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Cancer

Study Links Gene Changes to Asbestos Cancer


— May 30, 2025

Researchers identify gene changes linked to asbestos-related mesothelioma, aiding early detection.


For decades, asbestos exposure has been known to cause serious health problems, especially a rare cancer called malignant pleural mesothelioma. This disease affects the lining of the lungs and is usually diagnosed at a late stage, making it hard to treat. Although it’s clear that asbestos is the trigger, scientists have been working to better understand how this cancer actually forms in the body. A recent study may help explain what happens on a microscopic level to gene changes, giving researchers a clearer picture of how asbestos damages cells over time.

The study was carried out by teams from Temple University in the U.S. and the University of Siena in Italy. These researchers looked at how genes behave in people with mesothelioma caused by asbestos. They used a method called RNA sequencing to examine which genes are turned on or off in patients with the disease. The data came from public sources and allowed them to compare gene activity between healthy and cancerous tissue. By doing this, they found a number of genes that seem to act differently in people with mesothelioma.

Some of the changes they found involved how cells handle stress and how they regulate ions—tiny particles that help with basic cell functions. Other genes were linked to how the structure inside the cell falls apart, which can happen when asbestos fibers are inhaled and lodge in lung tissue. Over time, these fibers can damage cells so badly that they start to grow out of control, which leads to cancer.

Study Links Gene Changes to Asbestos Cancer
Photo by Tara Winstead from Pexels

While gene research like this might sound complicated, it can have real-world results. If doctors know which genes are likely to change in people who’ve been exposed to asbestos, they might be able to catch the disease earlier. Right now, mesothelioma is often found only after symptoms appear, which can be decades after exposure. That delay makes it harder to treat. But if scientists can develop tests based on the gene changes found in this study, people at risk could be monitored more closely. Early detection could mean more options for treatment and better outcomes.

The study also lays the groundwork for new types of therapies. Most cancer treatments today are based on attacking rapidly dividing cells, which is a general feature of tumors. But by targeting specific genes that play a role in asbestos-related cancers, future drugs could be more focused. That would mean fewer side effects and, possibly, more effective treatment. For example, if one of the gene changes affects how a tumor handles stress, a drug could be designed to make that weakness worse, helping to kill the cancer cells without harming healthy tissue.

This work was made possible by a grant from an Italian workplace safety agency, which is fitting since so many mesothelioma cases come from job sites where asbestos was used heavily. Construction workers, shipyard employees, and others who handled insulation materials in the past are often the ones affected. Because the disease takes so long to show up, new cases are still being diagnosed even though asbestos use has declined in many places.

Although this research won’t solve the problem overnight, it’s a step forward. The more scientists learn about the way asbestos changes cells at the genetic level, the closer we get to better tests, earlier detection, and more personal treatment options. This new study adds another piece to the puzzle, giving hope to those living with mesothelioma and helping doctors prepare better tools to fight it in the years ahead.

Sources:

Gene expression study reveals clues to asbestos-linked mesothelioma

From asbestos exposure to carcinogenesis: Transcriptomic signatures in malignant pleural mesothelioma

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