Screening of Mesothelioma

There is no universally agreed protocol for screening people who have
been exposed to asbestos. Screening tests might diagnose mesothelioma
earlier than conventional methods thus improving the survival
prospects for patients. The serum osteopontin level might be useful in
screening asbestos-exposed people for mesothelioma. The level of
soluble mesothelin-related protein is elevated in the serum of about
75% of patients at diagnosis and it has been suggested that it may be
useful for screening.Doctors have begun testing the Mesomark assay
which measures levels of soluble mesothelin-related proteins (SMRPs)
released by diseased mesothelioma cells.