title: Serum mesothelin has a higher diagnostic utility than hyaluronic acid in malignant mesothelioma.
abstract: We assessed comparatively the diagnostic value of two potential malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) markers: hyaluronic acid (HA) and soluble mesothelin.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured serum and pleural fluid values of mesothelin and hyaluronic acid in 76 patients with MPM, 33 patients with pleural metastases of carcinomas (Mets group) and 27 patients with benign pleural effusion related to asbestos exposure (BPLAE).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using a serum HA cut-off of 100 microg/L, 8 patients/33 (24.2%) were positive in the Mets group versus 20/76 (26.3%) in the MPM group and only 1/27 BPLAE patients. The area under ROC curve for serum HA in MPM versus Mets or BPLAE groups was only 0.617 while it was 0.755 for mesothelin. In pleural fluid, both markers had similar diagnostic values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum mesothelin is more sensitive than hyaluronic acid in diagnosing MPM and there is no benefit in combining both markers.
authors.affiliation: INSERM Unit 774, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Rue du Professeur Calmette, 59000 Lille, France. b_grigoriu@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Bogdan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Grigoriu
authors.forename: Bachar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chahine
authors.forename: Farid
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zerimech
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grégoire
authors.forename: Malika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balduyck
authors.forename: Marie-Christine
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Copin
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Devos
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lassalle
authors.forename: Arnaud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scherpereel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D000090204:Mesothelin; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D000090204:Mesothelin