Support the Groundbreaking Work of Dr. Michele Carbone

Dr. Michele Carbone is pursuing a revolutionary approach to cancer research: helping the body resist cancer invasion and improving survival for patients worldwide.

For decades, Dr. Michele Carbone’s discoveries have transformed how scientists understand, diagnose, prevent, and treat mesothelioma and other cancers. Today, his research is pursuing a new question with the potential to impact countless lives: Can we make patients more resistant to cancer itself?

Dr. Carbone’s latest research centers on a remarkable scientific paradox.

Individuals who inherit BAP1 mutations are more likely to develop certain cancers. Yet when these cancers occur, they often grow more slowly, invade less aggressively, and patients frequently survive far longer than expected.

Building on his previous breakthroughs, Dr. Carbone’s team is investigating:

• The biological factors that limit cancer invasion
• The role of genetics in long-term survival
• How the tumor microenvironment influences cancer progression
• New strategies to improve outcomes for patients with aggressive cancers

The ultimate goal is to develop therapies that help more patients resist the spread of cancer and live longer, healthier lives.

More About Dr. Michele Carbone

A Pioneer in Cancer Discovery

Dr. Michele Carbone is a world-renowned physician-scientist whose groundbreaking discoveries have changed the understanding of mesothelioma and inherited cancer risk. His research led to the discovery of the BAP1 Cancer Syndrome. This transformed the field’s understanding of mesothelioma and opened new opportunities for prevention, early detection, and treatment.

Studying an epidemic of mesothelioma in remote Turkish villages, Carbone discovered that in some families the susceptibility to mesothelioma and to other cancers was transmitted in a Mendelian fashion (autosomal dominant inheritance).  Studying US families affected by multiple cases of mesothelioma, Carbone and his team identified the gene responsible, BAP1, elucidated the molecular mechanisms, and named this condition the BAP1 Cancer Syndrome. Carbone enrolled 47 BAP1-mutant families and followed them for 20+ years, implementing early-detection strategies. He discovered the unique histological, immunohistochemical, and biological characteristics of genetically induced mesotheliomas that set them apart from asbestos-induced mesotheliomas. His findings led to significantly improved survival and curative resection of early-stage cancers, saving many lives from a malignancy that until recently was deemed untreatable. BAP1 genetic testing and BAP1 immunohistochemistry for mesothelioma diagnosis are now routine in medicine. Moreover, in rural North Dakota and in Cappadocia, Carbone effected government policy changes, removing erionite, rebuilding two new villages, and relocating susceptible populations in erinite/asbestos-free areas, saving future generations from mesothelioma. Today, patients around the world benefit from genetic screening, surveillance programs, and clinical advances made possible by his research.

Dr. Carbone’s Discovery That Saved Lives

Dr. Carbone’s work has led to real-world public health action that continues to save lives today.

His research identified the deadly interaction between inherited BAP1 mutations and exposure to carcinogenic mineral fibers, such as erionite. These discoveries prompted major public health interventions, including:

• Relocating Turkish villages away from dangerous environmental exposures
• Establishing long-term surveillance and early detection programs
• Identifying cancer risks linked to erionite-contaminated roads in North Dakota
• Supporting road paving initiatives that reduce future exposure risks
• Developing diagnostic tests now used worldwide for patients with BAP1-related cancers

This work demonstrates how pioneering research can have a lasting impact on generations of families.