Multiomic analysis of malignant pleural mesothelioma identifies molecular axes and specialized tumor profiles driving intertumor heterogeneity

Malignant pleural mesothelioma, a deadly cancer with no cure, has confounded doctors for decades. Malignant pleural mesothelioma is associated with asbestos exposure and remains a major public health concern; many countries still use asbestos, despite its classification as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) more than 50 years ago. The Rare Cancers Genomics Team at IARC has used sequencing data to uncover sources of molecular variation in malignant pleural mesothelioma, paving the way for a revised classification system that could change the manner in which the disease is diagnosed and treated.

The study, published in the journal Nature Genetics, is the largest of its kind to date and uses whole-genome sequencing data from more than 120 patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Mangiante L, Alcala N, Sexton-Oates A, Di Genova A, Gonzalez-Perez A, Khandekar A, et al.
Multiomic analysis of malignant pleural mesothelioma identifies molecular axes and specialized tumor profiles driving intertumor heterogeneity
Nat Genet, Published online 16 March 2023;
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-023-01321-1

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