Dr. Michele Carbone and a team of American and Turkish doctors have been granted a $100,000 award by the American Association for Caner Research to study the possibility of a genetic disposition for mesothelioma.  Their work in Cappadocia, Turkey reveals the strong likelihood of a gene that creates a disposition for mesothelioma.

The team recently published an article that stated "Initially linked solely to the exposure to a fibrous mineral, erionite, recent studies by scientists from Turkey and the United States have shown that erionite causes mesothelioma mostly in families that are genetically predisposed to mineral fibre carcinogenesis."

In accepting the grant, the team wrote, "They will apply the AACR INNOVATOR grant to their study of linkage analysis to identify the predisposing gene or genes for mesothelioma among this cultural group and map the genetic risk factors by genetic linkage studies. Findings from this research have implications far beyond the villages in Turkey as they can be applied to other geographic areas and communities worldwide with the goal of preventing this deadly form of cancer or finding new life-saving treatments."