CRUK RadNet Glasgow Centre

Researchers based at the university of Glasgow have been working to solve one of the longest standing mysteries in Cancer Research - how and why it can take decades for mesothelioma to develop after exposure to asbestos. The Cancer Research UK-funded project, MESO-Origins, is led by RadNet Glasgow+ Focus Group lead Professor Kevin Blyth. 

Mesothelioma is a cancer that develops in the lining of the lung and has been strongly connected to prior asbestos exposure. Though only a small number of patients with inflammation of the lung lining go on to develop mesothelioma, there are low survival rates for those who do. Only around 4 in 10 (44.3%) of people diagnosed with mesothelioma in Scotland survive the disease for a year or more. Early symptoms, such as chest pain, fatigue and constant coughing are often overlooked because they resemble other illnesses. Thus, this research is of vital importance. 

The team have been recruiting eligible patients from Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Gartnavel General and Queen Elizabeth hospitals, along with 28 hospitals across the UK. Researchers are looking for patients who have already been diagnosed with benign (non-cancerous) inflammation in the lungs, who may have been exposed to asbestos. 

While asbestos has been illegal in the UK since the 1990s, cases of mesothelioma have increased in recent years due to the long time it can take to develop. In addition to this, though asbestos is banned in the UK, EU, Australia and Japan, among others, it is still used significantly in a number of other countries. 

This research is essential to developing our understanding of mesothelioma, how it develops and how to treat it, to provide more effective to care to patients worldwide. 

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First published: 14 January 2026