Background

Malignant mesothelioma is a cancer arising from mesothelial cells of the pleura, peritoneum, pericardium, or tunica vaginalis. In the United States it accounts for 0.10% of annual deaths, with approximately 2,500 new diagnoses each year. The most common form, pleural mesothelioma, represents 80% of cases, and the median overall survival is about 12 months post‑diagnosis. The majority of patients are diagnosed at stage III–IV, and 85–90% are deemed unresectable. Peritoneal mesothelioma has a better prognosis than pleural disease but remains a rare condition with limited therapeutic options. Moreover, mesothelin is overexpressed not only in mesothelioma but also in pancreatic, cholangiocarcinoma, gastric, and ovarian cancers.

Study Overview

Sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and initiated on September 9, 2013, this ongoing study continues to enroll participants. It collects patient tissues, blood, and other biofluids for long‑term storage and gathers natural history data. The archived specimens will be utilized for genomic, proteomic, immunologic, and other translational analyses.

Mesothelin Target Value

Mesothelin exhibits high expression across multiple malignancies and is gaining attention as a diagnostic and therapeutic target. Correlating mesothelin expression levels with disease progression in this cohort can provide critical evidence for next‑generation biomarker and drug development.

Industry Significance

High‑quality biospecimens coupled with longitudinal data enable pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to validate mesothelioma and mesothelin‑directed drug candidates and to reduce costs associated with clinical trial design.