Using a "Job Exposure Matrix" to Predict Mesothelioma
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Using a "Job Exposure Matrix" to Predict Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

Researchers in one of the world’s top mesothelioma hot spots have come up with an asbestos disease prediction matrix which may help ensure that fewer cases of mesothelioma go undiagnosed. Even though Australia has one of the world’s highest per capita rates of malignant pleural mesothelioma, data on where and when people were likely to have been exposed to asbestos is sketchy. As researchers from the University of Western Australia in Perth note in an article in The Annals of Occupational Hygiene, “In Australia…estimates of disease risk and attribution of disease causation are usually calculated from data that are not specific for local conditions.” One of the problems with not trying to quantify risk in different locations and in different…

Protein May Predict Mesothelioma Treatment Response
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Protein May Predict Mesothelioma Treatment Response

ByAlex Strauss

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a rare but highly aggressive type of cancer.  Because it spreads so quickly, treatment success can hinge on predicting which treatments are likely to work and choosing the right treatment protocol early. Now, there may be a new way to improve survival by making that prediction even more accurate. Mesothelioma researchers at several medical centers across Austria say a cell protein, know as serum C-Reactive Protein (CRP), may hold the key. CRP is a type of protein produced in the liver when the body is experiencing acute inflammation or infection. CRP levels rise to help the body jump start its immune response. Test Method To test the relationship between CRP levels and mesothelioma, researchers analyzed the medical records…