Genes and Hope: The Promise of Personalized Treatment for Mesothelioma

Genes and Hope: The Promise of Personalized Treatment for Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

A new study used advanced technology to understand the genetic details of mesothelioma. New results are pointing to potential ways to personalize treatment for this rare and aggressive cancer. Mesothelioma starts in the thin lining around our organs. It is caused by exposure to asbestos. This cancer is known for being hard to treat and having few options for therapy. But recent research brings some hope. Exploring Mesothelioma with Sequencing Sequencing technology has been a big help in studying mesothelioma. It helps us understand its genetic makeup. One important finding is that more than 20% of the time, there are genetic issues. These issues may affect crucial genes called tumor suppressors. Some of the most common mutated genes in mesothelioma…

Spotting the BAP1 Gene Mutation in Mesothelioma Patients
| | | |

Spotting the BAP1 Gene Mutation in Mesothelioma Patients

ByAlex Strauss

New guidelines may make it easier to tell which mesothelioma patients contracted the disease because of a BAP1 gene mutation. The knowledge could have an impact on mesothelioma treatment planning. BAP1 stands for BRCA associated protein-1. People who have an inherited BAP1 gene mutation face a higher risk for several conditions, including malignant mesothelioma.  Very few mesothelioma patients have the mutation and gene testing is not routine. So researchers at a top US cancer center have developed a set of screening criteria. The criteria may help predict which mesothelioma patients could benefit from genetic testing. Testing for the Altered Gene Mesothelioma is just one of the conditions associated with the inherited BAP1 gene mutation. People with this condition are also…

New Research Reveals Gene Signature for Mesothelioma
| | | |

New Research Reveals Gene Signature for Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

Researchers in China say they have come up with a three-gene signature for mesothelioma. The gene signature may help doctors determine mesothelioma prognosis and plan treatment. Pleural mesothelioma is challenging to diagnose and even harder to treat. Many patients do not receive a diagnosis until the disease is in an advanced stage. The new study finds that the gene signature for mesothelioma is “significantly associated”  with overall survival in people with the pleural variety. Testing a Gene Signature for Mesothelioma Genes play an important role in the development and progression of cancers like mesothelioma. The Chinese researchers started by searching for other studies on  mesothelioma prognosis and genes. “The lack of relevant search results indicated that no gene prognostic signatures…

Could a Virus-Delivered Gene Slow Mesothelioma Growth?
| | | | | | | |

Could a Virus-Delivered Gene Slow Mesothelioma Growth?

ByAlex Strauss

Researchers in Japan are enrolling mesothelioma patients into a trial to test whether blocking a growth signaling pathway inside mesothelioma cells could slow down this aggressive cancer or even stop its progression. The hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/c-Met signal pathway is highly active in mesothelioma and many other types of cancer cells, telling them to grow and replicate quickly. In the lab, scientists have shown that the NK4 gene, which shares a molecular structure similar to HGF, can interrupt this signaling pathway and keep cancer cells from growing out of control. In a new study launched this summer by researchers at several Japanese universities, scientists will be testing a method of delivering NK4 to the site of mesothelioma tumors by administering a virus designed…

Genes Key to Mesothelioma Chemotherapy Response
|

Genes Key to Mesothelioma Chemotherapy Response

ByMatt Clarke

Research being performed in Eastern Europe may eventually help doctors around the world predict which mesothelioma patients will respond best to a particular type of chemotherapy. Mesothelioma is a fast-growing cancer triggered by exposure to asbestos.  It is often treated with multiple modalities, including chemotherapy.  As more is understood about the impact of genetics on medication response, chemotherapy for cancers like mesothelioma is moving away from a “one-size-fits-all” approach to a more tailored approach based on individual cellular characteristics. Now, a team of biochemists in Slovenia are studying genetically-linked responses to the chemotherapy drug gemcitabine, a nucleoside analog that some studies have found to be a promising alternative to the more conventional cisplatin-pemetrexed combination for mesothelioma.  In a phase II trial involving 78 mesothelioma…