Tag Archives: mesothelin

High Mesothelin Rates May Be Good for Mesothelioma Patients

High Mesothelin Rates May Be Good for Mesothelioma Patients

Mesothelioma patients who have higher levels of mesothelin have better survival rates. This is the finding of a new study out of Australia. Mesothelin Proteins Mesothelin is a type of protein found in mesothelioma cancer cells. Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that develops from cells of the mesothelium, the lining that covers many of the internal organs of the body. It is caused by exposure to a toxic mineral called asbestos. Typically, mesothelioma requires aggressive treatments to stop the cancer from growing and spreading. Such treatments may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or some combination. Scientists aren’t sure what mesothelin does in cancer cells. But since mesothelin is only found in cancer cells, it could be a target … Continue reading High Mesothelin Rates May Be Good for Mesothelioma Patients »

Genetics Affect Accuracy of SMRP Test for Mesothelioma

SMRP test for mesothelioma

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 … Continue reading Genetics Affect Accuracy of SMRP Test for Mesothelioma »

Biomarker for Pleural Mesothelioma: Transforming Growth Factor-Beta

pleural mesothelioma rates

A protein called transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) might be an effective biomarker for pleural mesothelioma. New research shows it could help diagnose the asbestos cancer and distinguish it from other lung conditions.  The findings come from researchers at the West German Cancer Center in Essen, Germany.  They studied patients with malignant mesothelioma, non-malignant pleural diseases or lung cancer. TGF-β levels were different in mesothelioma patients than they were in people with other diseases.  They correlated with mesothelioma survival. This suggests that TGF-β could make a good biomarker for pleural mesothelioma. How Do Doctors Use a Biomarker for Pleural Mesothelioma? A biomarker for pleural mesothelioma is a substance whose presence indicates that a person has the disease. Some biomarkers occur in … Continue reading Biomarker for Pleural Mesothelioma: Transforming Growth Factor-Beta »

Analysis of Three Top Mesothelioma Biomarkers

mesothelioma biomarkers testing

New research confirms that some mesothelioma biomarkers are much more effective than others for detecting asbestos cancer. The news comes from a study conducted at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. Researchers ran an analysis of more than 50 studies on three popular mesothelioma biomarkers. They concluded that two of them make good mesothelioma screening tools but one of them does not.   The Challenge of Early Mesothelioma Diagnosis Mesothelioma is a highly aggressive cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. As with most cancers, the odds of surviving mesothelioma are higher if it is caught early. But mesothelioma does not cause many symptoms in the early stages. This can make it challenging to diagnose. Even … Continue reading Analysis of Three Top Mesothelioma Biomarkers »

Mesothelioma Tumor Progression Can be Tracked With Blood Test

mesothelioma tumor progression

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 … Continue reading Mesothelioma Tumor Progression Can be Tracked With Blood Test »

SMRP Still Among Best Diagnostic Biomarkers for Mesothelioma

Identifying Mesothelioma: How Extracellular Vesicles Could Be the Key

Chinese researchers say soluble mesothelin-related peptides (SMRP) in lung fluid is still one of the best biomarkers for mesothelioma, even if it sometimes produces false positives.. SMRP has been studied extensively as a way to help diagnose mesothelioma. The most popular test to check levels of SMRPs in the body is a blood test called MESOMARK. In recent years, other biomarkers for mesothelioma have also emerged. But SMRPs are not just in the blood. A new meta-analysis of SMRPs from pleural effusions finds that they have a valuable place among top biomarkers for mesothelioma. Biomarkers for Mesothelioma: SMRPs and Others Malignant mesothelioma is a type of cancer that starts on the membranes around the lungs, heart or abdomen. SMRPs are … Continue reading SMRP Still Among Best Diagnostic Biomarkers for Mesothelioma »

Mesothelin Flawed But Still the Best Mesothelioma Biomarker

Patients who are suspected of having mesothelioma often want to know whether there is a test to determine for certain if they have the disease. Unfortunately, no such test exists. Instead, mesothelioma diagnosis typically involves a complex combination of work and family history, symptoms, scans, biopsies and, often, a test for a protein called mesothelin. While mesothelin is not a perfect biomarker for malignant mesothelioma, a team of Australian mesothelioma researchers has confirmed that it is probably still the best one available. Biomarkers are measurable substances that can help indicate whether a patient has a particular disease. As the search for the most effective mesothelioma biomarkers continues, doctors at the University of Western Australia’s National Center for Asbestos Related Diseases … Continue reading Mesothelin Flawed But Still the Best Mesothelioma Biomarker »

Mesothelioma Management: Different Biomarkers Serve Different Functions

Australian researchers have attempted to settle the debate about the value of the newly proposed mesothelioma biomarker fibulin-3 compared with the gold standard biomarker mesothelin.  According to their new report in the journal Thorax, mesothelin is still the best marker for diagnosing mesothelioma but fibulin-3 is better at predicting mesothelioma outcomes. The multi-center study included 153 patients – 82 with pleural mesothelioma, 36 with other types of malignancies causing pleural effusions (excess lung fluid), and 35 with benign effusions. For comparison, the team also measured biomarker levels in the blood plasma of 49 people with non-mesothelioma asbestos-related diseases. Researchers measured mesothelin and fibulin-3 levels in both pleural effusions and blood plasma and determined that mesothelin provides the best diagnostic accuracy, … Continue reading Mesothelioma Management: Different Biomarkers Serve Different Functions »

New Mesothelioma Treatment Boosts Chemotherapy Response

An important new study from one of the country’s top mesothelioma research labs has found a way to significantly boost the impact of chemotherapy on mesothelioma patients who are not eligible for surgery. Dr. Raffit Hassan and his colleagues at the National Cancer Institute have been focusing their efforts on an immunotoxin – a potent toxin inked to an antibody – to selectively target mesothelioma cells. The immunotoxin, called SS1P, is designed to target a protein called mesothelin, which is overexpressed in mesothelioma cells. While previous studies have shown some promise in SS1P treatment by itself, especially when the immune system is suppressed, the newest study tests the value of SS1P in combination with the most popular mesothelioma chemotherapy drugs, … Continue reading New Mesothelioma Treatment Boosts Chemotherapy Response »

Protein Biomarkers in Mesothelioma Diagnosis, Prognosis and Treatment

Three separate teams of international researchers have confirmed that proteins found in the blood can reveal some vital information for the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of pleural mesothelioma. These new studies on mesothelioma biomarkers indicate that all three of the studied proteins have value, but for different reasons. The most recent study comes from researchers in the Czech Republic who found that serum mesothelin, a protein overexpressed in several types of cancer, is valuable to measure the severity of mesothelioma in people who have already been diagnosed, but is unlikely to help doctors find the disease earlier. Doctors in the Department of Respiratory Medicine in Palacky University Olomouc followed 239 asbestos-exposed workers for nearly 20 years. They found that mesothelin … Continue reading Protein Biomarkers in Mesothelioma Diagnosis, Prognosis and Treatment »