We recently attended the 17th International Conference of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig), held in Philadelphia from October 26–29, 2025. This global event brought together leading clinicians, researchers, and advocates to share the latest advancements in mesothelioma care and research.
Why This Matters
The conference theme, “Fostering Global Collaboration,” reflects the growing emphasis on international partnerships to accelerate progress in treatment and prevention strategies. For our patients, this means access to cutting-edge knowledge and best practices that inform approaches to complex cases.
It was really encouraging to see so much representation from the UK, with fascinating presentations from Mesothelioma UK, the Mesothelioma UK Research Centre and the Peritoneal Malignancy Institute in Basingstoke to name just a few.
There were so many great talks, that it’s hard to highlight just a couple, but there was a very impressive presentation from Philadelphia local – Christina Bach, who’s a social worker at Penn Medicine – about trauma informed care. She explained that this is an organisational framework they have adopted at her hospital in Philadelphia which recognises the widespread impact of trauma and seeks to create care environments that prioritise safety, trust, choice, collaboration and empowerment. Mesothelioma care is complex, not just medically, but also emotionally, financially and psychologically.
Key Takeaways
- Emerging Treatments:
- Updates on novel immunotherapy combinations and targeted therapies showing promising results in clinical trials.
- Advances in biomarker-driven approaches for earlier diagnosis and personalized treatment plans.
- Global Research Collaboration:
- Structured networking sessions aimed at launching two major international projects—one translational research initiative and one clinical trial.
- Patient-Centered Care:
- Sessions focused on improving quality of life, including symptom management and psychosocial support strategies.
- Nurse-led workshops highlighted practical approaches for holistic care.1 2
- Legal & Policy Insights:
- Discussions on asbestos regulation trends and implications for litigation strategies worldwide.
- Updates on compensation frameworks and cross-border claims handling.3
Impact on Our Clients
These developments directly strengthen solicitors’ ability to:
- Advocate for timely and accurate diagnoses by leveraging new biomarker research and screening protocols.
- Shape litigation strategies informed by global regulatory trends and compensation frameworks, ensuring robust representation in complex jurisdictions.
- Support holistic client care by integrating best practices from nurse-led workshops and psychosocial support initiatives into our case management approach.
- Provide informed guidance on emerging treatments, helping patients understand potential options and their implications for prognosis and compensation claims.
IMIG 2025 was a mix of science and patient centred care, although there was no breaking news on treatments it was encouraging to see how Oncologists and Scientists are working together to deep dive into the biology of mesothelioma looking for molecular markers that may in the future have an impact on how we treat mesothelioma. This is a similar pathway to how many of the new innovative treatments for lung cancer were discovered which has changed the treatment landscape for lung cancer patients resulting in improved survival.
It was good from a nursing perspective to see patients and their families at the forefront of this conference. It is so important that we don’t just treat patients and not consider the devasting impact on their family, one speaker talked about the weight of caring.
There was also a strong focus on living well and managing symptoms such as weight loss and malnutrition.
My favourite quote from IMIG was from Lizz Clarke whose husband died from mesothelioma at the age of 42 years, she said
‘Hope is not the denial of darkness – it’s the quiet decision to keep turning on the light’
So many of our patients and their families do this every day, and it is a privilege to be a small part of assisting them to keep turning on the light.
written by Rachel Thomas – HASAG & Nicola Maier – Irwin Mitchell
