The Role of Asbestos in Mesothelioma Development in Nordic Countries
A new study of pleural mesothelioma in Nordic countries highlights the critical role of asbestos in mesothelioma development. Asbestos is the primary cause of mesothelioma around the world. There are many statistics on the incidence of mesothelioma in countries that use asbestos. But there is not much information on mesothelioma incidence, mortality, and survival prior to the popularity of asbestos. This makes it difficult to quantify the influence of asbestos in mesothelioma development. Researchers from the Czech Republic, Germany, Finland and China compiled the new information using the NORDCAN cancer database. The database includes statistics on mesothelioma in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden dating back as far as the 1940s. Their analysis, published in BMC Cancer, is a sobering reminder…