South Korean Mesothelioma Rates Still Rising Decades After Asbestos Ban
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South Korean Mesothelioma Rates Still Rising Decades After Asbestos Ban

ByAlex Strauss

A new report out of South Korea is proof that it can take many years for mesothelioma rates to decline even after implementing an asbestos ban. Asbestos is the number one cause of malignant mesothelioma worldwide. South Korea banned asbestos in 2009. But a report in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health shows the country will likely be dealing with the after-effects well into the future.  A national asbestos ban is a vital step toward fighting occupational cancer. But the new study is a sobering reminder that it cannot eliminate mesothelioma overnight.  Occupational Risk for Malignant Mesothelioma Mesothelioma can be a health hazard for anyone who ever worked with or around asbestos.  Once a worker inhales or…

Banning Asbestos Still Best Way to Prevent Mesothelioma
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Banning Asbestos Still Best Way to Prevent Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

A new Spanish report concludes that banning asbestos is the most effective way to prevent new cases of mesothelioma and asbestos-linked lung cancer.  Experts in epidemiology and occupational health conducted the research. Their report appears in a recent issue of the Spanish medical journal, Gaceta Sanitaria. The research shows that all types of asbestos raise the risk for lung cancer and mesothelioma and that some are extra dangerous. The study found that people exposed to needle-shaped amphibole asbestos fibers had the highest rates of illness.  They say the only way to fully protect people against both amphibole and serpentine asbestos (the other major category) is banning asbestos completely. Asbestos Restrictions in the US The US EPA, the Department of Health…

Atomic Military Veterans Faced Higher Risk From Asbestos Than Radiation
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Atomic Military Veterans Faced Higher Risk From Asbestos Than Radiation

ByAlex Strauss

A study published in a US medical journal shows atomic military veterans faced a higher risk from asbestos exposure during their service than they did from radiation.  The study published last summer focused on more than 100,000 veterans. These veterans participated in at least one of 230 above-ground nuclear weapons tests between 1945 and 1962. The tests took place at eight nuclear test sites.  Some soldiers participated in military maneuvers, observed nuclear weapons tests, or provided technical support. Others served on board ships or were stationed on islands during or after nuclear tests.  In spite of their proximity to radioactive weapons, atomic military veterans were more likely to die of an asbestos-related illness like mesothelioma than a radiation-related illness. The…

LA Woman’s Story is a Sobering Reminder to Watch for Signs of Pleural Mesothelioma
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LA Woman’s Story is a Sobering Reminder to Watch for Signs of Pleural Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

The plight of an LA actress who found out she had lung cancer because of a COVID test is a sobering reminder to be aware of the early signs of pleural mesothelioma. The woman’s story was recently featured on the Today Show website. Fifty-nine year old Annabelle Gurwitch is a non-smoker with no known lung cancer risk factors. She and her 23-year-old child decided to get COVID tests after her child came home from college.  Although the COVID test was negative, Gurwitch writes that doctors were concerned about her persistent cough. Ongoing cough can be a one of the early signs of pleural mesothelioma, too. An X-ray revealed that Gurwitch was suffering from Stage 4 lung cancer, the most common…

Canadian Study Highlights Occupational Mesothelioma Risk
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Canadian Study Highlights Occupational Mesothelioma Risk

ByAlex Strauss

A new study of more than 2 million Canadian workers is shining a spotlight on the occupational mesothelioma risk from asbestos exposure in several industries. The study included data on 2.18 million workers in the Occupational Disease Surveillance System (ODSS). These workers were employed from 1983 to 2014. The researchers followed the workers for years to see how many of them developed mesothelioma or a chronic lung disease called asbestosis.  They compiled the data on which industries had the most diagnoses. The results paint a sobering picture of the occupational mesothelioma risk to thousands of industrial workers. Asbestos and the Link to Mesothelioma Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that occurs naturally in the soil in many parts of the world….

The Ongoing Effort to Downplay the Dangers of Asbestos
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The Ongoing Effort to Downplay the Dangers of Asbestos

ByAlex Strauss

A pair of occupational medicine experts say the dangers of asbestos – particularly its ability to cause cancers like malignant mesothelioma – are still being downplayed by those who mine and sell it.  The report appears in a recent issue of the Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology. The authors are experts in the field from Hamburg University in Germany and Drexel University School of Public Health in Philadelphia. Scientists around the world have warned about the dangers of asbestos for decades. Asbestos is responsible for tens of thousands of mesothelioma deaths every year. In the US, about 2,500 people die of mesothelioma annually because of asbestos exposure. Early Recognition of the Dangers of Asbestos Asbestos is a fibrous mineral…

Early Mesothelioma Deaths a “Proxy” for Childhood Asbestos Exposure in Italy
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Early Mesothelioma Deaths a “Proxy” for Childhood Asbestos Exposure in Italy

ByAlex Strauss

A new study out of Italy is a sobering reminder of the devastating effects of early asbestos exposure.  Mesothelioma is rare in people under 50. But  the new study found about 35 Italians under 50 died of mesothelioma every year from 2003 to 2016. The highest number of deaths were among people from Northern industrialized parts of the country. These are the people most likely to experience environmental asbestos exposure as children.  The researchers say these early deaths indicate the toxicity of the environment in these regions – particularly to those who grew up there.  The Link Between Asbestos Exposure and Mesothelioma Malignant mesothelioma is an extremely rare cancer of internal membranes. It was almost unheard of before industrialization. Many…

Asbestos-Based Clutches and Brakes Linked to Cancer in Italian Workers
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Asbestos-Based Clutches and Brakes Linked to Cancer in Italian Workers

ByAlex Strauss

Italian researchers say cases of lung cancer among people who work with asbestos-based clutches and brakes in the country have probably been underestimated. And it remains to be seen how many of these workers end up contracting malignant mesothelioma. The study was led by occupational medicine experts from the province of Brescia. They focused on an Italian company that produced asbestos-based clutches and brakes for more than 20 years.  The team conducted an analysis of the workers’ likely asbestos exposure levels. These levels were compared to the incidence of asbestos-related diseases like lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural mesothelioma.  The conclusion? The risk is bigger than anyone realized.  Mesothelioma Risk from Asbestos-Based Clutches and Brakes Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that…

Asbestos Raises Mesothelioma Risk, Regardless of Type

Asbestos Raises Mesothelioma Risk, Regardless of Type

ByAlex Strauss

A new report led by the National Cancer Institute offers further evidence that every type of asbestos raises mesothelioma risk.  Scientists have known since the 1950s that asbestos is the main cause of mesothelioma. But some have argued that not all types of asbestos are equally dangerous. The new study refutes that idea. Researchers compared outcomes from people exposed to different kinds of asbestos. They conclude that asbestos raises mesothelioma risk, regardless of type.  Asbestos as a Carcinogen Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral. It has to be mined from the ground. Asbestos is strong, cheap, and impervious to heat and chemical erosion. It was a popular additive to many products before doctors realized that asbestos raises mesothelioma risk. The most…

Asbestos Causes Mesothelioma Through Release of This Protein, Study Finds
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Asbestos Causes Mesothelioma Through Release of This Protein, Study Finds

ByAlex Strauss

Some of the world’s top mesothelioma experts believe they now have a better understanding of how asbestos causes mesothelioma. The finding could help lead to more effective ways of treating it.  Malignant mesothelioma is a deadly cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. There is no cure. Once symptoms develop, many patients do not live beyond a year.  Scientists have known since the early 1900s that asbestos causes mesothelioma. But they are still trying to figure out exactly how. A new international study led by the University of Hawaii may help answer the question. Membrane Cells Under Attack Mesothelioma is a cancer of a mesothelial membrane. The most common mesothelial membrane where mesothelioma occurs is the pleura. The pleura is a…