Publications by authors named "A Franko"

Background: Asbestos exposure has been proposed as a risk factor for shorter telomere length. The aim of our study was to investigate whether telomere length in leukocytes and genetic polymorphisms may serve as potential biomarkers for the risk of developing asbestos-related diseases and as biomarkers of progression and chemotherapy response rate in malignant mesothelioma (MM).

Subjects And Methods: We conducted two retrospective studies.

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Calretinin is a promising diagnostic biomarker for malignant mesothelioma (MM), but less is known about its prognostic role. Our aim was to evaluate the association between serum calretinin concentration or genetic factors and the survival or outcome of cisplatin-based chemotherapy in MM. Our study included 265 MM patients.

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Background: Asbestos exposure is associated with different asbestos-related diseases, including malignant mesothelioma (MM). MM diagnosis is confirmed with immunohistochemical analysis of several markers, including calretinin. Increased circulating calretinin was also observed in MM.

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Context.—: The pathology of coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) and its most severe form-progressive massive fibrosis (PMF)-in US coal miners has changed in recent years. Severe disease is occurring in younger miners and has been linked to an increase in silica dust exposure.

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Background: Pneumoconiosis among coal miners in the USA has been resurgent over the past two decades, despite modern dust controls and regulatory standards. Previously published studies have suggested that respirable crystalline silica (RCS) is a contributor to this disease resurgence. However, evidence has been primarily indirect, in the form of radiographic features.

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