Serum-soluble mesothelin family proteins (SMRP) assay in asbestos-exposed workers within a health surveillance program [Determinazione della mesotelina serica in lavoratori ex esposti ad amianto sottoposti a sorveglianza sanitaria]

Pleural plaques, pulmonary asbestosis, malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) and lung carcinoma are the most frequent diseases in asbestos exposed workers. In Italy asbestos enployment was banned for about 15 years, however, the asbestos-related diseases are still a great clinical interest because of long latency of mesothelioma and lung cancer. Until now, despite of the widely exposed population, diagnostic strategy is exclusively based on radiological examinations. Early biomarker assay is therefore an integrative approach tending to substitute for imaging. The diagnostic usefulness and prognostic value of Serum-soluble mesothelin family proteins (SMRPs) test in MPM have been demonstrated by several studies. Moreover SRMP levels higher than cut-off seem to be an independent factor for decreased survival and a good predictor of mortality. In the present study SMRP levels have been determined both in a popula