New accurate mesothelioma test developed

Rosetta Genomics, a molecular diagnostics company, has developed a new test for mesothelioma which takes advantage of microRNA biomarkers. Biomarkers are pieces of genetic information expressed in the bloodstream or in tissue samples of patients which can help doctors and researchers to screen for specific responses in the body that correlate to certain illnesses, conditions or other phenomena that incite biological responses.
The test, which Rosetta Genomics is marketing as miRview meso, is performed on a tissue sample removed during a biopsy and takes about ten days to produce results. While the test is reported as incredibly accurate, it still relies on a biopsy – much like diagnostic tests for mesothelioma have in the past. This means that patients must first be identified as candidates for malignant mesothelioma before the test can take place – a process which relies heavily on a well informed, proactive patient.
Individuals who are suffering from mesothelioma symptoms should discuss any history of asbestos related work with their doctor, and should advocate accurate testing as soon as possible in order to avoid a late diagnosis. A late diagnosis can lead to reduced mesothelioma treatment options associated with short-term survival of the disease.
The test developed by Rosetta Genomics differentiates malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) from other carcinomas using microRNA, which is believed to be considerably more stable than other biomarkers. The tests, according to researchers, are an important part of a proper diagnosis which accompanies more effective treatment.
“Differentiating MPM from primary and metastatic carcinoma in the lung and pleura can be challenging for pathologists, even with the use of immunohistochemistry,” said the Medical Director and Head of Clinical Laboratory Research at Rosetta Genomics, Tina Edmonston, M.D. “There is no single immunohistochemical marker that distinguishes between MPM and various carcinomas that may be in the differential diagnosis. Moreover, the choice of markers, as well as interpretation of the results in equivocal cases can be subjective.”
“Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a very aggressive solid malignant tumor of the pleura that leads to a severe, clinically-symptomatic disease with very poor prognosis. Accurately distinguishing MPM from other carcinomas affecting the lung and pleura is important, as it guides treatment decisions, particularly for the newer immunomodulating and targeted therapeutics on the market and in development,” Dr. Edmonston continued.
Kenneth A. Berlin, President and CEO of Rosetta Genomics, praised the new test’s accuracy, saying: “We are especially pleased that these positive data underscore the accuracy of our miRview meso test and its ability to rule out MPM so that clinicians might access the most appropriate treatment options.”

Early diagnosis promotes effective treatment

Early diagnosis prevails as the most recognized factor contributing to increased survival in mesothelioma patients. While the same can be said of many diseases, and specifically many cancers, it’s particularly true in the case mesothelioma owing to a variety of variables.
Mesothelioma, a cancer which affects primarily the area around the lungs, abdomen or heart, is caused by exposure to asbestos fibers. The disease takes varying amounts of time to develop from patient to patient, and has been known to occur in cases with widely differing levels of exposure to the dangerous mineral. One of the defining characteristics of the disease is its long latency period, or the unusual amount of time that it takes for malignant tumors to develop after exposure to asbestos fibers occurs. In some patients, it can take as long as fifty years for the disease to present from the time of initial exposure.
An early diagnosis occurs most often in patients who are younger, healthier, and more fit to recover from the harsh mesothelioma treatments prescribed by doctors who intend to attack the disease. The vast majority of mesothelioma patients are beyond retirement age and already experiencing failing health; as such their suggested treatments are often confined to palliative measures aimed at decreasing pain and discomfort rather than attacking the cancer itself. In the rare cases when the disease is diagnosed early, doctors may prescribe radical treatment regimens such as curative surgery combined with intra-pleural chemotherapy and radiotherapy – a harsh treatment which is difficult to recover from, but one intended to eradicate malignant tissues.
Limited spreading of the cancer is also a benefit of early diagnosis, in addition to relative youth and ability to recover. Mesothelioma which can be contained and treated in one, localized site is more likely to be effectively destroyed without causing irreparable collateral damage to the surrounding tissues.
Unfortunately, effecting an early diagnosis continues to be difficult. Last year the Oxford Centre for Respiratory Medicine contributed a study on improved diagnosis methods to the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. The study involved 167 volunteers and investigated the efficacy of measuring mesothelin in pleural fluids as a new method for mesothelioma diagnosis.
The study, like others of its kind, was promising but not practically applicable. The best method of early diagnosis still lies in patients discussing any history they have in the asbestos industry with their doctors, and completing a biopsy as soon as possible.