Researchers at Somalogic, Inc, have found new biomarkers that may benefit the early detection of pancreatic cancer and rare cancer mesothelioma. Biomarkers are biological indicators, or signs, that suggest the presence of particular diseases in specific parts or systems of the body.
Mesothelioma is a difficult cancer to diagnose and almost impossible to detect early in its development. Caused by asbestos dust and fibers, mesothelioma is characterized by an irregular system of malignant tumors which grow through lung lining or lining of other abdominal cavities. It typically takes twenty to fifty years for symptoms to demonstrate after original exposure to asbestos. Proper diagnosis is further postponed by mesothelioma’s tendency to mimic symptoms of other respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia or bronchitis.
Although asbestos causes mesothelioma and other fatal conditions, it is still being used worldwide in countless industries. Regulations are in place in the US to manage asbestos use and removal, but it was heavy used for building and manufacturing for most of the last century and will be present in structures and equipment for decades to come.
The long latency period associated with mesothelioma puts most patients in the senior age bracket by the time they have been diagnosed. For many older patients the disease is more difficult to fight and the treatments are harder to handle.
Mesothelioma affects about three thousand American families each year while the World Health Organization estimates close to ninety thousand worldwide. Early detection of mesothelioma and other rare cancers could save thousands of live.
Somalogic’s clinical research director, Rachel Ostroff said,
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