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Researchers are continually studying mesothelioma in an attempt to determine how to identify it earlier and slow its growth. Through this research, substantial breakthroughs have been made in recent years, including the identification of a activin A, a new blood biomarker that can help doctors potentially diagnose mesothelioma cases earlier than before and give their patients more accurate prognoses and more personalized treatment regimens than those currently in use.
A blood biomarker is a quantifiable substance whose presence in the blood can indicate the presence of certain illnesses. Activin A, the recently-identified mesothelioma blood biomarker, is a protein complex that indicates the presence and severity of mesothelioma in a patient.
This discovery was made by a team of researchers from Hungary, Switzerland, and Australia. Their findings were published in a recent issue of European Journal of Cancer. The study data can be useful for the future identification and treatment of mesothelioma because activin A can be measured noninvasively at multiple stages of a mesothelioma tumor’s growth. By using the presence of activin A in a patient’s blood to determine the stage to which his or her cancer has progressed, doctors can determine which patients are candidates for aggressive treatment and which would face more negative effects than positive effects of such a course of action. Determining the right treatment type for a patient can be difficult and certain treatments, such as chemotherapy, can have a significant impact on the patient’s quality of life during treatment. Because of this, doctors have to weigh the available treatment options carefully to determine whether such a treatment is in the patient’s best interest.
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma after working with asbestos or in close proximity to the carcinogen for a prolonged period of time, you could have grounds to seek monetary compensation through a mesothelioma liability claim. To learn more, complete our online form or call our Philadelphia offices at 1-215-569-4000 or toll-free at 1-800-369-0899 to set up your initial legal consultation with a member of Brookman, Rosenberg, Brown & Sandler. Our team of experienced Philadelphia mesothelioma lawyers proudly represents clients throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania and South Jersey including in Delaware County, Philadelphia County, and Chester County.