Auto-antibodies to β-F1-ATPase and vimentin in malignant mesothelioma.

Patients with Malignant Mesothelioma (MM) develop unidentified auto-antibodies to MM tumour antigens. This study was conducted to identify the targets of MM patient auto-antibodies in order to try to understand more of the anti-tumour response and to determine if these antibodies might be helpful for diagnosis or prognostication. Using MM patient sera in a Western immunoblott screening strategy, no common immunoreactive proteins were identified.

Plasma versus serum levels of osteopontin and mesothelin in patients with malignant mesothelioma--which is best?

Background: Blood-based markers for malignant mesothelioma (MM), particularly soluble mesothelin and osteopontin, are currently of great clinical interest. As there is some concern about the sensitivity of osteopontin in serum versus plasma, we compared them in the same patient population to mesothelin.

Methods: Soluble mesothelin and osteopontin concentrations were determined by commercial assays in blood samples from 66 patients with pleural MM, 47 patients with non-malignant asbestos-related lung or pleural disease, 42 patients with other benign pleural and lung diseases and 21 patients with lung cancer.

Comparison of osteopontin, megakaryocyte potentiating factor, and mesothelin proteins as markers in the serum of patients with malignant mesothelioma.

Introduction: There is increasing interest in identifying a blood-based marker for the asbestos-related tumor, malignant mesothelioma. Three potential markers for mesothelioma are mesothelin, megakaryocyte potentiating factor (MPF) and osteopontin. The purpose of the current study was to directly compare these biomarkers in the same sample population, determining their sensitivity and specificity in establishing a diagnosis, and to determine if diagnostic accuracy for mesothelioma is improved by combining the data from all three markers.

Soluble mesothelin in effusions: a useful tool for the diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma.

Background: The diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma is frequently difficult, the most common differential diagnosis being reactive pleural conditions and metastatic adenocarcinoma. Soluble mesothelin levels in serum have recently been shown to be highly specific and moderately sensitive for mesothelioma. As most patients with mesothelioma present with exudative effusions of either the pleura or the peritoneum, a study was undertaken to determine if levels of mesothelin were raised in these fluids and if the increased levels could help to distinguish mesothelioma from other causes of exudative effusion.