NEJM -- Asbestos Exposure, Pleural Mesothelioma, and Serum Osteopontin Levels

NEJM -- Asbestos Exposure, Pleural Mesothelioma, and Serum Osteopontin Levels: " PreviousVolume 353:1564-1573October 13, 2005Number 15
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Asbestos Exposure, Pleural Mesothelioma, and Serum Osteopontin Levels

Harvey I. Pass, M.D., Dan Lott, B.S., Fulvio Lonardo, M.D., Michael Harbut, M.D., Zhandong Liu, Ph.D., Naimei Tang, Ph.D., Michele Carbone, M.D., Ph.D., Craig Webb, Ph.D., and Anil Wali, Ph.D.
ABSTRACT
Background We investigated the presence of osteopontin in pleural mesothelioma and determined serum osteopontin levels in three populations: subjects without cancer who were exposed to asbestos, subjects without cancer who were not exposed to asbestos, and patients with pleural mesothelioma who were exposed to asbestos.
Methods A group of 69 subjects with asbestos-related nonmalignant pulmonary disease were compared with 45 subjects without exposure to asbestos and 76 patients with surgically staged pleural mesothelioma. Tumor tissue was examined for osteopontin by immunohistochemical analysis, and serum osteopontin levels were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results There were no significant differences in mean (�SE) serum osteopontin levels between age-matched subjects with exposure to asbestos and subjects without exposure to asbestos (30�3 ng per milliliter and 20�4 ng per milliliter, respectively; P=0.06"