Genetics Affect Accuracy of SMRP Test for Mesothelioma
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Genetics Affect Accuracy of SMRP Test for Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

The SMRP test for mesothelioma is a tool doctors use to help diagnose asbestos cancer and plan treatment. But new research suggests that the test is not as useful as it could be due to genetic variability.  Slovenian doctors say a person’s genetics influence how much SMRP they produce.  Based on their research, they recommend combining the SMRP test for mesothelioma with genetic testing. Their findings suggest the combination method produces a more accurate and useful mesothelioma biomarker. What is the SMRP Test for Mesothelioma? SMRP stands for soluble mesothelin-related peptides. They are produced when proteins found in the mesothelial membranes start to break down. Malignant mesothelioma is one condition that can trigger this breakdown.  As a mesothelioma tumor grows…

Mesothelioma Tumor Progression Can be Tracked With Blood Test
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Mesothelioma Tumor Progression Can be Tracked With Blood Test

ByAlex Strauss

Italian researchers say it’s possible to monitor mesothelioma tumor progression with a simple blood test. They make their case in a Letter to the Editor in the latest edition of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology. The researchers say blood serum levels of the protein mesothelin correlate closely with tumor volume in malignant pleural mesothelioma patients. They are recommending that the blood test be used alongside CT to track mesothelioma tumor progression. The Importance of Monitoring Mesothelioma Tumor Progression Pleural mesothelioma is a rare cancer with a grim prognosis. Mesothelioma tumors tend to grow and spread quickly. Doctors have to carefully monitor mesothelioma tumor progression to tell if a treatment is working. Most mesothelioma patients have chemotherapy with Alimta (pemetrexed) and…

MesoMark Falls Short for Early Mesothelioma Diagnosis

MesoMark Falls Short for Early Mesothelioma Diagnosis

ByAlex Strauss

The Mesomark blood test for mesothelioma may miss the mark when it comes to diagnosing mesothelioma in its earliest stages. That is the conclusion of a large new study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.  The report was a meta-analysis of patients in 16 studies on the value of serum mesothelin as a marker for mesothelioma.  The studies included data on 4,491 patients, including 1,026 patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma and various control groups. All were measured for the level of mesothelin in their blood serum using the Mesomark test. Mesothelin is a protein present in the cells of the mesothelial membrane which surrounds the lungs and other internal organs. However, mesothelin is overexpressed in several types of tumors, including mesothelioma….