Mesothelioma: A Public Health Issue Mesothelioma is a rare disease � only 2,000to 3,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the Unite...
Mesothelioma: A
Public Health Issue
Mesothelioma is a rare disease � only 2,000to 3,000 new cases are diagnosed each
year in the United States. However, in other countries, the incidence of
mesothelioma continues to increase. "Because of the history of the use of
asbestos and the known long latency between exposure and development of disease,
the incidence of this type of disease around the world is going to continue to
go up through the next two to three decades," Dr. Winton says. "There
are a lot of workers around the world who were exposed in an industrial setting
and who need to be carefully followed." If you think you have been exposed
to asbestos, let your doctor know and make sure you get regular checkups. As
with most cancers, early diagnosis is important to treating this disease.
Mesothelioma Risk Factors: While it is clear that the risks climb with more
intensive exposure over longer periods of time, some people have gotten
mesothelioma after only brief exposure to asbestos, while others who were
intensively exposed do not. "There is a lot of work being done to try to
find links to genetic predisposition to the disease," says Timothy Winton,
MD, an associate professor of surgery, and division director of thoracic
surgery, of the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. "There is also
often a co-morbid history of smoking or a genetic predisposition to
smoking-related problems. With many cancers �
and mesothelioma is one of them �
you may need multiple hits from different carcinogens before you developthe
disease." Mesothelioma Risk Factors: Simian Virus 40(SV40)
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