Revolutionizing Mesothelioma Diagnosis: Breakthrough Blood Test Method
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Revolutionizing Mesothelioma Diagnosis: Breakthrough Blood Test Method

ByHolly Zink

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…

Identifying Mesothelioma: How Extracellular Vesicles Could Be the Key
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Identifying Mesothelioma: How Extracellular Vesicles Could Be the Key

ByHolly Zink

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…

Predicting Mesothelioma Treatment Response
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Predicting Mesothelioma Treatment Response

ByHolly Zink

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…

Genomic Experts Report Most Complete Picture of Mesothelioma to Date
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Genomic Experts Report Most Complete Picture of Mesothelioma to Date

ByHolly Zink

Australian and American genomic experts have completed a key step in improving the treatment of pleural mesothelioma. A new study gives results from a large study of malignant pleural mesothelioma Pleural mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops on the thin layer of tissue that covers the lungs and chest wall. Asbestos causes mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Asbestos was used in thousands of industrial, commercial, construction, automotive, and consumer products. Pleural mesothelioma occurs in about 2,000 people in the United States every year. Scientists at the National Centre for Asbestos-Related Disease have taken a dramatic leap forward in the understanding of pleural mesothelioma. DNA Genes Impact Personalized Treatment Plans Previous genomic studies of malignant pleural mesothelioma were limited….

Two New Diagnostic Tissue Biomarkers Discovered for Mesothelioma
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Two New Diagnostic Tissue Biomarkers Discovered for Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

Scientists have now identified two new diagnostic tissue biomarkers for malignant pleural mesothelioma. Doctors identify mesothelioma using diagnostic tissue biomarkers. This is called immunohistochemistry. The use of immunohistochemistry improves the accuracy of mesothelioma diagnosis in clinical practice. Yet, new methods for discovering diagnostic markers are still needed. Following a Reverse Approach in a Rare Case Mesothelioma is usually diagnosed after a person experiencing symptoms goes to a doctor. One thing a doctor may do is perform a tissue biopsy. The doctor will remove a part of the tissue (suspected mesothelioma) for examination. Most tissue biopsies are done with a needle and then examined in a laboratory. The lab will look for specific biomarkers to find out if the tissue contains…

Detecting Mesothelioma by Smell: A Promising Future
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Detecting Mesothelioma by Smell: A Promising Future

ByHolly Zink

Early cancer detection can be difficult, but there is a promising history of research on detecting mesothelioma by smell. A new study suggests that a change in a patient’s body odor may be used for early malignant pleural mesothelioma detection. This holds tremendous hope for early treatment. Right now, pleural mesothelioma detection relies heavily on various clinical tests. These tests often include radiography, CT, MRI, ultrasound, and biopsy. All of these technologies and methods are effective. However, several are invasive, expensive, time-consuming, or limited to large hospital settings. In an article in BBA – Reviews on Cancer, researchers explore how body odor can detect malignant pleural mesothelioma. The team says the research on detecting mesothelioma by smell is promising. Nevertheless,…

Blood Test May Reveal History of Exposure to Asbestos
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Blood Test May Reveal History of Exposure to Asbestos

ByAlex Strauss

Small, non-coding bits of RNA in blood serum may offer a way to measure a person’s exposure to asbestos and predict their risk for mesothelioma.  Malignant mesothelioma is just one of several types of cancer linked to exposure to asbestos. But, unless a person knows they have been exposed, doctors might not even think to look for it, even when a patient develops early symptoms.  Researchers at Italy’s University of Ferrara have identified a microRNA in blood serum that can act as a biomarker for asbestos in the body. The discovery could lead to a blood test to identify high-risk people.  Exposure to Asbestos and Malignant Mesothelioma Before asbestos, mesothelioma was virtually unheard of. In fact, when the first asbestos-exposed…

Biomarkers in Pleural Effusions Can Improve Mesothelioma Diagnosis
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Biomarkers in Pleural Effusions Can Improve Mesothelioma Diagnosis

ByAlex Strauss

Italian scientists say some newly identified biomarkers in pleural effusions are very good at ruling out mesothelioma in patients who do not have the disease.  Unfortunately, most of these biomarkers are not as good as positively identifying mesothelioma. But their accuracy can be improved by combining several of them.  Pleural effusions are pockets of excess fluid that collect around the lungs of people with certain kinds of cancer and other conditions.  Mesothelioma biomarkers in pleural effusions are proteins and other substances that are mostly found in mesothelioma patients. The new study suggests that using these biomarkers the right way can lead to more accurate diagnoses. The Importance of Biomarkers in Pleural Effusions Pleural mesothelioma is a rare cancer of the…

Breath Test Could Predict Mesothelioma Immunotherapy Response
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Breath Test Could Predict Mesothelioma Immunotherapy Response

ByAlex Strauss

New research shows a breath test called an eNose might help doctors determine which mesothelioma patients are most likely to respond to immunotherapy.  Immunotherapy is one of the most promising new approaches to malignant mesothelioma. But not every patient responds.  A new Dutch study suggests that biomarkers in a patient’s exhaled breath may be indicators of immunotherapy response. The eNose breath test can identify those biomarkers quickly and easily. The technology might make it easier to decide on the best mesothelioma treatment.  Immunotherapy for Malignant Mesothelioma Pleural mesothelioma is a rare but deadly cancer of the lung lining. Until last year, chemotherapy with Alimta (pemetrexed) was the only FDA-approved systemic treatment.  In 2020, the FDA approved a combination of immunotherapy…

Standard Biomarkers for Pleural Mesothelioma “Not Useful” for Immunotherapy
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Standard Biomarkers for Pleural Mesothelioma “Not Useful” for Immunotherapy

ByAlex Strauss

Two of the most important biomarkers for pleural mesothelioma are not much help when it comes to tracking response to immunotherapy. Top mesothelioma researchers at the University of Pennsylvania drew that conclusion based on data from a cohort of 58 patients.  They focused on two primary biomarkers for pleural mesothelioma: SMRP and fibulin-3. Doctors use both of these markers to diagnose and plan treatment for mesothelioma.  The study confirms the correlation between these markers and mesothelioma tumor volume. But the Penn Medicine researchers say these biomarkers of pleural mesothelioma were “not useful” for measuring immunotherapy response. Understanding Biomarkers for Pleural Mesothelioma A biomarker is a substance produced by the body that indicates a biological process or condition. Most mesothelioma biomarkers…