Diagnostic Biomarker of Asbestos-Related Mesothelioma:
Example of Translational Research. May 25, 2007
Okio H, Kazu S, Masahiro M. Department of Pathology and Oncology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan.
Mesothelioma is an aggressive tumor arising from the mesothelium, and is usually associated with previous exposure to asbestos. The incubation period of asbestos-related mesothelioma is estimated to be approximately 30-40 years.
Once mesothelioma has occurred, there is no effective treatment. So, identification of tumor markers and a method for early diagnosis using such markers are urgently needed.
Recently, several enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay systems for Erc/mesothelin have been developed, the reported usefulness of which has been assessed and demonstrated as a diagnostic tool. Asbestos-related mesothelioma should be ascribed as a typical environmental carcinogen.
In this review, we will present asbestos-related mesothelioma for the study of problems in environmental carcinogenesis. (Cancer Sci 2007).