UH Cancer Center researchers uncover treatable form of mesothelioma

University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center researchers have identified a new, less aggressive form of mesothelioma that offers patients greater hope for survival and treatment success.

Led by Michele Carbone and Haining Yang, internationally recognized leaders in mesothelioma research, the team’s findings were published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology.

The variant, called low-grade BAP1-associated mesothelioma (L-BAM), stems from inherited mutations of the BAP1 gene and is biologically different from the aggressive, asbestos-related form of the disease. Unlike traditional mesotheliomas, which resist most therapies, L-BAM often responds well, allowing some patients to live nearly normal life spans. These patients also face higher risks of other cancers, including melanoma, kidney, breast and liver cancers, making regular screening and early detection critical.

“By recognizing L-BAM as a separate disease, physicians can diagnose patients more accurately and recommend therapies that are more likely to succeed,” Carbone said. “This discovery means that many families facing what was once considered a uniformly lethal cancer now have new hope.”

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer of the membranes that cover the lungs and abdomen. About 3,000 new cases are diagnosed annually in the United States, resulting in roughly 2,500 deaths, according to the American Cancer Society. In Hawaiʻi, around 10 cases are reported each year. 

The cancer and its genetic cause were first identified by Carbone and Yang while studying families in Louisiana, Wisconsin and remote villages in Turkey. They collected samples for genetic analysis at the UH Cancer Center, and some families later traveled to Hawaiʻi to provide additional specimens and receive cancer screening.

Later studies found the condition in diverse groups, including Chinese, Japanese, Native Hawaiian, Jewish, Palestinian and White families. Today, testing is available both in the United States and abroad.

“The discovery of L-BAM underscores that research conducted at the University of Hawaii Cancer Center has both local and international impact,” Yang said. “Cancer research improves the lives of us all regardless of ethnic groups, nationality and social status.” 

The discovery was also highlighted on a global stage, when Carbone presented it at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer’s World Conference in Barcelona on Sept. 6. Keynote lectures he has recently given or is scheduled to deliver include MD Anderson Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, the US National Cancer Institute and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.