Risk of Mesothelioma in Shipyard Workers: Study on Lung Fiber Burden

Risk of Mesothelioma in Shipyard Workers: Study on Lung Fiber Burden

ByHolly Zink

Recently, researchers studied the lung fiber burden and mesothelioma risk in shipyard workers. They focused on those from the Monfalcone shipyard in Italy. The study aimed to understand how asbestos fibers affect the development of mesothelioma. Asbestos fibers are common in shipbuilding materials. Mesothelioma is a type of lung cancer. Mesothelioma Risk Factors Italian researchers conducted a study. They compared workers who had died from mesothelioma to those who had died from lung cancer. They analyzed the lung fiber content of these people. They used a scanning electron microscope with X-ray fluorescence. They followed guidelines from the European Respiratory Society. They also collected complete job histories to assess asbestos exposure. The results showed a strong link. It was between the…

Mesothelioma Linked to Shipbuilding Finally Falling in the UK
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Mesothelioma Linked to Shipbuilding Finally Falling in the UK

ByAlex Strauss

After decades of higher-than-normal rates of mesothelioma near dockyards, cases of mesothelioma linked to shipbuilding appear to be falling in the UK. The UK has one of the highest per capita rates of malignant mesothelioma in the world. A big part of that comes from the shipbuilding industry where asbestos was used extensively. Now, a new report suggests the scourge of mesothelioma linked to shipbuilding is finally beginning to taper off, even though deaths from mesothelioma have not.  Why is Mesothelioma Linked to Shipbuilding? Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral that is strong and impervious to heat and corrosion. That made it a good insulator and a choice building material for many decades. Unfortunately, asbestos is also highly toxic.  Before scientists…

Radiation Exposure Alone Unlikely to Cause Mesothelioma
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Radiation Exposure Alone Unlikely to Cause Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

A new study finds that low-dose occupational radiation exposure is unlikely to cause mesothelioma by itself. Instead, the study confirms what scientists have suspected for at least 60 years: The primary cause of mesothelioma is almost always asbestos.  The goal of the study was to see if radiation exposure by itself raises the risk for mesothelioma. Researchers analyzed three groups of people exposed to radiation on the job.   After reviewing more than 50 years worth of records, the team found that some workers were more likely than others to get malignant mesothelioma. But these were not the workers with the most radiation exposure. Radiation, Asbestos, and Mesothelioma A team of epidemiologists, cancer specialists, and radiation experts ran the new study….