Clapper, Patti, Schweizer and Mason

A joint study between the Division of Bioinformation and the Departments of Physiology and Thoracic Oncology at Hyogo College of Medicine in Japan has revealed that a Urinary Trypsin Inhibitor actually suppresses the migration of malignant mesothelioma. 

The joint task force included Takahiro Yaguchi, Masakazu Muramoto, Takashi Nakano, and Tomoyuki Nishizaki.

Urinary trypsin inhibitor, also referred to as UTI, prevents the production of a chemical which activates platelet-derived growth factor-D (PDGF-D).  PDGF-D contributes to the migration of mesothelioma cells throughout the body.  While this type of cancer is localized, mesothelioma can travel through the body and appear in any of a number of soft tissues lining the internal organs.  This movement is called metastasis. 

PDGF-B has been observed acting as an attractant for malignant mesotheliomas but when UTI is introduced, the speed at which metastasis occurs or even if it occurs at all, is radically altered.  Therefore, by blocking the activation process, UTI effectively keeps mesothelioma tumors local. 

This is excellent news and may help doctors create a method of effectively holding mesothelioma growth in check.  That, in turn, would allow for more effective treatment of this fatal cancer and limit the chances of the disease spreading beyond the reach of localized traditional mesothelioma treatments, such as surgical removal and targeted chemotherapy. 

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is the most aggressive and deadly form of mesothelioma.  Caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibers, pleural mesothelioma is a cancer of the pleura – the thin membrane which surrounds the lung cavities.  The asbestos fibers travel through the lung tissue into this internal membrane and get “stuck,” causing aberrations in the cellular growth cycle, which decades later leads to tumors.

However, the effect of UTI is not universal and the degree of success varies in mesothelioma tumors in different types of tissues and cell types.  The scientists in charge of the study note that in spite of the researchers around the world striving for a treatment – let alone a cure – for this type of cancer, no beneficial result has yet been obtained.

Still, this is a promising inroad in the search for effective treatments against mesothelioma.  The disease kills hundreds of thousands of people worldwide and every year nearly 3,000 people are diagnosed right here in the United States.  While no amount of asbestos exposure can ever be considered safe, repeated or prolonged exposure to this naturally occurring carcinogen has been shown to dramatically increase risk of developing mesothelioma or other asbestos related diseases, such as asbestosis.

If you have a known history of exposure to asbestos and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, contact our offices for a free case evaluation.  We have helped hundreds of clients over the last thirty years, both with successful mesothelioma lawsuit settlements but also with referrals to some of the best specialists in the nation.