Recent headlines regarding several corporate-backed medical studies have sparked confusion about the role of a gene called BAP1 in mesothelioma development.
While certain genetic factors may worsen the damage that asbestos causes, they do not trigger mesothelioma on their own.
Extensive research has shown that asbestos exposure — not BAP1 mutations alone — causes mesothelioma.
Get the facts about BAP1 and mesothelioma and learn how some asbestos-containing product manufacturers are twisting science to protect their bottom line.
Asbestos Is Still the Only Known Cause of Mesothelioma in the U.S.
The only proven cause of mesothelioma in the U.S. is asbestos exposure. This is true whether you worked with asbestos directly or were exposed secondhand through a loved one.
BAP1 is a tumor suppressor gene that helps protect the body from certain types of cancer. Some people are born with a mutation in this gene that makes them more vulnerable to getting cancer from even low levels of asbestos exposure.
“The associations between asbestos exposure, lung cancer, and mesothelioma have been well established in numerous epidemiological investigations.”
– International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
Despite what some flawed research claims, a BAP1 mutation alone isn’t enough to cause mesothelioma. Even if your medical records mention a BAP1 mutation, your DNA did not cause your illness — asbestos exposure did.
“If there's no asbestos, there's no mesothelioma, it's that simple. If you have mesothelioma, and you say, ‘Well, I've never been exposed to asbestos,’ you were exposed to it. You just don't know where or when.”
– Dr. Raja Flores, Mesothelioma Specialist at Mount Sinai Hospital
For over 45 years, Sokolove Law has fought on behalf of asbestos exposure victims, helping them understand their rights and pursue compensation.
Get a free case review now to learn more about your options. We have registered nurses on staff who can answer questions about your symptoms and diagnosis.
How Defense Experts Are Seeding the Medical Literature to Shield Asbestos Companies
Dr. Michele Carbone of the University of Hawai’i Cancer Center, and long-time asbestos defense expert witness, has authored studies suggesting that inherited BAP1 mutations may be enough to cause mesothelioma, even if the patient wasn’t exposed to asbestos — something other specialists emphatically disagree with.
In one example, he directly states that mesothelioma can be caused by BAP1 mutations rather than asbestos:
“Some germline mutations, such as BAP1, are very powerful and may cause mesothelioma and other malignancies in the absence of environmental exposure to asbestos or to other carcinogens.”
– Carbone, et al., Journal of Translational Medicine (2023)
This contradicts a statement from a 2022 study co-authored by Dr. Carbone:
“It is well established that asbestos exposure causes mesothelioma, and key mechanisms by which asbestos causes mesothelioma have been [explained].”
– Carbone, et al., Journal of Thoracic Surgery (2022)
The differences in wording might seem subtle, but they conveniently open the door for asbestos companies, for whom Dr. Carbone testifies, to reduce their legal liabilities and avoid paying people diagnosed with mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.
Mesothelioma specialists and institutions have provided patient data for some of Dr. Carbone’s research. However, it’s important to note that they did not approve or endorse his final conclusions on this topic.
Financial and Ongoing Conflicts of Interest Raise Concerns
Dr. Carbone has received millions of dollars in funding from Honeywell, one of the largest companies in the United States and a major player in the asbestos industry for decades. He is also very active as an asbestos defense expert witness, where he regularly issues expert reports and testifies against victims of asbestos caused mesothelioma, in return for payment.
Honeywell notably owns North American Refractories Company (NARCO) and Bendix. Both of these companies manufactured asbestos-containing products for decades while hiding the health risks from the public.
According to legal filings in Susan W. Moore and Christopher Moore vs Criswell Chevrolet Inc., Honeywell donated over $7 Million to the University of Hawai’i Foundation between 2011 and 2022 to help fund mesothelioma research led by Dr. Carbone.
During this time, Honeywell admitted that Dr. Carbone regularly communicated with Honeywell litigation lawyers, as well as asbestos defense lawyers for Honeywell about this research.
It’s also worth noting that Dr. Carbone holds a patent for BAP1-related diagnostic and treatment tools. This means he could financially benefit if BAP1-based testing becomes more common in the diagnosis of mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma Expert Pushes Back on Genetic Claims Made by Defense Experts Like Dr. Carbone
Dr. Hedy Kindler, a highly regarded mesothelioma treating doctor, oncologist, and researcher, clarified in an interview published on April 22, 2025, that BAP1 mutations do not directly cause mesothelioma.
Countering Dr. Carbone’s misleading assertions, Dr. Kindler explained the real link between genetics and asbestos exposure.
“These genes, particularly BAP1, will make patients more sensitive to the carcinogenic effects of asbestos...rather than serving as a direct cause of mesothelioma.”
– Dr. Hedy Kindler, Director of the Multidisciplinary Mesothelioma Program at UChicago Medicine
BAP1 mutations alone don't cause mesothelioma, but they increase a person's susceptibility to the disease if they’re exposed to asbestos.
As Dr. Hedy Kindler explains, it's the combination of the genetic mutation and asbestos exposure that significantly raises the risk.
Keep Reading: BAP1 and Mesothelioma
For further information on genetic susceptibility to developing mesothelioma with only low levels of asbestos exposure, please see consensus research and publications of world-renowned French, Italian, and American researchers:
- 2019, Betti, Marta, et al, Genetic predisposition for malignant mesothelioma: A Concise review, Mutation Research-Reviews in Mutation Research 781 (2019) 1010. Epub, Mar 6.
- 2021, Jaurand, Marie-Claude, et al., Asbestos and Mesothelioma: What is Recent Advance in Research on Asbestos-Induced Molecular Carcinogenesis?, pp. 17-31. Inserm.
- 2024, Kadariya, Y, et al., Low Exposures to Amphibole or Serpentine Asbestos in Germline Bap1-mutant Mice Induce Mesothelioma Characterized by an Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment, American Association for Cancer Research, Cancer Research Communications, open access.
The Danger of BAP1 & Mesothelioma Misinformation
Misleading or incomplete explanations can have harmful consequences for patients and their families as they navigate a mesothelioma diagnosis.
Potential consequences of BAP1 and other genetic misinformation:
- Emotional distress, guilt, and confusion
- Individual or public health at risk due to misinformation
- Invasion of privacy for patients, as well as relatives
- Preventing patients from getting financial compensation or reducing the payouts they receive
- Patients fear that their private medical records and treatment will be improperly used to make false claims against them by the asbestos industry
- Undermining legitimate mesothelioma lawsuits by shifting blame away from asbestos exposure
If you or a loved one has mesothelioma, your future shouldn't be clouded by confusion from corporate tactics. At Sokolove Law, we have over 45 years of experience holding asbestos-related companies accountable.
Get a free case review now to understand your options and start pursuing the compensation you deserve.
What Patients Should Know About Genetic Testing for Mesothelioma
Your doctor may recommend genetic testing if you are diagnosed with mesothelioma.
While diagnostic testing can provide medical insights, you have the right to ask questions and decide which tests to get.
You may want to ask your doctor:
- Is this test necessary for my treatment?
- What will happen with the results?
- Who will have access to my information?
A BAP1 mutation may have made you more vulnerable to getting mesothelioma, but a diagnosis is never your fault.
Without Asbestos, There’s No Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma doesn’t happen without asbestos. No matter what your genetics show, you were exposed to a toxic substance that never should have been in your home or workplace.
The team at Sokolove Law is here to support you.
We can help you understand your diagnosis, get in touch with top doctors, and fight for the compensation you’re owed — whether you have an inherited mutation or not.
Call (800) 647-3434 now or fill out our contact form to get started with a free case review.
