Stockhammer P, Ploenes T, Theegarten D, et al. - Corresponding pleural effusions and serum samples collected at primary diagnosis were examined for transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) through ELISA, and for mesothelin by chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay in order to ascertain the functional role of GF-β in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM, an aggressive malignancy with dismal prognosis but variable course of disease) tumorigenesis through its utility as a clinical biomarker. Forty-eight MPM individuals, 24 with the non-malignant pleural disease and 30 with stage IV lung cancer were recruited in this study. It was discovered that for diagnosis and prognostic stratification of MPM, TGF-β levels ascertained in pleural effusion could be a promising biomarker.