Mesothelin May Play Multiple Roles in Spread of Mesothelioma, Other Cancers

Mesothelin, a type of protein present on the surface of some cells in the human body, can trigger mesothelioma and other types of cancer, including ovarian, pancreatic and abdominal cancers. Given of the vague biological purpose of this protein, it occurs that  it is excessively present in certain types of cancer cells that doctors would look to it for warning signs.

Cancer experts are assessing the part of mesothelin in hastening the occurrence of cancer, as well as, its “potential usefulness” as a signal of cancer for doctors who are trying to diagnose a patient’s disease, reports AboutMesothelioma.net.

While treatments are available for mesothelioma patients, still, no known cure has been invented as of yet. In the U.S. alone, around 3,000 people are found to be suffering from malignant mesothelioma. That’s on a yearly basis. The main cause is asbestos exposure at a workplace or during military service.

An February 2013 article published by the journal Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry writes that medical researchers at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland and East China Normal University in Shanghai, agree that mesothelin has three main function in advancing mesothelioma cancer:

 Implantation—Mesothelin may aid in grafting tumors in the abdominal cavity. This leads to peritoneal mesothelioma;

 Survival—Mesothelin may have a significant function in enabling the survival of mesothelioma cancer cells;

 Resistance—Mesothelin may boost the resistance of mesothelioma cancer cells against chemotherapy drugs.

With the vital role of mesothelin, researchers agree that what is needed is a druge that could neutralize mesothelin’s function for more effective mesothelioma treatment. This could lead to more effective chemotherapy drugs.

Some antibody drugs that upset the operation of mesothelin still under clinical studies for evaluation.

Additional research is needed to come up with a strong conclusion with regards to the role of mesothelin in the growth and spread of malignant tumors, cancer cell survival and drug resistance. The researchers conclude that studies on mesothelin biology is very helpful in determining an effective antibody therapy that would aim at mesothelin in solid tumors.