Genetic Risk Factors for Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is linked exclusively to asbestos exposure, but why doesn’t everyone who is exposed to asbestos develop cancer? The answer may lie in genetic anomalies that researchers suggest can make a person predisposed to developing rarer forms of cancer.

Researchers at the Center for Primary Health Care Research in Malmo, Sweden have recently analyzed data from the Swedish Cancer Registry in an attempt to identify a potential link between genetics, asbestos exposure and mesothelioma. They found that chances of receiving a mesothelioma diagnosis was higher among individuals who had a parent or sibling who also developed the disease. Of course, shared environmental factors may play a significant role in this, but the study found similar links between familial diagnosis of bladder and kidney cancer – which may point to genetic factors linking a predisposition for developing various types of cancer, including mesothelioma. More research is needed to find a conclusive link, but the initial study does show some potential and may eventually help us understand additional risk factors for this deadly disease.