Early Detection Tests for Mesothelioma Are in Development

Scientists in Australia are developing early detection tests for mesothelioma. The Asbestos and Dust Diseases Research Institute’s new test could potentially save lives. According to ADDRI’s academic and research director Dr. Anthony Linton, the tests will be similar to PCR tests already in use to detect COVID-19. These new tests can find small amounts of DNA that cause disease. The PCR method, used since the 1980s, allows DNA samples to be studied in a higher level of detail. PCR is the tech behind the beginning of the 1990 Human Genome Project to identify and map human DNA.  “We have identified a number of candidate genetic markers that offer hope that they may be able to be used to diagnose patients with mesothelioma, ” Linton said. Earlier mesothelioma diagnosis significantly increases treatment options and improves prognosis for patients. “The continued death toll from asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma is still much too high,” Linton observed. “Unfortunately, for the majority of patients with mesothelioma, we don’t identify their disease until it is already very well established.” Targeting High-Risk Individuals   ADDRI scientific researcher Ben Johnson believes early detection tests may eventually be used to target certain people who are at high-risk of developing mesothelioma. “The hope is that we can apply this technique in the clinical setting to diagnose asbestos-exposed indiv...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Asbestos Exposure Clinical Trials/Research/Emerging Treatments Doctors/Specialists Mesothelioma Source Type: news