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….

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…