Diagnosing Mesothelioma with DNA in Cancerous Cells
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Diagnosing Mesothelioma with DNA in Cancerous Cells

ByHolly Zink

DNA methylation could be used to diagnose mesothelioma earlier for better treatment outcomes. This is the finding of a study from a team of researchers from Belgium. The researchers analyzed 63 studies that looked at DNA methylation in mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. The cancer develops on the thin layer of tissue that covers the lungs and chest wall. Mesothelioma is usually diagnosed after a person goes to a doctor because they are experiencing symptoms. These symptoms depend on the type of mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma in the lungs may cause shortness of breath, pain in chest, and fluid retention. Peritoneal mesothelioma in the abdomen can cause abdominal pain, fatigue, and ascites….

BLM Gene Mutation Increases Mesothelioma Risk, Study Finds
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BLM Gene Mutation Increases Mesothelioma Risk, Study Finds

ByAlex Strauss

New research suggests an inherited mutation on the BLM gene increases susceptibility to deadly malignant mesothelioma. The research comes from the University of Hawaii, one of the world’s top locations for mesothelioma research.  Researcher Michele Carbone and his team sequenced the DNA of 155 mesothelioma patients. They found that people who are missing one BLM gene are much more likely to contract mesothelioma – especially if they are exposed to asbestos.  If people know they have the BLM gene mutation, they could potentially cut their risk for mesothelioma by being especially mindful of asbestos exposure.  Genetic Susceptibility to Mesothelioma Asbestos exposure is the primary cause of malignant mesothelioma. Some people who live or work around asbestos develop mesothelioma years later….

Gene Editing Technology May Hold the Key to Curing Mesothelioma
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Gene Editing Technology May Hold the Key to Curing Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

New research on gene editing technology for cancer suggests that it could be the key to one day curing intractable cancers like malignant mesothelioma. Researchers at Tel Aviv University have used a technology called CRISPR to dramatically extend the lives of mice with some of the most serious kinds of cancer.  Gene editing technology alters the genes of cancer cells so they cannot replicate. The Israeli team found a way to make it target cancer cells.   It could be the breakthrough that many mesothelioma doctors have been hoping for.  Genes and Mesothelioma The genetic material inside a person’s cells determines how those cells will behave. Genes encode for proteins which give signals to cells. Gene editing technology aims to change…

Could Other Gene Mutations Be Behind Mesothelioma?
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Could Other Gene Mutations Be Behind Mesothelioma?

ByAlex Strauss

A mutation of the BAP1 gene may not be the only reason mesothelioma can sometimes run in families. A more complex genetic picture may also help explain why some asbestos-exposed workers get the disease and some do not. Exposure to asbestos is the number one cause of malignant mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer that starts on the membranes that surround internal organs. But only a tiny percentage of people exposed to asbestos – many of whom were construction workers, asbestos plant employees, or veterans – ever contract mesothelioma. Past studies have explained the disparity, in part, by showing that a mutation on the BAP1 gene appears to make some people more susceptible to the damaging effects of asbestos. But a new…