DIAGNOSIS MESOTHELIOMA CANCER

MESOMARK BLOOD TEST
In January 2007, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the MESOMARK assay to help monitor response to treatment in malignant mesothelioma patients. The MESOMARK test signifies the beginning of a new era in monitoring mesothelioma malignancies," said Dr. W. Jeffrey Allard, vice president and chief scientific officer of Fujirebio Diagnostics. "As the first in-vitro test for patients with this aggressive disease, it will enable doctors to more accurately detect recurrence and monitor treatment of patients."
The MESOMARK Assay test kit was developed to measure levels of a biomarker, mesothelin, in serum. Biomarkers are substances found in higher-than-normal concentrations in the blood, urine or body tissues of patients with certain types of cancers. The test may be used to monitor patients confirmed as having mesothelioma, for recurrence in patients following surgery, or for measuring response to therapies.
"Current diagnostic tests are less than ideal for quantification of changes in tumor volume, which is key to managing the disease," continued Allard. "As the MESOMARK results correlate with tumor volume*, it provides a much needed tool for monitoring patient status. It is our plan to collect additional data in the future to support the use of the test to detect mesothelioma."

MESOMARK test are now making it possible - with a simple blood test -to monitor response to treatment and to detect recurrence following treatment. This provides an important head start to patients racing against this aggressive cancer. "The Meso Foundation is the national research funding, patient support and advocacy organization dedicated to eradicating mesothelioma as a life-threatening disease.
Those wishing to take part in MESOMARK testing will be asked to provide one or more samples of blood. The blood samples will then be sent to a national reference laboratory for testing. In conjunction with other clinical and laboratory data obtained by your doctor, decisions regarding your treatment and care may be simplified. You may discontinue testing at any time.

Traditional methods of diagnosis mesothelioma
Diagnosis mesothelioma begins with a review of the patient's medical history, including any history of asbestos exposure. A physical examination is performed, followed by chest X-ray and often lung function tests. The X-ray may reveal pleural thickening commonly seen after asbestos exposure and increases suspicion of mesothelioma. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI may also be useful. A CT scan is a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. In an MRI, a powerful magnet linked to a computer is used to make detailed pictures of areas inside the body. These pictures are viewed on a monitor and can also be printed. If a large amount of fluid is present, abnormal cells may be detected by cytology if this fluid is aspirated with a syringe. For pleural fluid this is done by a pleural tap or chest drain, in ascites with an paracentesis or ascitic drain and in a pericardial effusion with pericardiocentesis. While absence of malignant cells on cytology does not completely exclude mesothelioma, it makes it much more unlikely, especially if an alternative diagnosis can be made (e.g. tuberculosis, heart failure).
If cytology is positive or a plaque is regarded as suspicious, a biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma.  In a biopsy, a surgeon or a medical oncologist (a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer) removes a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope by a pathologist. A biopsy may be done in different ways, depending on where the abnormal area is located.
If the cancer is in the chest, the doctor may perform a thoracoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor makes a small cut through the chest wall and puts a thin, lighted tube called a thoracoscope into the chest between two ribs. Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the chest and obtain tissue samples. If the cancer is in the abdomen, the doctor may perform a peritoneoscopy. To obtain tissue for examination, the doctor makes a small opening in the abdomen and inserts a special instrument called a peritoneoscope into the abdominal cavity. If these procedures do not yield enough tissue, more extensive diagnostic surgery may be necessary.
If the diagnosis is mesothelioma, the doctor will want to learn the stage (or extent) of the disease. Staging involves more tests in a careful attempt to find out whether the cancer has spread and, if so, to which parts of the body. Knowing the stage of the disease helps the doctor plan treatment.
Mesothelioma is described as localized if the cancer is found only on the membrane surface where it originated. It is classified as advanced if it has spread beyond the original membrane surface to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, lungs, chest wall, or abdominal organs.
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