Asbestos and Mesothelioma Risk
The risk of development of lung cancer was higher for anyone with increased years of exposure to asbestos fibre...
Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) May 06, 2014
Two lung cancer experts from a cancer center in Amsterdam say a study of Dutch construction workers proves why safe asbestos handling laws are so important. An article on their insights has just been posted on the Surviving Mesothelioma website. Click here to read it.
Pulmonologists Dr. Paul Baas and Dr. JA Burgers of the AVL/NKI Cancer Center analyzed a major study of more than 58,000 construction workers that found the risk of lung and laryngeal cancers and mesothelioma are higher with higher asbestos exposure.
“The risk of development of lung cancer was higher for anyone with increased years of exposure to asbestos fibre combined with a smoking habit,” writes Dr. Baas.
But the doctors also point out that there is still a potential mesothelioma risk from a single asbestos exposure. Their observations were published in a recent issue of the Dutch medical journal, Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde and suggest that asbestos handling guidelines are not just for abatement professionals.
“Although the risk gets higher with longer exposure, this article is a reminder that even a small amount of asbestos can be dangerous, especially if you are a smoker,” says Alex Strauss, Managing Editor of Surviving Mesothelioma. “This is why the EPA recommends that homeowners never try to handle or remove asbestos themselves. The risk for mesothelioma is just too high.”
To learn more about the details of this research, see How Much Asbestos Causes Mesothelioma, available now on the Surviving Mesothelioma website.
Baas, P and Burgers, JA, “Is one single exposure to asbestos life-threating?”, March 4, 2014, Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24780577
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