A new study could help predict the outcomes of patients dealing with asbestos mesothelioma.

Italian researchers from the University of Torino published their findings in the July issue of the peer-reviewed medical journal Oncotarget. In this research, several cell lines — samples of mesothelioma cells grown in laboratories — were tested for the levels of a glycoprotein called CD157. Glycoproteins are molecules that contain both sugars and proteins, which often occur on the outside of cells. The body often uses them to identify cells as friend or foe. In this study, researchers found that the majority (85.2 percent) of cell lines associated with particularly aggressive mesothelioma had a hire level of a specific type of Glycoprotein called CD157.

These findings could give doctors and patients a way to predict how aggressive mesothelioma will be. The majority of the time, this cancer is particularly aggressive, but a subset of individuals can benefit from grueling, aggressive treatment.

Asbestos and Mesothelioma

Asbestos and mesothelioma are closely linked. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that found widespread use in industry. The mineral made for a useful insulator and fireproofing material. However, as early as 100 years ago, it was already becoming obvious that asbestos could cause serious lung disease. Eventually, the list of diseases associated with asbestos included mesothelioma. Nearly all cases of mesothelioma can be linked to asbestos exposure. Despite this, the material was not fully phased out or banned until the 1970s and 1980s in the United States.

Asbestos Litigation

Due to the close link between asbestos and mesothelioma, asbestos mesothelioma lawsuits are a major frontier for the legal system. Several asbestos lawsuits have resulted in large settlements, totaling in the millions of dollars for a single plaintiff. Over the years, more than 600,000 individual mesothelioma lawsuits have been filed.

Asbestos mesothelioma lawsuits are typically filed by former employees against employers that allegedly knowingly exposed them to asbestos, despite the known dangers of working with asbestos. Many industries used asbestos. Construction workers are a major group of asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit plaintiffs. For decades the material was a common building material, even the gold standard of insulation as it was both fireproof and a powerful insulator. Shipyard workers and Navy personnel were also routinely exposed to asbestos, as these same properties made it well-suited to line warships.