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…

Early Detection of Mesothelioma with MicroRNAs
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Early Detection of Mesothelioma with MicroRNAs

ByAlex Strauss

A new study appears to contradict some of what scientists thought they knew about early detection of mesothelioma. Malignant mesothelioma is a rare but highly aggressive cancer. It usually happens because of past asbestos exposure. Early detection of mesothelioma is key to improving survival. But it is notoriously hard to make a mesothelioma diagnosis. Many patients who have mesothelioma do not even know it until the cancer is in its advanced stage. As a result, most do not live more than a year. Some studies have suggested that tiny, non-coding bits of RNA could help doctors detect mesothelioma earlier. But new research in Germany brings that idea into question. Biomarkers for Early Detection of Mesothelioma MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important…