Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a relatively rare, heterogeneous and highly aggressive tumor arising from the mesothelial cells of the pleura. The overall prognosis is extremely poor, with a median survival of less than 15 months. For more than 70% of cases, MPM is due to occupational exposure to asbestos, with a latency period of more than 30 years. There is no effective treatment for MPM, and after a long latency period following initial exposure, it progresses rapidly. Its seriousness is also due to the delay in diagnosis, which often occurs in an advanced stage, around 35-40 years after the first exposure. Because of its highly aggressive behavior, repeated efforts have been made to identify more accurate prognostic factors and staging systems and to study new treatment regimens. However, to date, the mechanisms of carcinogenesis driven by asbestos exposure are still poorly understood and our limited knowledge of the molecular changes induced by such exposure seriously hampers therapeutic development. The present project therefore aims to identify MPM expression profiles characteristic of asbestos exposure in order to bring to light potential prognostic and predictive biomarkers. The results of this project will allow us to identify transcriptional genetic profiles conditioned by asbestos exposure and possible new candidate genes.

This project has received funding from Italian National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL) under Bric 2022 call