Blood Testing for Spotting Cancer Triggered by Asbestos Exposure ...

Mesothelioma is the most serious health risk caused by asbestos exposure. It is often difficult to diagnose because symptoms mimic those of other ailments. But a new study which found that blood test can look for mesothelioma biomarker may just be what health care providers need for early detection and treatment of the disease.

The ?study, published in the Oct. 11 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, suggests that blood test, along with a lung fluid test, looks for a protein called fibulin-3 in plasma. The researchers measured ?fibulin-3 levels in 92 people with mesothelioma, 136 people who were exposed to asbestos but didn?t have cancer, 93 patients with fluid in their lungs that wasn?t caused by mesothelioma, and 43 healthy people with no asbestos exposure ? all of which came from Detriot and New York City.

In addition, the researchers tested lung fluid in 74 people with mesothelioma, 39 with fluid in their lungs but no cancer and 54 with fluid in their lungs and a cancer other than mesothelioma.

?In the mesothelioma patients, fibulin-3 was four to five times higher than in asbestos-exposed individuals,? said study author Dr. Harvey Pass, a professor of thoracic oncology at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, in the Healthday.com report.

But while the finding appears promising, additional test may still be needed to confirm the study?s findings. Even Pass admits that he?d like to?perform trial on people who were exposed to asbestos but don?t have symptoms to see if fibulin-3 can pick up mesothelioma prior the appearance of symptoms.

According to the latest statistics, malignant mesothelioma has claimed approximately 18,000 lives in the United States between 1995 and 2005. Construction workers and those who work in related industry are at higher risk of getting exposed to asbestos. Similarly, homeowners who perform DIY projects like tearing walls or cleaning boilers may also be at risk especially if their homes were built or remodeled between the years 1900 and 1978.

Tags: asbestos exposure, asbestos health risks, asbestos-related diseases, blood test for mesothelioma, mesothelioma

Source: http://hometestingblog.testcountry.com/?p=22448

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