Mesothelioma and asbestos exposure to be studied by Cambridge and Glasgow scientists with £2.1m Cancer Research UK funding

Scientists in Cambridge and Glasgow are being given £2.1million from Cancer Research UK to help discover why exposure to asbestos can take decades to develop into mesothelioma.

The disease typically starts in layers of tissue covering the lungs, following the inhalation of asbestos fibres.

But it can take more than 40 years to develop and early symptoms - such as chest pain, fatigue and a constant cough - can be easily overlooked because they are similar to those of other illnesses.

Now Prof Marion MacFarlane, deputy director of the Medical Research Council Toxicology Unit at Cambridge, and Prof Daniel Murphy, of the Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute and University of Glasgow, and their teams will explore what happens between exposure and diagnosis.

They aim to find new molecular features to make it easier to diagnose and treat mesothelioma earlier, before symptoms appear.

Prof MacFarlane said: “Mesothelioma doesn’t respond to conventional therapy and the mutations that drive it aren’t easily targeted with drugs.

“Due to the prolonged period between initial exposure and diagnosis, and difficulty in distinguishing pre-cancerous tissues to benign ones, the molecular features of early-stage disease are poorly understood.”

The UK has the highest incidence of mesothelioma worldwide, with the disease more prevalent in men due to occupation-related exposure. There are around 2,300 new cases in England each year, including about 290 in the East of England.

Prof Murphy added: “In order to develop new strategies for prevention and treatment of mesothelioma, we need a much deeper understanding of the basic biology behind how it progresses.”

Asbestos was in widespread industrial use between 1950 and 1980. While the material is now outlawed, mesothelioma cases have increased since the early 1990s.

Dr Iain Foulkes, Cancer Research UK’s executive director of research and innovation, said:

“Nearly half a century ago, Cancer Research UK scientists added to the understanding of just how dangerous asbestos could be. This research helped change health and safety regulations, reducing workers’ exposure to this deadly substance.

“Over the last two decades, Cancer Research UK-funded research has delivered progress in treating mesothelioma. New treatments that harness the immune system to attack mesothelioma are coming through, thanks to the hard work of researchers and generosity of our supporters.

“But the long and painful legacy of asbestos use is still sadly being felt today. Survival remains poor and we need better ways to catch mesothelioma earlier. That’s why we’re funding more research to develop our understanding of this disease and make an even greater difference for patients.”