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Pleural Mesothelioma Risk Among Workers May Be Higher in Winter
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Pleural Mesothelioma Risk Among Workers May Be Higher in Winter

ByAlex Strauss

A leading authority in the occupational health and safety space is warning workers to be aware that their pleural mesothelioma risk may be higher in the winter. The website Occupational Health & Safety says winter is a prime season for exposure to toxins like asbestos that can threaten respiratory health. Asbestos is the primary cause of malignant pleural mesothelioma worldwide. In a new online article, the site says the combination of dry air, colds and allergies, closed up work spaces, and poor ventilation can increase the risk for serious respiratory diseases.  Why Winter Can Be Dangerous for Workers Although anyone can get malignant mesothelioma, it is usually considered an occupational disease. People in certain kinds of jobs face a much…

Researchers Discover How Three Enzymes Influence Mesothelioma Risk
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Researchers Discover How Three Enzymes Influence Mesothelioma Risk

ByAlex Strauss

University of Hawaii scientists have just released new research that helps explain how three enzymes may work together to determine mesothelioma risk. Most people who contract malignant mesothelioma have a history of asbestos exposure. But scientists still are not sure exactly why some people are at higher risk than others.  Researcher Michele Carbone and his team at the University of Hawaii Cancer Center have spent years trying to understand the underlying mechanism of mesothelioma risk. Their new report is a big step forward. It shows how three molecules interact to determine a person’s risk profile. It also demonstrates how something as simple as aspirin might be used to modify that risk.  Three Molecules That Influence Mesothelioma Risk BAP1 is a…

Mesothelioma Surgical Decisions: New Method May Make Them Easier
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Mesothelioma Surgical Decisions: New Method May Make Them Easier

ByAlex Strauss

Cancer researchers in India and the UK have come up with a method for making better mesothelioma surgical decisions. The group focused on peritoneal mesothelioma, the second most common form of asbestos cancer. Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the membrane around the abdominal organs. It can spread throughout the abdomen.  Some peritoneal mesothelioma patients get good results with cytoreductive surgery. But success depends on a number of factors such as how far cancer has spread and where mesothelioma tumors are located. The new decision-making tool reminds doctors of five important factors to consider when making mesothelioma surgical decisions for the best outcomes. It is based on the acronym PAUSE. Peritoneal Mesothelioma and the Promise of CRS/HIPEC Malignant mesothelioma is an especially aggressive…

Diagnostic Accuracy of Lung Fluid Tests for Mesothelioma
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Diagnostic Accuracy of Lung Fluid Tests for Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

Researchers in Germany say the diagnostic accuracy of lung fluid tests for mesothelioma is high enough that they can be routinely used for diagnosis.  Right now, if mesothelioma is suspected, doctors may order a fluid test first. If the fluid test (cytology) is positive, the doctor usually orders a tissue biopsy (histology) to confirm.  But the German team says their study shows that the diagnostic accuracy of cytology is almost as good as histology for mesothelioma – especially when doctors consider the patient’s hyaluronic acid level, too. Scientists from several German institutions analyzed cytology tests from more than 4,500 suspected cases of pleural mesothelioma. They conclude that cytology is accurate enough to be used routinely for diagnosis.  The Importance of…

Aussie Campaign Warns of Mesothelioma Risk for Homeowners
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Aussie Campaign Warns of Mesothelioma Risk for Homeowners

ByAlex Strauss

An ad campaign launched by Australia’s top asbestos awareness organization has issued a warning about the mesothelioma risk for homeowners doing renovations.  Asbestos is the number one cause of mesothelioma around the world. Australia has a long history with both asbestos and mesothelioma. The country banned asbestos in 2003 but there is still plenty of it around. Thousands of homes and buildings built before 1990 contain asbestos.  There is a mesothelioma risk for homeowners who come in contact with this asbestos. Mesothelioma is an aggressive and deadly cancer that can kill within months of diagnosis.  If people remodel or attempt renovations without having their home checked for asbestos first, the campaign says they are playing “renovation roulette” with their lives. …

The Role of Asbestos in Mesothelioma Development in Nordic Countries
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The Role of Asbestos in Mesothelioma Development in Nordic Countries

ByAlex Strauss

A new study of pleural mesothelioma in Nordic countries highlights the critical role of asbestos in mesothelioma development.  Asbestos is the primary cause of mesothelioma around the world. There are many statistics on the incidence of mesothelioma in countries that use asbestos. But there is not much information on mesothelioma incidence, mortality, and survival prior to the popularity of asbestos. This makes it difficult to quantify the influence of asbestos in mesothelioma development.  Researchers from the Czech Republic, Germany, Finland and China compiled the new information using the NORDCAN cancer database. The database includes statistics on mesothelioma in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden dating back as far as the 1940s.  Their analysis, published in BMC Cancer, is a sobering reminder…

Mesothelioma Risk to War Survivors Highlighted by Journalist’s Case
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Mesothelioma Risk to War Survivors Highlighted by Journalist’s Case

ByAlex Strauss

A new Italian case study highlights the mesothelioma risk to war survivors, including journalists and bystanders.  In an article in BMJ Case Reports, researchers from Rome detail the case of a war journalist who contracted mesothelioma after more than ten years in the field.  The male journalist worked in war zones in the Far and Near East. He inhaled a range of toxic substances including asbestos in the dust and smoke from destroyed buildings.  The new case report is a sobering reminder that bombs and bullets are not the only deadly threats in war-torn regions. Asbestos dust poses an often-overlooked mesothelioma risk to war survivors. Asbestos and its Link to Mesothelioma Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral. It is inexpensive, plentiful,…

Asbestos Deaths in Italy Top 4,000 Per Year Decades After Ban
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Asbestos Deaths in Italy Top 4,000 Per Year Decades After Ban

ByAlex Strauss

Researchers in Italy say there were 4,400 asbestos deaths in the country between 2010 and 2016 – more than two decades after the country banned the substance.  Italy was one of the main European producers of asbestos until the 1992 ban. The new report shows the destructive legacy asbestos can have on a country. Most of the asbestos deaths were from lung cancer or malignant mesothelioma. Some people also died of asbestosis or ovarian cancer. The research team says the numbers “suggest the need for appropriate interventions” to protect people from mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.  Mesothelioma is Not the Only Fatal Asbestos-Related Disease Asbestos is the primary cause of pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is even sometimes referred to…

Asbestos on Ships Still Poses a Mesothelioma Risk to Sailors
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Asbestos on Ships Still Poses a Mesothelioma Risk to Sailors

ByAlex Strauss

A new report warns that sailors are still at risk for malignant mesothelioma because of asbestos on ships – in spite of OSHA regulations. A pair of public health researchers authored the report which appears in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.  Sailors face a number of health risks, including malignant mesothelioma. But the authors of the new report say more studies focus on people who work in shipyards.  They say there is not enough attention on the mesothelioma risk among people who not only work but also live with asbestos on ships.  The Use of Asbestos on Ships Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral. It must be mined from the ground and then processed into various products….

New Study: Pure Talc is Not a Cause of Pleural Mesothelioma
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New Study: Pure Talc is Not a Cause of Pleural Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

New research out of Italy is further evidence that asbestos – and not other dusty minerals like talc – is almost always the cause of pleural mesothelioma. The evidence comes from a 50-year study of more than 1,700 Northern Italian talc miners and millers.  Talc and asbestos often lie close together in the ground. Some people who have worked in talc mines or even used talc products have developed malignant mesothelioma. Many of these mines and products were contaminated with asbestos. This makes it difficult to know if it was the talc or the asbestos that caused the cancer.  But the workers in the new study worked in a mine that was uncontaminated with asbestos. Analysis of their causes of death…