SV40 does not have a role in the majority of malignant mesotheliomas -- a cancer associated with exposure to asbestos – according to a study in this month’s Cancer Research. The study, led by Mount Sinai School of Medicine researchers used a scrupulous protocol that eliminated contamination that has likely been the reason previous studies have implicated SV40 in this cancer. “Ever since the connection between asbestos and mesothelioma was first identified there has been intense focus on finding a secondary cause that would explain why some individuals contract the disease while others who have equal exposure to asbestos do not,” said James Manfredi, PhD, Associate Professor of Oncological Sciences at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
