Mesomark™ Test for Mesothelioma Measures SMRP in Blood

Mesothelioma News

New Mesothelioma Blood Test Now Available

MAVERN, PA — May 11, 2005 — A new blood test for mesothelioma called Mesomark™ is now available in Europe, New Zealand, and Australia. Fujirebio Diagnostics, the manufacturer of Mesomark™, filed an application this month with the Food and Drug Administration to market the test in the United States.

Mesomark™ measures the blood serum concentrations of a marker called soluble mesothelin–related protein (SMRP). A 2003 study showed that SMRP levels are higher in patients with mesothelioma than they are in people without the disease.

The test is easy to perform, according to Fujirebio. The patient provides a blood sample, which is sent to the laboratory for analysis. The laboratory determines the amount of SMRP in the blood by using monoclonal antibodies that bind to SMRP. Antibodies are proteins made by specialized white blood cells or lymphocytes that fight disease. Monoclonal antibodies are derived from a single, cloned antibody–producing cell.

Patients whose blood tests show high SMRP levels may have mesothelioma. Fujirebio recommends, however, that Mesomark™ results be considered along with other clinical, laboratory, and imaging data (chest x–rays, CT scans and MRI scans, for example) before a final conclusion is reached.

Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure

Mesothelioma is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos. It often takes 40 years or more before the first signs of the disease develop. Early symptoms such as shortness of breath are not specific for mesothelioma, making the disease difficult to recognize. Use of Mesomark™ for screening and initial diagnosis of those who have been exposed to asbestos may result in earlier cancer detection.

Mesomark™ may also be used to monitor the effectiveness of chemotherapy or other treatments. It could also help determine if a tumor has recurred after surgery.

Mesothelioma Rates

Yearly rates of mesothelioma range from around 8 per 100,000 in Scotland, England and the Netherlands, to 0.96 per 100,000 in Spain (Cancer Causes Control. 2003 Oct;14(8): 791–803). Australia has a rate of 6 mesothelioma cases per 100,000 (Int J Occup Environ Health. 2003 Jul–Sep; 9(3): 206–17). About 1,500 people in Great Britain die each year from the disease, and the number is expected to peak at 3,000 annually by 2020 (Lung Cancer. 2004 Aug; 45 Suppl 1: S133–5).

The figure for the United States was 2,500 mesothelioma deaths in 1999 (NIOSH, National Statistics). Asbestos has not yet been banned here, and is still contained in the insulation, roofing, and tiles of many public buildings, homes, and schools. The material can become a hazard when asbestos products become damaged or are drilled into. For example, asbestos insulation around pipes may deteriorate, allowing asbestos dust to enter the air. Asbestos may also be found in brakes in older model cars and in numerous consumer products.

See Asbestos Exposure Can Lead to Mesothelioma for more information about occupations and situations in which you run a high risk of coming into contact with asbestos. For more details about mesothelioma detection, see the section on mesothelioma diagnosis. If you would like to know about your legal rights concerning mesothelioma, please feel free to contact us at Brayton Purcell. We have been handling cases involving mesothelioma and asbestos exposure for over 20 years and can provide support, information, and excellent advocacy.