New Antibody to Diagnose Mesothelioma
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New Antibody to Diagnose Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

Scientists are trying to find ways to diagnose malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) more easily. An antibody called SKM9-2 could be the answer. A team of researchers from Japan are hoping to use SKM9-2 to develop new drugs to treat MPM. These new drugs might be able to target the cancer cells directly. Road to Definitive Diagnosis MPM is an aggressive cancer caused by asbestos that affects the area around the lungs. There are approximately 2,000 cases of mesothelioma diagnosed in the United States every year. The road to a definitive diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma can sometimes take weeks. In the early stages, people with pleural mesothelioma commonly experience shortness of breath, chest pain, persistent dry cough, and unexplained weight loss….

New Biomarker May Detect Mesothelioma Earlier
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New Biomarker May Detect Mesothelioma Earlier

ByAlex Strauss

Researchers at one of the country’s top cancer centers say they have found an effective way to diagnose mesothelioma earlier. Their findings are published in the latest issue of the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine. Fibulin-3 is a protein that is expressed in the membranes of blood vessels. A single mutation in the gene that encodes fibulin-3 has been implicated in a form of macular degeneration. Now, study author and professor of thoracic oncology Harvey Pass, MD, and his colleagues at New York University’s Langone Medical Center believe that fibulin-3 levels in the blood and pleural effusions (fluid around the lungs) can distinguish mesothelioma patients from those who have been exposed to asbestos but do not have the disease. It…

New Biomarker May Help Diagnose Mesothelioma
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New Biomarker May Help Diagnose Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

Scientists in Japan believe that a protein found in the blood serum of rheumatoid arthritis patients may help doctors diagnose malignant pleural mesothelioma earlier. Every year in the U.S., as many as 3,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma, a fast-growing asbestos-linked cancer that often causes few symptoms until in its later stages, when treatment options may be limited. Because earlier detection can increase the odds of survival, researchers around the world are searching for methods to detect mesothelioma sooner.  Much of that research has centered on substances, known as biomarkers, that are overproduced by tumor cells and can be detected in blood serum. The latest biomarker found to be elevated in mesothelioma cells is serum thioredoxin-1 (TRX), a biomarker for rheumatoid…