Study Uncovers Strange Growth of Mesothelioma Tumors

A new analysis on how asbestos-related tumors grow may lead to more effective research and treatments of malignant mesothelioma. Researchers at Australia’s Flinders University found malignant mesothelioma tumors demonstrate vasculogenic (vascular) mimicry — the process in which tumors make their own blood vessels. Tumors promote their own growth by growing blood vessels that reach into surrounding tissues instead of waiting for the outside of the tissue to grow blood vessels into the cancer cells. Oxygen and nutrients from blood vessels allow cancer cells to develop into secondary tumors. “[Vasculogenic mimicry] is something that was first described in melanoma, and which since then has been found in some other tumors, such as some breast cancers, but not every great cancer can do it, and the tumors which can, behave more aggressively,” Sonja Klebe, an associate professor of molecular medicine and pathology at Flinders, told Asbestos.com. What Does Vascular Mimicry Mean for Mesothelioma Research? Mesothelioma is a highly aggressive cancer. It carries an unusually long latency period — or the amount of time between initial asbestos exposure and diagnosis — of 20 to 50 years. The aggressiveness can depend on several factors, including stage of the disease and cell subtype. Epithelial cells are the most common, accounting for up to 70 percent of all mesothelioma cases, while sarcomatoid cells are the least common but most aggressive. The research from Flinders...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: cancer tumor growth chemotherapy for mesothelioma growth of mesothelioma tumors how do mesothelioma tumors grow mesothelioma clinical trials mesothelioma research mesothelioma treatment mesothelioma tumor growth Source Type: news