Unveiling ACADL: A Breakthrough Biomarker for Mesothelioma Diagnosis in Elderly Americans

Unveiling ACADL: A Breakthrough Biomarker for Mesothelioma Diagnosis in Elderly Americans

ByHolly Zink

Mesothelioma, a rare cancer linked to asbestos, is dangerous for elderly Americans. It’s hard to tell the difference between reactive and cancerous cells. However, a recent study in the American Journal of Pathology sheds light. The study identifies a key biomarker, ACADL, using advanced analysis methods. Understanding the Challenge Mesothelioma is usually diagnosed after a person experiences symptoms and visits 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 examined in a laboratory. The lab looks for specific biomarkers to determine whether the tissue contains mesothelioma. Reactive mesothelial cells closely mimic malignant mesothelioma cells,…

Mesothelioma and Gene Expression
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Mesothelioma and Gene Expression

ByAlex Strauss

A recently published study has revealed for the first time a connection between malignant mesothelioma and the overexpression of a particular genetic protein. In an effort to better understand this particularly deadly form of cancer on a cellular level, a team from the University of California, San Francisco, Comprehensive Cancer Center sought to identify genetic material in mesothelioma cells that occurs at higher levels than the same material does in non-cancerous cells (that is overexpressed). What the scientists discovered could be an important step in developing treatments that target mesothelioma cells in their earliest stages. A strong and consistent clue “In the biological sense, we don’t know why mesothelioma develops or why it’s so aggressive,” says primary investigator Jae Kim,…