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Measuring Mesothelin in Effusions May Be Useful in Mesothelioma Diagnosis, Study Suggests
PERTH, AUSTRALIA — March 30, 2007 — Patients with mesothelioma often have a build–up of fluid or effusions around the membranes lining the chest (pleural mesothelioma) or stomach (peritoneal mesothelioma). Other illnesses such as asbestos–related pleural disease may also produce these effusions. A new study now suggests that measuring the amount of a protein called mesothelin in the effusions may help to diagnose whether patients have mesothelioma or another disease (Thorax. 2007 Mar 13).
Also called soluble mesothelin–related protein or SMRP, the mesothelin protein is attached to the cell and plays a part in cell adhesion. It may also be involved in cell–to–cell recognition and signaling. Mesothelioma patients have high concentrations of mesothelin in blood serum and the Food and Drug Administration recently approved a mesothelioma blood test, MESOMARK®, that detects mesothelin.
The researchers collected effusions from the lung cavities of 192 patients. Fifty–two had mesothelioma, 56 had cancers other than mesothelioma and 84 had pleural effusions due to non–cancerous conditions. Abdominal cavity effusions were collected from 42 patients—seven with mesothelioma, 14 with cancers other than mesothelioma and 21 with other diseases or conditions. Mesothelin levels were determined in both blood and effusions using the MESOMARK® test.
Mesothelin levels were significantly higher in the effusions of mesothelioma patients as compared with effusions from those who did not have the disease. Also, in most cases, high mesothelin levels in effusions correlated with high levels in serum. However, in 7 out of 10 of the cases, the mesothelin concentration was high for the effusions of patients collected 3 weeks to 10 months before the diagnosis of mesothelioma was made. In 4 out of 8 of these cases, mesothelin was high in the effusions, but not in the serums.
The researchers suggest that measuring mesothelin in effusions may be used to supplement the MESOMARK® blood test. Currently, there is no cure for mesothelioma, although treatments such as surgery and chemotherapy may improve the quality of life and prolong survival. Measuring mesothelin in effusions would be particularly useful if it could detect mesothelioma at an early stage, when the disease may be more responsive to treatment.
About Your Mesothelioma Diagnosis
For further details about mesothelioma diagnosis, see Pleural Mesothelioma Diagnosis Can Be Complex. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, please feel free to contact us at Brayton Purcell to learn about your legal choices. We have been handling cases involving mesothelioma and asbestos exposure for over 24 years and can provide support, information, and excellent advocacy.
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