A study has been conducted to see whether gene mutations in different types of mesothelioma can shed any light on how the disease progresses and ultimately how this can best be treated.
Mesothelioma effects the linings of the body and is most commonly found in the lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma) and the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma).
Researchers analysed over 500 cancer-associated genes in 13 peritoneal mesothelioma patients. They found that 11 of the participants showed a decrease in the BAP1 gene, this is linked to multiple cellular processes such as cell death, proliferation, DNA repair and differentiation. This finding is helpful as a loss of the BAP1 gene can be used in the diagnosis process. This is extremely important as swift diagnosis of mesothelioma is crucial to allow a patient to explore all available treatment options.
Further results of the study found that other genes were mutated in the peritoneal mesothelioma patients, namely NF2, SETD2 and DDX3X. These gene mutations have previously been found in those with pleural mesothelioma. The frequency with which the mutations of these genes were found in each type of mesothelioma differed.
It is hoped that the results of this study will assist in diagnosing mesothelioma and help increase proficiency in the development of targeted treatments.
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Source: “Genomic Profiling of Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma Reveals Recurrent Alterations In Epigenetic Regulatory Genes BAP1, SETD2 and DDX3X”. Joseph, N.M. et al. Modern Pathology, 4 November 2016.