Epithelioid Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer: Biomarker Shows Which is Which
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Epithelioid Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer: Biomarker Shows Which is Which

ByAlex Strauss

Researchers from Hiroshima University say they have found a nearly foolproof way to tell the difference between epithelioid mesothelioma and lung cancer.  This is critical because the prognosis can be very different between the two. They are also treated differently.  But epithelioid mesothelioma and lung cancer are similar in many ways. They cause many of the same symptoms. Even their cells look similar under the microscope. This can make it hard for doctors to deliver an accurate and timely diagnosis.  If the new findings are right, the biomarker identified by the Hiroshima researchers could be a diagnostic gamechanger.  Lung Adenocarcinoma or Pleural Mesothelioma? At first glance, epithelioid mesothelioma and lung cancer seem to be very different. Mesothelioma makes up about…

Genetics Affect Accuracy of SMRP Test for Mesothelioma
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Genetics Affect Accuracy of SMRP Test for Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

The SMRP test for mesothelioma is a tool doctors use to help diagnose asbestos cancer and plan treatment. But new research suggests that the test is not as useful as it could be due to genetic variability.  Slovenian doctors say a person’s genetics influence how much SMRP they produce.  Based on their research, they recommend combining the SMRP test for mesothelioma with genetic testing. Their findings suggest the combination method produces a more accurate and useful mesothelioma biomarker. What is the SMRP Test for Mesothelioma? SMRP stands for soluble mesothelin-related peptides. They are produced when proteins found in the mesothelial membranes start to break down. Malignant mesothelioma is one condition that can trigger this breakdown.  As a mesothelioma tumor grows…

Protein Biomarker for Mesothelioma Linked to Shorter Survival
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Protein Biomarker for Mesothelioma Linked to Shorter Survival

ByAlex Strauss

An international team of scientists has identified a protein biomarker for mesothelioma that appears to shorten survival. The biomarker is CD70. It belongs to the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family of proteins. New research suggests that patients who express more of this protein biomarker for mesothelioma have faster-growing tumors that are less likely to respond to treatment. High CD70 levels have been linked with tumor aggression in some other types of cancer. This is the first time they have been linked to malignant pleural mesothelioma survival.  CD70 and Mesothelioma Prognosis Pleural mesothelioma is a highly aggressive type of tumor. It grows on the membranes around internal organs. Mesothelioma rarely responds to standard cancer treatments. People diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma are…

Response to Chemotherapy in Mesothelioma Patients: Could This Protein Predict It?

Response to Chemotherapy in Mesothelioma Patients: Could This Protein Predict It?

ByAlex Strauss

There is new evidence that a protein called Activin A could help predict response to chemotherapy in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. It may also make it easier for doctors to distinguish mesothelioma from benign lung tumors. Activin A influences many cellular processes. Among other things, it plays a role in cell proliferation, immune response, metabolism, and natural cell death.  FInnish researchers say mesothelioma patients with higher levels of Activin A in their blood are more likely to suffer from cachexia. Cachexia is weakness and wasting of the body due to chronic illness. High expressors of Activin A are also less likely to have a good response to chemotherapy.  Activin A and Mesothelioma Activin A is a member of the…

MicroRNA Signature for Mesothelioma Could Lead to Earlier Diagnosis
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MicroRNA Signature for Mesothelioma Could Lead to Earlier Diagnosis

ByAlex Strauss

Australian researchers believe they have identified what amounts to a microRNA signature for mesothelioma in pleural effusion.  Pleural effusion is the name for excess lung fluid. Up to 90 percent of pleural mesothelioma patients develop a pleural effusion. Researchers at the University of Western Australia say this fluid contains a wealth of information that could improve mesothelioma diagnosis. They have recently identified a trio of RNA molecules in fluid samples that could serve as a microRNA signature for mesothelioma. This “signature” could help doctors distinguish mesothelioma from other types of cancer. The Challenge of Mesothelioma Diagnosis Pleural mesothelioma is notoriously hard to diagnose. The early symptoms of mesothelioma are similar to the symptoms of many other lung conditions. They are…

SMRP Still Among Best Diagnostic Biomarkers for Mesothelioma
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SMRP Still Among Best Diagnostic Biomarkers for Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

Chinese researchers say soluble mesothelin-related peptides (SMRP) in lung fluid is still one of the best biomarkers for mesothelioma, even if it sometimes produces false positives.. SMRP has been studied extensively as a way to help diagnose mesothelioma. The most popular test to check levels of SMRPs in the body is a blood test called MESOMARK. In recent years, other biomarkers for mesothelioma have also emerged. But SMRPs are not just in the blood. A new meta-analysis of SMRPs from pleural effusions finds that they have a valuable place among top biomarkers for mesothelioma. Biomarkers for Mesothelioma: SMRPs and Others Malignant mesothelioma is a type of cancer that starts on the membranes around the lungs, heart or abdomen. SMRPs are…

Research Highlights Connection Between BDNF and Mesothelioma Survival
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Research Highlights Connection Between BDNF and Mesothelioma Survival

ByAlex Strauss

French scientists say there is a clear connection between a biomarker called BDNF and mesothelioma survival. The research may open the door to improved mesothelioma diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. BDNF stands for brain-derived neurotrophic factor. It is a protein found in the brain and other tissues. In a new published study, researchers at the University of Nantes found that mesothelioma patients had higher BDNF levels than people with other cancers. Mesothelioma patients with the highest BDNF levels had the shortest mesothelioma survival. Linking BDNF and Mesothelioma Survival A biomarker is a substance that can be used to show the presence of disease. BDNF is a soluble mesothelioma biomarker. Soluble biomarkers are in body fluid and can be collected without a…

Early Detection of Mesothelioma with MicroRNAs
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Early Detection of Mesothelioma with MicroRNAs

ByAlex Strauss

A new study appears to contradict some of what scientists thought they knew about early detection of mesothelioma. Malignant mesothelioma is a rare but highly aggressive cancer. It usually happens because of past asbestos exposure. Early detection of mesothelioma is key to improving survival. But it is notoriously hard to make a mesothelioma diagnosis. Many patients who have mesothelioma do not even know it until the cancer is in its advanced stage. As a result, most do not live more than a year. Some studies have suggested that tiny, non-coding bits of RNA could help doctors detect mesothelioma earlier. But new research in Germany brings that idea into question. Biomarkers for Early Detection of Mesothelioma MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important…

New Blood Test May Improve Diagnostic Accuracy for Mesothelioma
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New Blood Test May Improve Diagnostic Accuracy for Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

The developers of a new blood test for mesothelioma say it is much more accurate than previous tests and could improve diagnosis and disease monitoring. The new test is an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system designed to detect the protein N-ERC/mesothelin. N-ERC/mesothelin is overexpressed in mesothelioma and some other types of cancer. ELISA tests use antibodies that change color when they come in contact with a particular substance such as N-ERC/mesothelin. According to the Japanese researchers who developed and tested the new assay, the previous ELISA system developed in 2008 to detect N-ERC/mesothelin has been “unsatisfactory” and test results were difficult to reproduce. In contrast, the new 7-20 ELISA system produced more accurate positive mesothelioma diagnoses and fewer false negatives….

Protein Biomarkers in Mesothelioma Diagnosis, Prognosis and Treatment
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Protein Biomarkers in Mesothelioma Diagnosis, Prognosis and Treatment

ByAlex Strauss

Three separate teams of international researchers have confirmed that proteins found in the blood can reveal some vital information for the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of pleural mesothelioma. These new studies on mesothelioma biomarkers indicate that all three of the studied proteins have value, but for different reasons. The most recent study comes from researchers in the Czech Republic who found that serum mesothelin, a protein overexpressed in several types of cancer, is valuable to measure the severity of mesothelioma in people who have already been diagnosed, but is unlikely to help doctors find the disease earlier. Doctors in the Department of Respiratory Medicine in Palacky University Olomouc followed 239 asbestos-exposed workers for nearly 20 years. They found that mesothelin…