What’s New in Mesothelioma Research?

Researchers are looking for better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat mesothelioma.

Causes and prevention of mesothelioma

Exposure to asbestos can increase the risk of getting mesothelioma and is a public health concern. Efforts that improve awareness of the dangers of asbestos can help limit exposure in homes, public buildings, and the workplace.

Unfortunately, regulations protecting workers from asbestos exposure are much less stringent in some countries than in others.

Genetics of mesothelioma

Researchers are learning more about gene changes inside mesothelial cells that cause mesothelioma. They have begun to develop newer treatments that target some of these gene changes. These are now being tested in clinical trials.

Doctors have also found some gene changes that run in families that make people more likely to develop mesothelioma when they’re exposed to asbestos. People whose cells have these changes often have a slower growing mesothelioma that responds better to certain drugs.

Many experts now recommend that people with mesothelioma be tested for gene changes that run in families. This can help plan treatment and show if other family members might be at risk for mesothelioma.

Early detection and diagnosis of mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is hard to find early. Most often, it's not diagnosed until it's big enough to cause symptoms and a person goes to a doctor. Researchers are looking for early detection tests, also called screening tests, that might help find mesothelioma before it reaches this point.

Researchers have found certain proteins in the blood, often called biomarkers, that have been linked to mesothelioma, including fibulin-3, osteopontin, and soluble mesothelin-related peptides (SMRPs). More research is needed to figure out if these types of markers are useful in finding mesothelioma early, especially in people at high risk.

Mesothelioma-specific biomarkers might eventually affect a person’s treatment choices and give doctors a better understanding of the likely outcome. Biomarkers might also prove to be a way to see how well treatment is working.

Treatment of mesothelioma

Mesothelioma has historically been challenging to treat, but in recent years, there have been major improvements in treatment. Combinations of chemotherapy and immunotherapy have clearly improved outcomes for many people.

Most experts agree that treatment in a clinical trial should be considered for any type or stage of mesothelioma. This way, people can get the best treatments available, potentially along with new treatments that might be even better. Most of the new and promising treatments discussed here are only available in clinical trials.