Mayo Clinic researchers have created a new blood test that is better able to detect mesothelioma. The result could be earlier diagnoses. It could also lead to new options for targeted therapies. The test works by finding complex DNA patterns that are common in mesothelioma cells. The new approach is more accurate than standard mesothelioma blood tests. It could also lead to better tracking of a patient’s progress during treatment. Experts are hoping that the blood test will lead to more personalized treatments. The test could be very beneficial to people who know they were exposed to asbestos. They could get checked earlier and faster. It could also be helpful with elderly patients who are unable to get a biopsy. It could be a fast way for patients to know whether their cancer is responding to treatment.
The new mesothelioma test works by looking for specific DNA patterns known as chromosomal rearrangements. Most other blood tests just look for single point DNA mutations. Typical mesothelioma cells have swapped or shuffled sections of DNA. Mesothelioma may have fewer single point mutations than other types of cancer. Researchers used whole genome sequencing, which is a way to read DNA in a living thing to understand its genetic instructions. DNA contains genetic instructions that determines how an organism grows, functions, and develops. Whole genome sequencing looks for mutations, which are changes in a person’s DNA that can make cells grow uncontrollably. These changes act like broken instructions. Scientists use sequencing to spot these changes to identify cancer and understand how to treat it. The test can help locate key chromosomal changes in the DNA of cancer cells. The scientists then create small pieces of DNA in a lab setting called primers. The primers attach to these changes and the blood test looks for these changes. The breakthrough could lead to faster and more accurate detection of mesothelioma. Early detection is essential for starting treatment early and having more options, leading to better patient outcomes.
This new discovery by the Mayo Clinic builds on earlier tests for mesothelioma. This includes a study predicting what patients with mesothelioma would benefit from immunotherapy. Immunotherapy is a good option for treating mesothelioma because it can target cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. More research is planned to expand the study. The next step in the research is to include more patients and further improve the test. The complete study is published in The Journal of Thoracic Oncology Clinical and Research Reports.
