Identifying New MicroRNA Tumor Biomarkers for Mesothelioma
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Identifying New MicroRNA Tumor Biomarkers for Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

Identifying New MicroRNA Tumor Biomarkers for Mesothelioma Italian researchers have taken an important step forwards in what amounts to a microRNA tumor biomarker for mesothelioma. Exposure to asbestos fibers causes malignant pleural mesothelioma. An early diagnosis and comprehensive health monitoring is vital for patients exposed to asbestos fibers. Researchers at the University of Catania in Italy say these two clinical issues “may be solved by the identification of specific biomarkers.” A new article in Nature Scientific Reports identifies RNA molecules could serve as a microRNA signature for mesothelioma. This “signature” could help doctors distinguish mesothelioma from other types of cancer. The Challenge of Mesothelioma Diagnosis Pleural mesothelioma is particularly hard to diagnose. The early symptoms of mesothelioma are similar to the…

MicroRNAs in Cancer Development and Mesothelioma Personalized Medicine
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MicroRNAs in Cancer Development and Mesothelioma Personalized Medicine

ByHolly Zink

A special issue was published in the Journal of Personalized Medicine. Dr. Alessandra Pulliero from the University of Genoa in Italy talks about microRNA. Specifically, the role of microRNA in cancer development and personalized medicine. A microRNA (miRNA) is a small part of an RNA molecule. MiRNAs play a key role in the regulation of gene expression in cells, including mesothelioma cells. Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer often caused by asbestos exposure. Asbestos also causes a progressive lung disease called asbestosis. Environmental exposure to asbestos often causes a higher incidence of malignant mesothelioma. Malignant mesothelioma is characterized by poor prognosis and short survival. Personalized Medicine and Mesothelioma Scientists now know that the role of miRNAs changes once they…

Blood Test May Reveal History of Exposure to Asbestos
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Blood Test May Reveal History of Exposure to Asbestos

ByAlex Strauss

Small, non-coding bits of RNA in blood serum may offer a way to measure a person’s exposure to asbestos and predict their risk for mesothelioma.  Malignant mesothelioma is just one of several types of cancer linked to exposure to asbestos. But, unless a person knows they have been exposed, doctors might not even think to look for it, even when a patient develops early symptoms.  Researchers at Italy’s University of Ferrara have identified a microRNA in blood serum that can act as a biomarker for asbestos in the body. The discovery could lead to a blood test to identify high-risk people.  Exposure to Asbestos and Malignant Mesothelioma Before asbestos, mesothelioma was virtually unheard of. In fact, when the first asbestos-exposed…

Cancer-Fighting Gel Could “Change the Treatment Paradigm” for Mesothelioma
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Cancer-Fighting Gel Could “Change the Treatment Paradigm” for Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

New National Cancer Institute research shows a cancer-fighting gel applied directly to the surface of a mesothelioma tumor could “change the treatment paradigm” for this troublesome cancer.  NCI researchers in Maryland developed the treatment and tested it in animals with mesothelioma tumors.  Their tests show mesothelioma tumors respond after just one application of the medication.  The authors of a new report on the treatment say surgeons could use it to enhance mesothelioma surgery. They could even use the cancer-fighting gel on its own as a stand-alone therapy.  The Challenge of Mesothelioma Tumor Shape Malignant mesothelioma is a surface malignancy. Surface malignancies are tumors that grow on the surface of other organs or tissues. In the case of mesothelioma, tumors occur…

MicroRNA Signature for Mesothelioma Could Lead to Earlier Diagnosis
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MicroRNA Signature for Mesothelioma Could Lead to Earlier Diagnosis

ByAlex Strauss

Australian researchers believe they have identified what amounts to a microRNA signature for mesothelioma in pleural effusion.  Pleural effusion is the name for excess lung fluid. Up to 90 percent of pleural mesothelioma patients develop a pleural effusion. Researchers at the University of Western Australia say this fluid contains a wealth of information that could improve mesothelioma diagnosis. They have recently identified a trio of RNA molecules in fluid samples that could serve as a microRNA signature for mesothelioma. This “signature” could help doctors distinguish mesothelioma from other types of cancer. The Challenge of Mesothelioma Diagnosis Pleural mesothelioma is notoriously hard to diagnose. The early symptoms of mesothelioma are similar to the symptoms of many other lung conditions. They are…