Tag Archives: asbestos danger

Mesothelioma Risk in Canadian Firefighters and Police

Mesothelioma Risk in Canadian Firefighters and Police

Firefighters and police usually work in high-stress, complex environments. And, these environments often have known and suspected hazardous and toxic exposures. A leading cause of mesothelioma is asbestos exposure. Asbestos is toxic and cancer-causing for human beings. Asbestos causes mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Canadian researchers published a new study in Occupational and Environmental Medicine. This new report characterizes cancer incidence among these occupations. Firefighters vs. Police The Canadian team used an Occupational Disease Surveillance System (ODSS) to identify workers. Then they compared compensation claims to the Ontario Cancer Registry. They found 36,267 people employed as firefighters or police in Ontario. In the final analysis, there were a total of 13,642 firefighters and 22,595 police. When compared with other workers, … Continue reading Mesothelioma Risk in Canadian Firefighters and Police »

Is Asbestos Fiber Type or Concentration More Important in Mesothelioma?

Is Asbestos Fiber Type or Concentration More Important in Mesothelioma?

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is strongly associated with occupational asbestos exposure. The total asbestos fiber concentration may be associated with an increased risk of mortality. Asbestos fiber type was not as important. A new study looked at different types and concentrations of asbestos fibers in the lung tissues of mesothelioma patients. The team investigated their effects on patient mortality. Asbestos Fiber Analyses A Finnish team of scientists identified 590 patients to study. All patients had malignant pleural mesothelioma and underwent pulmonary asbestos fiber analysis. A pulmonary asbestos fiber type analysis is a special clinical test. It extracts fibers and asbestos bodies from a patient’s lung tissue. Usually, this uses a digestion-and-concentration technique. The examination may even include electron diffraction and energy-dispersive … Continue reading Is Asbestos Fiber Type or Concentration More Important in Mesothelioma? »

Mesothelioma Verdicts Highlight the Asbestos Danger

Some large mesothelioma settlements this summer have resulted in more $25 million for victims of the disease from coast to coast. In New Orleans, former shipyard worker Leopold Granier, Jr. won his $1.5 million suit against Union Carbide, Avondale Shipyards and Cajun Insulation, alleging that the companies were negligent in allowing his exposure to cancer-causing asbestos.  Granier worked at the Avondale shipyard, which was once the largest employer in the state of Louisiana.  The jury found that the companies named in the suit produced products that were a “substantial and contributing cause” of Granier’s mesothelioma.  The shipyard is slated to close in 2013 because of reduced business from the Navy. In San Diego, a 70-year old Navy veteran won a $2.4 million … Continue reading Mesothelioma Verdicts Highlight the Asbestos Danger »

Mesothelioma and Other Cancers Caused by Asbestos Through DNA Damage

Countries Ban Asbestos to Reduce Mesothelioma Deaths

Exposure to crocidolite asbestos triggers enhanced DNA damage that can turn cells cancerous, according to a study published online September 25 in the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology. The discovery might one day lead to a new method of screening people who have been exposed to asbestos and are at risk for mesothelioma and other cancers. The connection between asbestos and cancers such as mesothelioma has been well documented. Because decades can pass before asbestos-related cancers are diagnosed, and patients with mesothelioma survive an average of just a few years, it is crucial to identify signs of increased cancer risk as early as possible. One way might be to look for DNA damage in patients who have been exposed … Continue reading Mesothelioma and Other Cancers Caused by Asbestos Through DNA Damage »