Published May 22, 2020

Remembering Steve McQueen– “The King of Cool”– Who Died From Mesothelioma- Too Little Progress

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The SurvivorNet family has been looking back at some of the amazing people we’ve lost to cancer and wondering how much progress there’s been in the treatments for the specific diseases they had. "The King of Cool," Steve McQueen, an iconic actor, died of mesothelioma related complications in November of 1980. McQueen was known to be a bit of a rebel, coming from humble origins. McQueen was born on March 24th, 1930, in Beach Grove, Indiana. He was raised by his grandparents, his mother, and his great uncle. McQueen's mother remarried several times, as McQueen's birth father left his mother before McQueen was born. Because of this, McQueen had a rather tumultuous childhood, being raised by abusive step-fathers and consequently committing crimes, presumably as a way to retaliate.

McQueen enlisted in the Marines in 1947 and served until 1950. It is believed that during his service, McQueen was exposed to asbestos. He then found himself in New York, studying acting and executing different dialogues. McQueen began his acting career with small roles but, after moving to California at the age of 25, he eventually ended up playing his breakout role in Tales of Wells Fargo. In the 1960s and 1970s, McQueen starred in career-boosting movies like The Sand Pebbles, The Getaway, The Thomas Crown Affair, and many more.

Through his acting career, McQueen established a reputation for himself, that of the cool guy who pays no mind to the rules. McQueen's legacy of being "The King of Cool" undoubtedly lives on in the antihero persona he took on during his acting career, inevitably stemming from his childhood experiences. McQueen was beloved by many and it came as a shock when he was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in December of 1979. He may have been exposed to asbestos during his acting career as well, potentially enhancing his symptoms. He was told by his doctors that his cancer was inoperable so they began him on chemotherapy and radiation. McQueen did not want to accept this so he reached out to a friend, Dr. William Kelly, who had an alternative cancer treatment to the chemotherapy and radiation. Dr. Kelly was an orthodontist and many doctors did not agree with his cancer treatment, which was eventually cited as ineffective. The therapy was not approved by the FDA but McQueen, out of desperation, asked Dr. Kelly for help. Thereafter, even though warned against it by previous doctors, McQueen decided to consent to a procedure for removing some of his tumor. McQueen died the next day from cardiac arrest, on November 7th, 1980.

How Can Asbestos Cause Cancer?

Asbestos is a known carcinogen. It was widely used in commercial products in the U.S. until the 1970s, when reports linked it to cancers like mesothelioma. Dr. Joseph Friedberg, Head of the Division of Thoracic Surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, told SurvivorNet that mesothelioma's survival rate is generally no longer than one to two years, and it is one of the deadliest cancers.

Current Therapies for Mesothelioma

Prior to May 23rd, 2019, chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery were the three main treatment options provided for mesothelioma. Then, the FDA approved the NovoTTF-100L System, which was the first device that could be used alongside a standard two-drug chemotherapy to treat patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. NovoTTF-100L works by using electric fields tuned to specific frequencies that disrupt solid tumor cancer cell division. In a study testing the effectiveness of the new system, researchers found that median survival rate for people treated with the new system plus chemotherapy was 18.2 months. The clinical trial for the device included 80 participants and the data showed that for that patient population, the device had the potential to extend life expectancy for patients.

The NovoTTF-100L System provides hope for an alternative option to an infamously deadly disease with few treatment options. Mary Hesdorffer, executive director of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, said that only 10 to 20% of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma are eligible for surgery to remove a tumor so having this other option is a crucial development.

"Typically, mesothelioma patients who cannot have surgery receive palliative care to mitigate their symptoms. NovoTTF-100L provides unresectable (malignant pleural mesothelioma) patients with a treatment option that may improve survival. We are encouraged by the FDA approval and hope it is just the beginning of innovation in the treatment of this aggressive disease."

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