On July 24, 2019, the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation hosted Michael Harbut, MD, on our Meet the Mesothelioma Experts (MTME) live broadcast, where he discussed the development of a possible breath test for mesothelioma screening.
Dr. Harbut’s study will use a breathalyzer developed by OwlStone Medical, a British healthcare organization, to capture breath samples for analysis. Quite simply, a patient exhales into the breathalyzer and then the breath is analyzed for biomarkers of disease. Dr. Harbut hopes this breath test will improve early detection of mesothelioma as well as reoccurrence.
The study is now in need of 300 biopsy-proven mesothelioma patients. All types and stages of mesothelioma, including NED (no evidence of disease) patients, are eligible. There is no charge to participate. Funded by the International Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Union, the study is currently available in Michigan and may expand soon.
If you are a mesothelioma patient interested in participating, please contact us at [email protected] or 703-879-3797.
You can listen to the full interview with Dr. Harbut on our website.
Michael R. Harbut, MD is a clinical professor of medicine at Michigan State University, and the Medical Advisor to the International Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Union. He is co-author of the most recent diagnostic criteria for asbestos-related diseases for the American Thoracic Society. He is past chair of the Occupational and Environmental Medicine section of the American College of Chest Physicians.
Dr. Harbut’s research team has discovered the probable cause of intractable pleuritic pain in asbestos exposed patients and his group has worked in the development of two mesothelioma tumor markers. He also conducted the world’s largest study of lung disease in Ironworkers.
As part of the Meet the Mesothelioma Experts (MTME) series, the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation invites specialists in the field of mesothelioma to discuss their current research interests as well as promising developments in the treatment of mesothelioma.
