A Japanese Asbestos-Cement Plant and Mesothelioma

A Japanese Asbestos-Cement Plant and Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

Living near a facility that uses asbestos can increase your chances of getting mesothelioma. This is the finding of a study published in Cancer Science by researchers from Japan. The researchers looked at people who lived near a large-scale asbestos-cement plant in Amagasaki, Japan. History of Asbestos Use Asbestos is a naturally occurring material that can be found throughout the world. It is often used in manufacturing and construction because it is hard to set on fire and nearly impossible to corrode. It is also inexpensive to use because it does not have to be synthesized in a factory. Asbestos is also toxic and causes cancer in humans who breathe it in. It can cause mesothelioma, which is a cancer…

Asbestos Type Influences Mesothelioma Development

Asbestos Type Influences Mesothelioma Development

ByHolly Zink

A new report from South Korea shows that the type of asbestos exposure can influence the development of mesothelioma. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that has been found throughout the world. It was once called the “magic mineral” because of its seemingly magical properties. All these properties pale in comparison to the fact that asbestos is toxic and causes cancer in humans. Asbestos causes mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Asbestos is classified as a Class I Carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Sixty countries have bans on asbestos, but many developing countries still use this toxic material. South Korea, where this study took place, was a major consumer of asbestos in the late 1900s. It…