Mesothelioma Diagnosis Biomarkers and Lab Tests 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which serum biomarker is most widely used to support a diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma?
- Mesothelin (SMRP) (Correct answer)
- CEA
- CA 19-9
- AFP
Correct answer: Mesothelin (SMRP)
Soluble mesothelin-related peptide (SMRP) in serum is the most validated blood biomarker for malignant mesothelioma, approved by the FDA as an adjunct diagnostic tool.
Question 2: Fibulin-3 as a mesothelioma biomarker is measured in which biological fluid?
- Plasma and pleural fluid (Correct answer)
- Urine only
- Cerebrospinal fluid
- Sputum
Correct answer: Plasma and pleural fluid
Fibulin-3 levels can be measured in both plasma and pleural fluid and have shown promise as a mesothelioma diagnostic and prognostic biomarker.
Question 3: What is the clinical utility of serum SMRP levels in mesothelioma?
- Monitoring disease progression and treatment response (Correct answer)
- Definitive diagnosis without biopsy
- Identifying asbestos fiber type
- Predicting surgical candidacy
Correct answer: Monitoring disease progression and treatment response
SMRP levels correlate with tumor burden and can be used to monitor disease progression and response to treatment, though they cannot replace biopsy for diagnosis.
Question 4: Which biomarker found in pleural fluid is used to differentiate malignant from benign pleural effusions?
- Mesothelin (Correct answer)
- Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)
- Glucose
- pH
Correct answer: Mesothelin
Elevated mesothelin levels in pleural fluid support a malignant mesothelioma diagnosis and help distinguish it from benign causes of effusion.
Question 5: Elevated serum SMRP is most specific for which mesothelioma cell type?
- Epithelioid (Correct answer)
- Sarcomatoid
- Biphasic
- Desmoplastic
Correct answer: Epithelioid
SMRP is primarily expressed by epithelioid mesothelioma cells; sarcomatoid tumors express little to no mesothelin, reducing biomarker sensitivity in those cases.
Question 6: Megakaryocyte potentiating factor (MPF) is a biomarker for mesothelioma that is related to which protein?
- Mesothelin (Correct answer)
- Calretinin
- BAP1
- Fibulin-3
Correct answer: Mesothelin
MPF is a precursor of mesothelin and is shed into the blood; it has been studied as a complementary biomarker alongside SMRP for mesothelioma detection.
Mesothelioma Diagnosis Biomarkers and Lab Tests 1
Which serum biomarker is most widely used to support a diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma?