Affiliations: Clinical Institute of Occupational Medicine,
University Medical Center Ljubljana, Poljanski nasip 58, Ljubljana, Slovenia | Pharmacogenetics Laboratory, Institute of
Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2,
Ljubljana, Slovenia | Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloska cesta 2,
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Note: [] Corresponding author: Dr. Metoda Dodic-Fikfak, MD, Assist.
Prof., Clinical Institute of Occupational Medicine, University Medical Center,
Poljanski nasip 58, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. Tel.: +386 1 522 2101; Fax: +386
1 522 2478; E-mail: metoda.dodic-fikfak@guest.arnes.si
Abstract: Soluble mesothelin-related peptides (SMRP) are a potential tumor
marker for malignant mesothelioma. The aim of this study was to determine the
differences in SMRP levels in patients with malignant mesothelioma before
treatment and in various responses to treatment and to investigate whether SMRP
level could be useful in evaluating tumor response to treatment. The study
included patients with malignant mesothelioma treated at the Institute of
Oncology Ljubljana between March 2007 and December 2009. Blood samples were
collected before treatment and/or in various responses to treatment. SMRP
levels were determined using ELISA assay based upon a combination of two
monoclonal antibodies. Mann-Whitney test was used to determine the differences
in SMRP levels in various responses to treatment. Median SMRP was 2.80 nmol/L
(range 0.00–34.80) before treatment, 0.00 nmol/L (range 0.00–0.00) in
complete response, 0.48 nmol/L (range 0.00–4.40) in partial response, 1.65
nmol/L (range 0.00–20.71) in stable disease and 7.15 nmol/L (range
0.44–31.56) in progressive disease. Pre-treatment SMRP levels were
significantly higher than in stable disease, partial response and complete
response (p=0.006), as were SMRP levels in progressive
disease compared to stable disease, partial response and complete response
(p< 0.001). Our findings suggest that SMRP may be a useful
tumor marker for detecting the progression of malignant mesothelioma and
evaluating tumor response to treatment.
