Mesothelioma Tests Focus on Prediction and Prevention
A California mesothelioma doctor believes it may eventually be possible to predict who is likely to get malignant mesothelioma and even keep it from developing. Only about 15 percent of people exposed to asbestos will go on to develop mesothelioma or lung cancer, but right now they have no way of knowing who they are. Now scientists at UCLA and other mesothelioma treatment centers around the country, in conjunction with surgical oncologist Dr. Robert Cameron and the Pacific, Heart, Lung & Blood Institute (PHLBI), are gearing up to develop tests that could identify those at highest risk for asbestos-related malignancies. The teams will also test methods of preventing mesothelioma or for finding it in its earliest stage. Dr. Cameron and the research…