Accurate Diagnosis of Pleural Mesothelioma with History and Imaging Only
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Accurate Diagnosis of Pleural Mesothelioma with History and Imaging Only

ByAlex Strauss

Medical history and CT imaging may be enough to make an accurate diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma, even without a biopsy. That finding comes from a team of French and Canadian researchers led by Universite Laval in Quebec.  Biopsy is usually considered critical for accurate diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma. But the French and Canadian team says imaging studies may provide enough information to make a diagnosis.  This could be especially good news for people who are not healthy enough to undergo thoracoscopy. Pleural Mesothelioma Diagnostic Procedure: First Steps Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that grows on the membranes around internal organs.  This cancer is rare and notoriously difficult to diagnose, especially in…

Talcum Powder Can Cause Mesothelioma New Study Shows
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Talcum Powder Can Cause Mesothelioma New Study Shows

ByAlex Strauss

A prestigious medical journal has published the strongest evidence yet that asbestos-tainted talcum powder can cause mesothelioma.  The new article appears in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. It involved 33 mesothelioma patients. In every case, each patient’s only known exposure to asbestos was through talcum powder.  In six cases, researchers went a step further to find asbestos fibers in the tissue samples.  “Asbestos of the type found in talcum powder was found in all six cases evaluated,” reports lead researcher Jacqueline Moline, MD. Dr. Moline is a professor and researcher at Hofstra University School of Medicine in New York.  Since there was no other way for these patients to have come in contact with asbestos, Moline and her…

Mesothelioma Among Construction Workers in Southern Italy
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Mesothelioma Among Construction Workers in Southern Italy

ByAlex Strauss

New research in Southern Italy highlights the global problem of mesothelioma among construction workers.  The research comes from occupational medicine experts at the University of Bari.  Scientists studied 178 cases of mesothelioma among construction workers in the Apulia region of Italy. The data shows that heavy asbestos exposure raised the odds of contracting mesothelioma by more than two-and-a-half times.  Asbestos and the Risk for Mesothelioma Asbestos is the primary cause of mesothelioma, in Italy and around the world. But for decades, almost no one knew that.  Tens of thousands of people worked with asbestos before scientists recognized the risk for mesothelioma among construction workers.  Asbestos was in dozens of construction products including cement, wall board, insulation, floor and ceiling tiles…

Mesothelioma Risk From Home Renovation in The Spotlight
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Mesothelioma Risk From Home Renovation in The Spotlight

ByAlex Strauss

The case of an Australian man is highlighting the mesothelioma risk from home renovation when asbestos is present.  Forty-two year old Matthew Werfel recently won a lawsuit against Amaca, the asbestos producer previously known as James Hardie. The company manufactured the asbestos-containing cement sheets that led to Werfel’s pleural mesothelioma. The record $3 million payout is an expensive warning to other DIY homeowners about the potential mesothelioma risk from home renovation. Asbestos in Construction Products Asbestos is a mineral that has to be mined from the ground. As early as the 1930’s, companies like James Hardie recognized its potential value as a construction material. Asbestos is strong, plentiful and resistant to heat and corrosion. It was used for decades to…

Study Highlights Link Between Mesothelioma Incidence and Ovarian Cancer
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Study Highlights Link Between Mesothelioma Incidence and Ovarian Cancer

ByAlex Strauss

New research shows ovarian cancer rates are highest in states with the highest mesothelioma incidence. Researchers say it is because both are linked to the carcinogen asbestos. Scientists have known since as early as the 1950s that asbestos causes cancer. Malignant mesothelioma is the cancer most commonly associated with asbestos exposure. But women with a history of asbestos exposure face a higher risk of ovarian cancer, too.  The new CDC study is a reminder that a higher mesothelioma incidence is not the only threat from asbestos. Asbestos and Mesothelioma Incidence Before asbestos was linked to mesothelioma, it was a popular insulator and building product additive. Most US buildings constructed before the 1980s contain some asbestos. The asbestos in these buildings…

Radiation Exposure Alone Unlikely to Cause Mesothelioma
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Radiation Exposure Alone Unlikely to Cause Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

A new study finds that low-dose occupational radiation exposure is unlikely to cause mesothelioma by itself. Instead, the study confirms what scientists have suspected for at least 60 years: The primary cause of mesothelioma is almost always asbestos.  The goal of the study was to see if radiation exposure by itself raises the risk for mesothelioma. Researchers analyzed three groups of people exposed to radiation on the job.   After reviewing more than 50 years worth of records, the team found that some workers were more likely than others to get malignant mesothelioma. But these were not the workers with the most radiation exposure. Radiation, Asbestos, and Mesothelioma A team of epidemiologists, cancer specialists, and radiation experts ran the new study….

Exposed to Asbestos? Lung Fluid Test May Waste Valuable Time
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Exposed to Asbestos? Lung Fluid Test May Waste Valuable Time

ByAlex Strauss

If you have been exposed to asbestos and your doctor sees a mesothelioma tumor on your CT scan, it may be a waste of time to do a lung fluid test, too. Many different types of cancer cause excess lung fluid or pleural effusions. Looking for cancer cells in pleural effusions is one of the ways doctors test for cancers like pleural mesothelioma. This is called effusion cytology. But a new study says this test may not be very reliable for people with malignant mesothelioma. If other factors point to mesothelioma, they say it makes more sense to skip effusion cytology and go straight to a biopsy. Mesothelioma Develops in People Exposed to Asbestos Pleural mesothelioma is a type of…

Risk for Mesothelioma Does Not Decline After Asbestos Exposure Stops
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Risk for Mesothelioma Does Not Decline After Asbestos Exposure Stops

ByAlex Strauss

A new report contains some disappointing news for former asbestos workers: The risk for mesothelioma does not go down when asbestos exposure stops. A team of US and Italian researchers reached that conclusion after combing the medical literature for studies on the risk for mesothelioma. Although the risk for several other cancers declines when the person is no longer in contact with the carcinogen, the study shows this does not apply to asbestos cancer. Asbestos Increases Mesothelioma Risk Asbestos is the primary cause of mesothelioma. It is a naturally-occurring mineral that is resistant to corrosion, does not burn, and makes an excellent insulator. Malignant mesothelioma was virtually unheard of until people started mining and using asbestos in industry. Since then,…

Environmental Group Calls for Oversight of Asbestos in Personal Care Products
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Environmental Group Calls for Oversight of Asbestos in Personal Care Products

ByAlex Strauss

Environmental experts say there’s a need for more oversight of asbestos in personal care products. Asbestos can cause malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis and other serious health problems. Although the FDA says it is not allowed in personal care products, several retailers have gotten in trouble recently for traces of asbestos in personal care products. Some face lawsuits. Why is Asbestos in Personal Care Products? Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral that is heat resistant, won’t burn, and doesn’t corrode. It is also plentiful and inexpensive. There was a time when dozens of household products, from Christmas decor to hairdryers –  contained asbestos. But after the government learned about the link between asbestos and mesothelioma, they passed strict rules about asbestos…

Childhood Environmental Asbestos Exposure and Malignant Mesothelioma
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Childhood Environmental Asbestos Exposure and Malignant Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

Environmental asbestos exposure in childhood can dramatically raise the risk for malignant mesothelioma later in life. That is the finding of new mesothelioma research conducted in Denmark. The study appears in the newest issue of Occupational & Environmental Medicine. It included more than 12,000 people who attended school near an asbestos cement plant during a 30-year period. Researchers discovered that kids educated near the plant were much more likely to receive a mesothelioma diagnosis as adults. Environmental Asbestos Exposure in Danish Children Asbestos was once thought to be an ideal component of building products such as insulation, roof tiles, and cement. It has high tensile strength, is impervious to heat and flame, and is and highly resistant to corrosion. On…