Malignant mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer that often kills if it is not detected early. Patients with mesothelioma have been exposed to long-term asbestos, often through building materials such as vinyl slabs or insulation. A large number of people diagnosed with mesothelioma had previously worked in a store where they breathed or swallowed asbestos fibers day after day. Mesothelioma usually remains dormant for years after exposure to asbestos. As a result, many of their victims have already retired from the jobs that exposed them and caused their cancer.
Can genes cause mesothelioma?
Although genes do not directly cause malignant mesothelioma, genetic factors influence the development of cancer after exposure to a carcinogen. Other people seem to develop a mesothelioma after exposure to erionite fibers than others. Your genes may be the reason.
Are there some people genetically predisposed to mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is not caused by a specific gene. However, recent research on populations of people with generalized mesothelioma suggests that individual domes may be genetically predisposed to mesothelioma and other cancers. These population groups can be geographical groups or groups of parents.
Genetic factors that cause mesothelioma to develop.
Recent research aims to better understand the genetic factors that can influence the development of mesothelioma cancer. Since only a fraction of people who experience prolonged exposure to asbestos develop mesothelioma, researchers suggest that a person's genetics may be involved in the process. In people with mesothelioma, some tumor suppressor genes appear to be mutated compared to those who have been exposed without developing the disease.
Tumor suppressor genes: a deep look
Tumor suppressor genes are DNA fragments that suppress the growth and spread of malignant tumors, including mesothelioma. Recent studies on these genes and their expression in mesothelioma patients suggest that some people with mesothelioma risk factors do not develop cancer. However, other people living in the same professional or environmental conditions are affected by mutations in tumor suppressor genes. We are going to explore these tumor suppressor genes a little bit closer.
BAP1 gene
BRCA-associated protein 1 (BAP1) is a tumor suppressor gene that is mutated in many patients with malignant mesothelioma. A Japanese study of patients with mesothelioma revealed that the BAP1 gene is often inactivated, resulting in an inadequate modification of histones in the body. This inappropriate modification can facilitate the growth and spread of mesothelioma and other cancers. It is believed that BAP1 is partially responsible for the prevalence of mesothelioma in some families.
Gen nf2
Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) is another tumor suppressor related to the development of mesothelioma. When it works properly, this gene regulates the proliferation of cancer cells. However, once it is mutated, NF2 allows malignant tumors to grow and spread uncontrollably. More than a third of patients with malignant mesothelioma have a mutation in the NF2 gene.
LATS2 Gene
The large tumor suppressor homologue (LATS2) is another gene that is often mutated in patients with mesothelioma. This particular gene inhibits the growth of cancer cells. LATS2 is often modified, if not eliminated, in people with malignant mesothelioma. This gene is also associated with the hippopotamus pathway, through which the internal organs of the fetus are generated. This same pathway may malfunction to create tumor cells in patients with mesothelioma.
Implications for the future.
If the genetic mutations that allow the spread and growth of mesothelioma can be controlled by genetic manipulation, they could result in new and more effective treatments with fewer side effects. More research is needed on tumor suppressor genes. However, the hope of using genes to directly attack mesothelioma may be on the horizon.
Malignant mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer that often kills if it is not detected early. Patients with mesothelioma have been exposed to long-term asbestos, often through building materials such as vinyl slabs or insulation. A large number of people diagnosed with mesothelioma had previously worked in a store where they breathed or swallowed asbestos fibers day after day. Mesothelioma usually remains dormant for years after exposure to asbestos. As a result, many of their victims have already retired from the jobs that exposed them and caused their cancer.