothelioma is an exceedingly rare malignancy with poor progno-sis. The nonspecific symptomatology frequently impedes early diagnosis, leading to therapeutic challenges. We present a case of primary pericardial mesothelioma success-fully managed through surgical intervention, with the patient demonstrating clinical sta-bility at 15-month follow-up, significantly exceeding the typical survival duration report-ed in the literature.
Research Square · 2023 · 0 citations · open access
Aggressive Primary Pericardial Mesothelioma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
AbstractAbstract Pericardial mesothelioma is a rare malignant tumor with atypical and nonspecific clinical manifestations. Therefore, the diagnosis of pericardial tumors is usually made in advanced stages, and there is currently no satisfactory treatment method, resulting in a low average survival period. In this case analysis, we report a case of a giant primary pericardial mesothelioma, describe its diagnosis and treatment, and discuss treatment methods for pericardial mesothelioma through a literature review.
Journal of Cardiology & Current Research · 2016 · 0 citations
Malignant Mesothelioma Pericardium
AbstractMalignant mesothelioma is the most common primary tumor of the pericardium the clinical presentation is varied and aggressive, with high mortality even with cancer treatment. We report the case of a woman of 56 with recurrent pericardial and requirement of surgical procedures for resolution, which initially presented pericardial liquid negative for malignancy and subsequent decision malignant mesothelioma was diagnosed spill. He joined our institution for therapeutic assessment and finally died of refractory heart failure.
AbstractPericardial mesothelioma is an extremely rare form of cancer that develops in the lining of the heart, known as the pericardium. This aggressive disease is primarily linked to asbestos exposure and presents significant challenges in diagnosis and treatment due to its rarity and nonspecific symptoms. This guide aims to provide a thorough understanding of pericardial mesothelioma, offering clear and practical information for patients, caregivers, and the general public. Topics include its causes, symptoms, treatment options, and strategies for improving quality of life while coping with this condition.
Disease module: DeepOracle (Open Targets). Structures: RDKit from PubChem SMILES. Literature: retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works (targeted per-candidate search), resolved on OpenAlex.
DeCure is a research and publication project, not medical advice and not a treatment. "DeCure for X" describes a research goal, not a claim that a cure exists. Backing a cure is a contribution to fund the research — it is not an investment, and confers no yield, royalty, equity or IP ownership. Papers are published open-access by the DeCure.ai DAO.
