Mesothelioma Research Further Confirms Efficacy of Mesothelin-Related Peptides as Diagnostic Markers

Mesothelioma researchers in China have further confirmed the use of soluble mesothelin-related peptides (SMRPs) as biological markers in the diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma.

Titled “Diagnostic Value of Soluble Mesothelin-Related Peptides for Malignant Mesothelioma: A Meta-Analysis,” the purpose of this study was to establish the diagnostic accuracy of measuring SMRPs for malignant mesothelioma. In other words, the purpose was to find the most accurate SMRP readings that denote a mesothelioma diagnosis.

Researchers state, “Serum concentrations of soluble mesothelin-related peptides (SMRP) have been reported to be higher in patients with malignant mesothelioma than in healthy subjects and in patients with non-malignant mesothelioma diseases.” SMRPs are proteins associated with mesothelin, a glycoprotein (a protein with an attached sugar molecule) that is present in malignant mesothelioma, pancreatic cancers, ovarian cancers and certain other cancers.

The study’s researchers note that SMRPs have been widely studied as a diagnostic tool for malignant mesothelioma, but that exact measurements of SMRPs must be clarified to improve diagnostic accuracy of this biological marker.

Analyzing different studies on SMRPs, the researchers performed a meta-analysis, combining and comparing the results from 12 different studies to gain a comprehensive perspective of the data. The combined results of the meta-analysis lead researchers to conclude that “serum SMRP determination plays a role in the diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma. The results of SMRP assays [tests] should be interpreted in parallel with clinical findings and the results of conventional tests.”

Thus, the study found serum SMRPs to be useful in diagnosing malignant mesothelioma, but also noted that the biological marker should be considered along with other conclusive tests. SMRP testing could be especially appealing to patients who do not want a biopsy but would like to know more about the potential presence of malignant mesothelioma.

Additional information about mesothelioma and the diagnostic process may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 8th, 2009 at 12:18 pm and is filed under Mesothelioma, Mesothelioma Research, Mesothelioma Treatment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS feed. Responses are currently closed, but you trackback from your own site.