Dr. Pass was instrumental in the early diagnosis of stage I and II pleural mesothelioma. He identified osteopontin, a protein that presents at increased levels in individuals with pleural mesothelioma<\/a>.<\/p>\n The protein can be detected by blood, which makes it simple and cost-effective to screen people who have previously been exposed to asbestos. Earlier treatment leads to more positive outcomes, which makes Dr. Pass\u2019s discovery significant for mesothelioma<\/a> patients.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have to think about yourself if you have mesothelioma because this is a rare disease. This is a disease that affects only 3,000 people in the United States, and people really don\u2019t know enough about the disease.\u201d<\/p>\n