New Method Aids Diagnosis of Mesothelioma Cancer
Technique Spots Malignant Mesothelioma in Pleural Effusions
Oct 27, 2009
Malignant mesothelioma often causes a buildup of excess fluid in the pleural cavity, an area surrounding the lungs which is normally filled with fluid. This excessive buildup, called a pleural effusion, is a symptom of a number of different cancers (including breast cancer, lung cancer and lymphoma) as well as a number of other ailments.
Because malignant mesothelioma is a particularly rare cancer, it has been nearly impossible for clinicians to diagnose a patient with mesothelioma cancer based upon an unidentifiable pleural effusion. However, thanks to researchers at the Oxford Centre for Respiratory Medicine, clinicians may now be able to detect malignant mesothelioma present in pleural effusions.
How the New Method for Diagnosing Malignant Mesothelioma Works
According to a study published in the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the current method which has been used to diagnose mesothelioma patients—pleural fluid cytology—has not been particularly effective in identifying early cases of malignant mesothelioma. (Pleural fluid cytology is an analysis of the cells contained in the pleural fluid.)
Researchers looked into whether analyzing the pleural fluid for mesothelin, a protein produced in large quantities by mesothelin cancer cells, could help with early diagnosis. After measuring mesothelin levels in over 200 patients, scientists found that malignant mesothelioma produced mesothelin levels in pleural effusions as much as six times higher than levels found in other cancers.
Why a New Method of Detection for Malignant Mesothelioma is Important
In a ScienceDaily article from August, 2009, Dr. Helen Davies, the study's primary author, noted, "Because mesothelioma has a median survival time of 12 months, minimizing the number of invasive procedures and tests patients require is crucial to reduce morbidity and the time they need to spend in hospital. An earlier diagnosis also allows speedier interventions to relieve symptoms as well as initiation of other treatments such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy if appropriate."
Early diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma could also allow for for the initiation of new, experimental techniques for treating mesothelioma cancer, which are currently in clinical stages of development, including immunotherapy and anti-angiogenesis drugs.
Asbestos Exposure the Main Cause of Malignant Mesothelioma
The new method detailed above for detecting mesothelioma early may become globally significant for two reasons:
- Nearly 90 percent of mesothelioma cancer patients have a pleural effusion;
- Global malignant mesothelioma cases are expected to rise in the next 20 years.
This rise is due primarily to the fact that few asbestos controls are in place in the developing world for construction workers or other laborers who might come into contact with asbestos. While in the Western world, including the United States and Europe, countries have developed legislation to restrict asbestos exposure, such is not the case in under-developed countries.
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