diagnosing mesothelioma

A panel of just three antibodies is highly sensitive at distinguishing mesothelioma from other cancers, according to a study in the February 2009 issue of Pathology. The authors of the study say that using this type of small antibody panel could help reduce the time and cost associated with diagnosing mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is among the deadliest of cancers; the average patient survives just one year after diagnosis. Making a timely and accurate diagnosis is crucial to help doctors determine a patient’s prognosis, identify the best treatment approach, and get patients compensated in legal claims related to asbestos-related mesothelioma, says Sonja Klebe, MD, PhD, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Anatomical Pathology at Flinders Medical Centre in Adelaide, Australia. Mesothelioma is often…