Serum levels of soluble mesothelin-related peptides in malignant and nonmalignant asbestos-related pleural disease: relation with past asbestos exposure.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) results from malignant transformation of mesothelial cells. Past asbestos exposure represents a major risk factor for MPM and other benign pleural disease. Soluble mesothelin-related peptides (SMRP) have been regarded as a promising serum biomarker for MPM. The aim of this study was to investigate serum levels of SMRP in malignant and nonmalignant asbestos-related pleural disease.

PATIENTS:

Four groups of patients were investigated: group 1 composed of 48 healthy subjects, group 2 composed of 177 patients with previous asbestos exposure and no pleural disease, group 3 composed of 36 patients with MPM, and group 4 composed of 101 patients with previous asbestos exposure and benign pleural disease. Serum SMRP levels were determined by ELISA.

RESULTS:

Serum SMRP levels were significantly higher among group 3 than the other three groups. There were no differences in SMRP concentrations between groups 2 and 4. Subjects exposed to asbestos had higher SMRP concentrations than normal control subjects regardless of the presence of pleural disease. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for SMRP values was 0.75 (95% confidence interval, 0.68-0.83). The SMRP level at 0.55 nmol/L/L was determined as the most optimal cutoff value with resulting sensitivity and specificity of 72% and 72% for the diagnosis of MPM.

CONCLUSIONS:

These data attest to good diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of SMRP for the diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma. We have also shown that serum SMRP levels might serve as a marker of asbestos exposure.

• Authors: José A Rodríguez Portal, Eulogio Rodríguez Becerra, David Rodríguez Rodríguez, Inmaculada Alfageme Michavila, Aida Quero Martínez, Carmen Diego Roza, Antonio León Jiménez, Isabel Isidro Montes, Pilar Cebollero Rivas
• Journal: Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev) Vol. 18 Issue 2 Pg. 646-50 (Feb 2009) ISSN: 1055-9965 [Print] United States
• PMID: 19190155 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Biomarkers, Tumor
• GPI-Linked Proteins
• Membrane Glycoproteins
• Mesothelin

Topics

• Adult
• Area Under Curve
• Asbestosis (blood)
• Biomarkers, Tumor (blood)
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
• Female
• GPI-Linked Proteins
• Humans
• Male
• Membrane Glycoproteins (blood)
• Mesothelin
• Mesothelioma (blood, chemically induced)
• Middle Aged
• Pleural Neoplasms (blood, chemically induced)
• Prospective Studies
• ROC Curve
• Statistics, Nonparametric