Study Links Naturally Occurring Asbestos With Cancer
No Treatment Currently Available For Mesothelioma
POSTED: Wednesday, July 13, 2005
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A University of California study confirms the danger of living near pockets of naturally occurring asbestos.UC Davis researchers found everyday exposure can be deadly. Even in a natural setting, asbestos causes mesothelioma, a form of cancer affecting the lining of the lungs. Exposure is more common when asbestos has been disturbed by such activities as construction."It is a highly lethal cancer," said lead researcher Marc Schenker, chairman of the UC Davis Department of Public Health Sciences.
According to experts, there is currently no treatment for mesothelioma, and it is generally fatal within one year of the diagnosis.A particularly toxic form of asbestos called tremolite is found in a type of rock that occurs throughout many northern and central California mountains.The results will be published in an upcoming issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. "Our findings indicate that the risks from exposure to naturally occurring asbestos, while low, are real and should be taken seriously," Schenker said.The researchers looked at 10 years' worth of mesothelioma cases compared to a control group and used sophisticated geographic information to pinpoint individuals' homes.The odds of having mesothelioma fell by 6 percent for every six miles farther a person lived from the nearest asbestos source. The association was strongest in men but was also seen in women."We showed that breathing asbestos in your community is not magically different from breathing asbestos in an industrial setting," researcher Laurel Beckett said in a news release. "It would have been a surprise to find otherwise."About 2,500 people a year die from mesothelioma in the United States, according to National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health statistics.Schenker said that one of the important considerations in the study is that the cases seen now relate to exposures that occurred 20 to 30 years ago.
- Video: Study Documents Asbestos Dangers
- Map: Naturally Occurring Asbestos In California
- Chart: Mesothelioma Odds (pdf)
According to experts, there is currently no treatment for mesothelioma, and it is generally fatal within one year of the diagnosis.A particularly toxic form of asbestos called tremolite is found in a type of rock that occurs throughout many northern and central California mountains.The results will be published in an upcoming issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. "Our findings indicate that the risks from exposure to naturally occurring asbestos, while low, are real and should be taken seriously," Schenker said.The researchers looked at 10 years' worth of mesothelioma cases compared to a control group and used sophisticated geographic information to pinpoint individuals' homes.The odds of having mesothelioma fell by 6 percent for every six miles farther a person lived from the nearest asbestos source. The association was strongest in men but was also seen in women."We showed that breathing asbestos in your community is not magically different from breathing asbestos in an industrial setting," researcher Laurel Beckett said in a news release. "It would have been a surprise to find otherwise."About 2,500 people a year die from mesothelioma in the United States, according to National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health statistics.Schenker said that one of the important considerations in the study is that the cases seen now relate to exposures that occurred 20 to 30 years ago.
Distributed by Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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