Using Blood Tests and Biomarkers In Mesothelioma Diagnosis
Clinicians have been experimenting with different mesothelioma blood tests for many years. There are a variety of goals with these tests. Here are several of them:
To have an easy and non-invasive method to test if a patient has mesothelioma.
To detect mesothelioma in the earliest stages possible.
To determine whether mesothelioma is spreading, growing, or decreasing.
To determine if treatments are working.
So far, there are have been many promising blood tests designed to do one or more of the above. Nonetheless, no mesothelioma blood test has yet been accepted as part of the standard of care.
Mesomark
Perhaps the best known mesothelioma blood test is called MESOMARK. MESOMARK is an assay that measures Soluble Mesothelin-Related Peptides (SMRP). SMRP is a biomarker that is released into the bloodstream by mesothelioma cells. According to the manufacturer of the test, “SMRP can be elevated years before an actual diagnosis of mesothelioma is made.”
Other Mesothelioma Blood Tests and Biomarkers
Other more experimental mesothelioma blood tests include:
FGF18, the novel mesothelioma biomarker that is a member of the fibroblast growth factor family.
A protein called fibulin-3.
Plasma osteopontin (pOPM) and vimentin.
Glycodelin, a major lipocalin protein.
Some clinicians are testing blood tests like these and others. If you are dealing with a mesothelioma diagnosis and want to know if there is an easy non-invasive way to monitor your mesothelioma, ask your doctor if he trusts any of currently available mesothelioma blood tests or biomarkers.
Revolutionizing Mesothelioma Diagnosis: Breakthrough Blood Test Method-A study conducted by researchers from China is the first to use a new method to analyze blood samples of people with mesothelioma. The method is called gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The researchers were hoping that this method would help them find mesothelioma biomarkers in blood samples. A Promising Step Forward Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops from the thin layer of tissue that covers many of the body’s internal organs. Pleural mesothelioma grows in the lungs. Peritoneal mesothelioma grows in the abdomen. This cancer is caused by exposure to a toxic material called asbestos. Mesothelioma is usually diagnosed after a person goes to a doctor because they are experiencing symptoms. These symptoms depend on the type of … Continue reading Revolutionizing Mesothelioma Diagnosis: Breakthrough Blood Test Method»
Identifying Mesothelioma: How Extracellular Vesicles Could Be the Key-Scientists believe that particles called extracellular vesicles could be used as biomarkers to identify malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive and deadly cancer that affects the lining of the lungs and chest cavity. It is caused by exposure to asbestos, usually at work. It has a low survival rate, so it is important to find ways to diagnose it early. It is also important for doctors to be able to predict how it will develop in patients. How Mesothelioma is Diagnosed Mesothelioma is usually diagnosed after a person goes to a doctor because they are experiencing symptoms. For MPM, a person might feel shortness of breath due to fluid around the lung, chest pain, cough, and … Continue reading Identifying Mesothelioma: How Extracellular Vesicles Could Be the Key»
New and More Objective Way to Diagnose Mesothelioma-A study published in Cancers looked at a new way to diagnose malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). The usual way to diagnose MPM is through a biopsy or looking at fluid in the chest, but these methods are not very accurate. The researchers in this study used mass spectrometry-based proteomics to look for biomarkers that can pinpoint MPM in the body. Identifying Cancer MPM is a serious cancer that is linked to exposure to asbestos and is usually found late, making it hard to treat. Pleural mesothelioma occurs in about 2,000 people in the United States every year. The prognosis is poor, with a median survival rate of 12 months. Conventional treatment may include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Improving the … Continue reading New and More Objective Way to Diagnose Mesothelioma»
New Antibody to Diagnose Mesothelioma-Scientists are trying to find ways to diagnose malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) more easily. An antibody called SKM9-2 could be the answer. A team of researchers from Japan are hoping to use SKM9-2 to develop new drugs to treat MPM. These new drugs might be able to target the cancer cells directly. Road to Definitive Diagnosis MPM is an aggressive cancer caused by asbestos that affects the area around the lungs. There are approximately 2,000 cases of mesothelioma diagnosed in the United States every year. The road to a definitive diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma can sometimes take weeks. In the early stages, people with pleural mesothelioma commonly experience shortness of breath, chest pain, persistent dry cough, and unexplained weight loss. … Continue reading New Antibody to Diagnose Mesothelioma»
Predicting Mesothelioma Treatment Response-Certain types of biomarkers can help doctors predict the best chemotherapy treatment for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Researchers from Cairo University in Egypt looked at 91 mesothelioma patients. They tested two different chemotherapy drug combinations: pemetrexed plus cisplatin and gemcitabine plus cisplatin. FDA Approved Treatment Options Mesothelioma is a rare cancer caused by asbestos and standard therapies are limited. Most mesothelioma patients have chemotherapy as their first-line treatment. If they are healthy enough, they may also have surgery or radiation therapy. Chemotherapy is a group of toxic drugs that kill cells by damaging their DNA. As of this writing, the only FDA approved chemotherapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma is a combination of pemetrexed and cisplatin. Gemcitabine is not an … Continue reading Predicting Mesothelioma Treatment Response»
New Biomarker for Early Mesothelioma Diagnosis-Early treatment for mesothelioma is critical for overall survival. Researchers from Italy may have found a biomarker that can identify malignant pleural mesothelioma up to five years before a clinical diagnosis. This is an important area of research for mesothelioma because it is hard for doctors to diagnose this disease until it has become too difficult to treat. The sooner that doctors can diagnose a patient with mesothelioma, the sooner they can begin life-saving treatment. In addition, the current diagnosis methods involve surgically removing cancerous tissue for testing. This type of procedure can be hard even for healthy patients. Because of this, patients who are already too sick from mesothelioma might not be able to get a proper diagnosis. MicroRNA … Continue reading New Biomarker for Early Mesothelioma Diagnosis»
New Set of Biomarkers for Mesothelioma-A new set of biomarkers to diagnose mesothelioma has been identified by researchers in Italy. Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. It takes decades for symptoms to appear after being around asbestos. It is also a deadly cancer with an average survival time of 13 months. Diagnosing mesothelioma as early as possible is critical to successful treatment. Doctors diagnose mesothelioma with a few different procedures. They might perform a scan on a patient first. This is usually an x-ray or a CT scan. Once they find a potential cancer site, the doctor needs to remove part of the tissue to take a closer look. The doctor will perform a biopsy to get … Continue reading New Set of Biomarkers for Mesothelioma»
KRAS Gene Shows Promise for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Treatments-A new KRAS gene pathway may contribute to future precision medicine treatment for mesothelioma. Malignant pleural mesothelioma is caused by asbestos inhalation. It is a rare, incurable cancer of the mesothelial cells lining the lungs and the chest wall. This form of mesothelioma occurs after asbestos exposure in people with a genetic mutation. The mutation is represented by patients with an inherited cancer syndrome. These patients typically have an even worse prognosis than other mesothelioma patients. A mutation of the KRAS gene may play a role in mesothelioma. A more complex genetic picture may also help explain why some asbestos-exposed workers get the disease and some do not. Discovery of a DNA Gene Mutation Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a rare … Continue reading KRAS Gene Shows Promise for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Treatments»
Mesothelioma and the Promising New Hippo Biomarker-A new review in Targeted Oncology looks at a promising new Hippo biomarker in malignant pleural mesothelioma. The new biomarker is rooted in the mesothelioma molecular pathway. A molecular pathway is how molecules work together inside your body. These pathways control cell function. And they are important in developing mesothelioma treatments. Think of molecular pathways as the airport tower controller. These pathways tell mesothelioma treatments where to go and what to do in the body. If doctors can understand how pathways work, they can develop better treatments. The goal is to develop more, and more effective, mesothelioma treatments. Promising Hippo Pathway in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma While several drugs have been approved for treating mesothelioma, there aren’t a lot. This is … Continue reading Mesothelioma and the Promising New Hippo Biomarker»
Serum IgG4: A New Biomarker for Mesothelioma Pleural Effusion-Egyptian scientists say a new biomarker is very good at identifying mesothelioma. Pleural effusions are pockets of excess fluid. They collect around the lungs of people with certain kinds of cancer and other conditions. Biomarkers in pleural effusions are proteins and other substances found in mesothelioma patients. The new study suggests that using this biomarker the right way can lead to more accurate diagnoses. The Importance of Biomarkers in Pleural Effusions Pleural mesothelioma is a rare cancer of the lung lining. It is a challenge to diagnose. The early symptoms can be as vague as cough and fatigue. But an accurate diagnosis is often the difference between life and death. As tumors grow, mesothelioma patients produce pleural effusions or ‘water … Continue reading Serum IgG4: A New Biomarker for Mesothelioma Pleural Effusion»
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