Mesothelioma Carcinogenesis: Insights from Animal Studies on Chrysotile and Forsterite

Mesothelioma Carcinogenesis: Insights from Animal Studies on Chrysotile and Forsterite

ByHolly Zink

Mesothelioma, a severe cancer caused by asbestos, remains a global health issue. Specifically, chrysotile asbestos is common and very harmful. Recent research compared the cancer risks of chrysotile and a heat-treated form, forsterite. A new study is valuable for safer asbestos disposal in the future. Comparing Chrysotile and Forsterite A recent study checked if forsterite, made from heating chrysotile, could cause mesothelioma. They injected chrysotile, forsterite (FO-1000), and enstatite (EN-1500) into rats’ abdomens. Then, they studied mesothelioma development for 24 months. The results were clear. In the chrysotile group, 91.2% of rats developed peritoneal mesothelioma. However, no mesothelioma cases were found in the forsterite and enstatite groups. The study also measured urine 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine and blood N-ERC/mesothelin levels. Both were higher…

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…

Mesothelioma Risk in Consumer Products
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Mesothelioma Risk in Consumer Products

ByAlex Strauss

Tremolite asbestos is a non-commercial form of amphibole mineral found in some chrysotile, talc and vermiculite deposits.  Like all forms of asbestos, it carries the risk of asbestosis, lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma.  Although people who live or work around asbestos mines or work directly with asbestos-containing products are at greatest risk, tremolite may also pose a mesothelioma risk to consumers. A recent study by a California firm called ChemRisk is warning that hundreds of consumer products contain mesothelioma-causing tremolite.  To get an idea just how great the mesothelioma risk is, the group looked at the exposure-response relationship in two high-asbestos environments – the Thetford chrysotile mine in Canada and the vermiculite mine in Libby, Montana.  For people working in these…