Researchers from the University of Western Australia and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital have further confirmed that higher levels of a particular protein, serum mesothelin, are found in patients with asbestos-related cancer.
Their research has encouraged the use of screening tests such as the MESOMARKâ„¢ assay, which measure mesothelin levels for patients at risk for mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer primarily caused by asbestos exposure. Symptoms of this cancer may take decades to arise, which is one of the contributing factors to patients receiving a late diagnosis.
This type of screening test could also potentially lead to an earlier diagnosis for patients, which would greatly improve the effects of treatment. Current treatment options only provide temporary relief from symptoms and do not offer a cure. The average mesothelioma life expectancy ranges between four and 18 months after diagnosis.
In order to further verify the validity of the test, Australian researchers evaluated mesothelin levels of several individuals prior to the development of mesothelioma cancer using the MESOMARK test. The results indicated that 15 percent of those with a high pre-test risk of developing mesothelioma did have elevated levels of mesothelin during the next-to-last reading before diagnosis.
In addition, 40 percent of all the individuals studied who were exposed to asbestos were beginning to experience increasing mesothelin levels at the same stage. The researchers concluded that a significant portion of the patients evaluated had high levels of mesothelin before diagnosis.
In total, those involved with the study included 106 people who later contracted mesothelioma, 99 asbestos-exposed individuals from the Wittenoom Cancer Surveillance Program, and 109 non-asbestos exposed individuals from the Busselton Health Survey.
Screening for mesothelin levels may become an important test for anyone concerned about previous asbestos exposure. Symptoms of mesothelioma cancer and other asbestos-related diseases often do not arise until the condition has already progressed to the advanced stages, making early detection tests that much more important to survival.
Additional information on mesothelioma and asbestos exposure may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.