Asbestos
Asbestos is a known carcinogen and was a popular mineral used in building materials until the 1980’s. Due to overwhelming evidence that asbestos exposure is directly correlated with mesothelioma cancer, regulations in the United States were put into place and asbestos mining eventually ceased in 2002.
Despite its toxic properties, the mineral’s use is not banned in the U.S. and it is still imported regularly. More than eight million pounds of asbestos was imported into the country over the last decade and asbestos-containing products are still imported every day. Mining has come to an end in both the U.S. and Canada, so the United States now relies heavily on countries that still outsource the toxin.
The mineral can still be found in the flooring, piping and walls of older homes, schools and other structures across the U.S. Though relatively harmless when left intact, asbestos becomes dangerous when the product breaks down, causing fibers to become airborne and pose an inhalation risk.
Mesothelioma
Once inhaled or ingested, the fibers embed themselves into the lining of the lungs, heart, or abdomen where mesothelioma may develop. This particular cancer has an abnormally long latency period, and those exposed to asbestos won’t know its effects for 15 to 50 years when the first symptoms arise. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer, affecting about 3,000 people annually in the U.S. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates 125 million people worldwide are exposed to asbestos and more than 107,000 workers die each year from contracting mesothelioma while working.
Those at a higher risk of developing mesothelioma include, but are not limited to, construction workers, firefighters, military members, shipyard workers, mechanics, power, and chemical plant employees, boiler workers, and school and hospital employees.
There is no cure for mesothelioma, but advancements in cancer care have shown promise for those suffering. Through early detection and a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and even immunotherapy or clinical trials, some mesothelioma patients experience shrinking or in a few cases, complete removal of their tumors. Important considerations indetermining a mesothelioma treatment plan include what stage the cancer is in, the affected site, the age of the patient and the cell type.
Often, mesothelioma specialists will recommend a multimodal approach to treatment, which uses a combination of treatments. These combinations typically consist of a neoadjuvant therapy (radiation to shrink the tumor size), a primary treatment (surgery to remove the tumor), and an adjuvant therapy like chemo to kill any remaining cancer cells.
A study from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Database with information from almost 14,000 malignant pleural mesothelioma cases from 1979-2009 revealed that black patients were more likely to be younger, female, and have an advanced stage of cancer, limiting their ability to undergo surgery. The study went on to suggest that surgical intervention for black patients with early-stage diagnoses could help improve their survival rate.
The study also revealed that the incidence of malignant pleural mesothelioma is significantly lower in black patients than white ones. SEER researchers believe this may be due to the lower number of black workers in occupations where asbestos is or has been used. Additionally, fewer blacks served in the U.S. Navy compared to their white counterparts — a historically common source of asbestos exposure for men.
Are you at risk?
If you or a loved one worked in an industry involving asbestos use or have any concern that asbestos exposure has occurred, seek preventative medical attention immediately. Early detection through regular monitoring could significantly increase the rate of survival.