Though MESOMARK® have been released to the European, and Australian market. It is on February 2007, that The United States Federal Food and Drug Administration officially approved MESOMARK® as a blood test to detect mesothelioma cancer with Fujirebio Diagnostic inc. as the manufacturer. MESOMARK® blood test, measures the blood serum concentrations of a marker called soluble mesothelin, related protein (SMRP), in which have a high percentage in people with mesothelioma disease. MESOMARK® works by first analyzing the patient blood in the laboratory, then after the laboratory determines how much the amount of SMRP that contain in the patient blood using monoclonal antibodies that bind to SMRP. Antibodies are proteins made by specialized white blood cells or lymphocytes that fight disease. Monoclonal antibodies are derived from a single, cloned antibody–producing cell. (Mesotheliomasite) The benefit of using MESOMARK® assay was confirmed in a study published this month and discussed at the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Annual Meeting in San Diego, California. The researchers measured SMRP in 409 healthy individuals, in 177 people with illnesses other than cancer, and in 500 cancer patients, including 88 with mesothelioma. SMRP was increased in 52% of pleural mesothelioma patients and in 5% of individuals who were exposed to asbestos. SMRP levels in participants with other cancers or with non–cancerous conditions were lower and similar to those levels in healthy study participants.
Further studies are now underway to refine the MESOMARK® assay even further, and perhaps combine it with other tests. The study authors suggest also measuring osteopontin, a protein found in the blood that affects cell interactions and cell signaling. Osteopontin levels are generally high in mesothelioma patients.Fujirebio suggests that MESOMARK® be used along with other procedures such as x–rays and patient history to diagnose and monitor mesothelioma. Increasing SMRP levels could indicate progressive disease, decreasing levels could show a positive response to mesothelioma therapy and constant results may be associated with stable disease.
