THE ROLE OF GROWTH-FACTORS AND CYTOKINES IN THE TUMORIGENESIS AND IMMUNOBIOLOGY OF MALIGNANT MESOTHELIOMA

Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is an asbestos-associated cancer that is i ncreasing in incidence worldwide and is refractory to conventional the rapy. MM cells are potent sources of a number of cytokines, some of wh ich have recently been shown to be directly involved in the aggressive growth and spread of MM tumors. Emerging data also suggest involvemen t of MM-derived cytokines in systemic paraneoplastic syndromes includi ng immunosuppression, thrombocytosis, cachexia, amyloidosis, and hypog lycemia. Additional characterization of the expression of cytokines an d cytokine receptors in situ in MM tumors may provide a more complete picture of the autocrine and paracrine processes which occur in MM. Im proved therapy of MM, particularly cytokine-based approaches, is likel y to benefit from further elucidation of the patterns and regulation o f cytokine expression associated with MM tumors.