Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 24, 2026
Generation and Expansion of Primary, Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Tumor Lines
Published on: April 21, 2022
Soluble mesothelin-related protein--a blood test for mesothelioma
Bruce W S Robinson1, Jenette Creaney, Richard Lake
1University Department of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre, Perth, WA, Australia. bwsrobin@cyllene.uwa.edu.au
Abstract:
Identification of tumor marker for mesothelioma (MM) might prove useful in diagnosis as well as for monitoring tumor in response to therapy and for screening at-risk individuals. We tested the hypothesis that soluble mesothelin-related protein (SMRP), a mesothelin family member, in the serum would be such a marker. Our data show that determination of SMRP in serum is a marker of MM with a sensitivity of sensitivity 83% and specificity 95% in the first 48 MM patients tested. Changes in serum SMRP levels parallel clinical course/tumor size and SMRP is elevated in 75% of patients at diagnosis. SMRP should also be useful for monitoring disease progression, and importantly, may prove useful for screening asbestos-exposed individuals for early MM.
