Podoplanin With Calretinin Better Than CK5/6 and WT-1
In an article just published in Diagnostic Cytopathology, "Podoplanin is a Useful Marker for Identifying Mesothelioma in Malignant Effusions", the authors conclude that calretinin plus podoplanin (part of an immunohistochemical staining panel) would significantly improve the specificity of pleural effusion diagnostics in suspected cases of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). In other words, the suggested technique would do a better job of differentiating MPM from adenocarcinomas of the ovary, lung and breast.
As more and more putative mesothelioma cases have been filed, particularly by women plaintiffs with de minimis or even nonexistant amphibole exposures, battles over diagnosis have become more common. On the other hand, plaintiffs' counsel are now seeking to tie adenocarcinoma of the ovary to asbestos exposure. Perhaps both then are just new new levels in the never ending Whac-A-Mole game that is asbestos litigation.
