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Pleural Mesothelioma Prevention

The fact is that virtually every person living in an urban setting has been exposed to asbestos fibers at some point in their life (and environmental exposure can occur in rural settings in locations where asbestos naturally forms). However, in most cases this exposure has been in very low concentrations. The key to mesothelioma prevention is to avoid asbestos, but it is almost impossible to avoid it altogether.

This points to a fundamental fact about mesothelioma and asbestos lung cancer as well as non-malignant asbestos diseases; the speed at which the disease develops and its severity is related to the amount of exposure. It also has to do with the individual's genetic makeup and lifestyle; for example, some people can breathe asbestos their entire lives and never develop mesothelioma (although asbestosis is likely), whereas others may develop mesothelioma as the result of a single heavy exposure.

Tobacco use can also greatly exacerbate a person's chances of developing mesothelioma or asbestos lung cancer when asbestos exposure is factored in; according to some sources, tobacco users who have suffered asbestos exposure increase their cancer risk by as much as 90 percent. (Incredibly, the British-American Tobacco Company, which markets Kent cigarettes, once used a filter on their product made from blue crocidolite asbestos – one of the most deadly varieties.)

Types of Asbestos

"Asbestos" is a term used to describe a number of minerals that are chemically similar to rock, but have unusual properties that allow them to be woven and mixed into various materials. Approximately 95 percent of all asbestos used in commercial products consists of "white" asbestos, or chrysotile. These fibers are relatively soft and curly, but can cause abrasions on the interior surfaces of the lung. This causes the formation of scar tissue, which results in asbestosis and other asbestos-related conditions.

The other type of asbestos is called amphibole. The amphibole fibers are long, hard and needle-like; they can literally puncture the lungs and reach the lung lining.

Three different varieties of amphibole asbestos were used in a wide variety of industrial and construction applications. "Blue"crocidolite was very effective as an electrical insulator, while "brown" amosite was highly resistant to caustic and corrosive chemicals. A third type, tremolite, was never used commercially, but was a common contaminant in building materials and some art supplies.

Non-Asbestos Causes of Mesothelioma

Although not conclusively proven, there are indications that zeolite (found in eastern Turkey) and taconite (a byproduct of iron mining) may contribute to mesothelioma. While not asbestiform, particles of these minerals do have a crystalline structure similar to amphibole asbestos.

Other suspects are thorium dioxide, a radioactive substance used to process X-ray photographs, and a virus known as SV40, which contaminated some batches of polio vaccine in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Pleural Mesothelioma Prevention Advice

Obviously, the best form of mesothelioma prevention is to avoid asbestos exposure (and tobacco use if you have already been exposed to asbestos). Amphibole asbestos has been outlawed in most countries, but chrysotile is still found in over 3,000 products in the United States alone; in addition, many consumer products from China contain different forms of asbestos.

People who work in construction, automotive or industrial trades should protect themselves by wearing respirators with HEPA filters when working in enclosed areas where asbestos may be a factor. The few industries that remain in the United States are legally required to post asbestos safety guidelines; familiarize yourself with them if you work in such an industry.

Many older homes and buildings constructed before 1980 contain asbestos materials; you should not attempt to remove this yourself however. Call trained and licensed asbestos abatement workers.

Sources

1. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_2X_What_are_the_risk_factors_for_malignant_mesothelioma_29.asp?sitearea
2. Bowker, Michael. Fatal Deception: The Untold Story of Asbestos (New York: Touchstone, 2003)
3. "Boysenberries Seen to Impede Asbestos-Induced Mesothelioma". Environmental Health News, 8 February 2007.
4. “More Scientists and Educators Smoke Kent With the Micronite Filter Than Any Other Cigarette!” Advertisement, New York Mirror, 20 November 1960.