Covering Mesothelioma Changes in Western Australia: Understanding Asbestos Connections

Covering Mesothelioma Changes in Western Australia: Understanding Asbestos Connections

ByHolly Zink

Back in 1984, Australia took a big step by partly banning asbestos. But worries remained about people being around asbestos in the environment and outside of work. A new study looked at mesothelioma changes in Western Australia over 60 years since they started keeping track. Mesothelioma Over 60 Years Experts checked every case of mesothelioma reported to the Western Australia Cancer Registry. They looked at who got it, how they were exposed to asbestos, and how long it took for the cancer to show up after being around asbestos. They found over 2,700 mesothelioma cases, mostly in men (84.7%). People usually get diagnosed around 70 years old. And it took about 47 years from being near asbestos to get diagnosed….

Unveiling the Mesothelioma Risk Posed by Exposure to Asbestos
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Unveiling the Mesothelioma Risk Posed by Exposure to Asbestos

ByHolly Zink

Asbestos is a toxic mineral found naturally throughout the world. Exposure to asbestos can cause people to develop mesothelioma, which is a rare and aggressive cancer. A new study looked how the risk for developing mesothelioma and lung cancer for people who live around asbestos in Tehran, Iran. Asbestos: A Fireproof, Deadly Fiber Even though asbestos is toxic to humans, people have used it in many industries because of its special qualities. It is almost impossible to set it on fire, it is nearly impossible to corrode, and it is composed of fibers so that it can be woven into other materials. It is also cheap because it can be taken out of the ground and does not have to…

Countries Ban Asbestos to Reduce Mesothelioma Deaths

Countries Ban Asbestos to Reduce Mesothelioma Deaths

ByHolly Zink

A new study published in BMJ Global Health has found that most countries ban asbestos to reduce mesothelioma cases. This study was an international collaboration. Authors were based in research centers located in Japan, Taiwan, and Australia. The authors found a strong relationship between asbestos bans and pre-ban mesothelioma burden in the country. Countries with a high number of mesothelioma cases were more likely to ban the use of asbestos. Asbestos Causes Cancer in Humans Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. The Global Burden of Diseases Study estimates that 29,300 people around the world die each year from mesothelioma. Asbestos is a naturally occurring material found throughout the world. It is almost impossible to set on…

Global Call for Asbestos Hazardous Waste Management Strategies
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Global Call for Asbestos Hazardous Waste Management Strategies

ByHolly Zink

A new report in the Journal of Environmental Management warns that asbestos-bans should be supported by coordinated asbestos hazardous waste management strategies. Asbestos is classified as a Class I Carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Sixty countries have bans on asbestos. The US, China, India, and Russia are not among them. Nonetheless, asbestos is still part of the daily life of the population as asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) are still present in many buildings constructed and renovated before the 1990s. Asbestos has been used by many automobile, construction, manufacturing, power, and chemical industries for many years. Asbestos was a popular insulator because it resists heat and flame. The identification and coordinated management of asbestos hazardous waste is…

A Global Guide to Asbestos Consumption and Ending Mesothelioma
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A Global Guide to Asbestos Consumption and Ending Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

The World Health Organization (WHO) is working to end asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma. This means the end of asbestos use and consumption. New data shows the association between deaths from mesothelioma and asbestos consumption. Ecological studies play an important part in public health policy. The new Australian publication provides updated numbers about mesothelioma populations around the world. What We Knew About Mesothelioma and Asbestos 15 Years Ago A 2007 report provided clear evidence about the connection between asbestos and mesothelioma. But since that first report, only a few countries have implemented asbestos bans. Many developing countries continue to consume asbestos. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that has been found throughout the world. It was once called the “magic mineral”…

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 Bans Not a Quick Fix for Rising Mesothelioma Incidence
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Asbestos Bans Not a Quick Fix for Rising Mesothelioma Incidence

ByAlex Strauss

A new study is further evidence that asbestos bans are not a quick fix for the global problem of malignant mesothelioma incidence.  Researchers in China and the US just released a worldwide research study on the asbestos cancer. The study included 21 regions in 195 countries and territories and spanned 27 years.  The authors say mesothelioma incidence does decrease after asbestos bans. But the decrease can take decades. In the meantime, they say many countries need to do a better job of tracking and managing mesothelioma cases.  Asbestos and Mesothelioma Incidence Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer with a poor prognosis. Exposure to asbestos is its only known cause. People with mesothelioma often die of this cancer in less than…

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…

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…