| Asbestos Awareness Week April 2011 The annual National Asbestos Awareness Week kicked off on April 1 in Atlanta, Ga. with the Annual International Asbestos Awareness Conference. The conference was sponsored by the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), a group committed to education, advocacy and support of mesothelioma patients and their families. The ADAO's goal is to serve as the united voice for all asbestos victims and educate the public and medical community about asbestos-related diseases. They support research that leads to earlier detection, prevention and a cure for asbestos-related diseases. Each year, the international conference strives to unite scientists and doctors with patients and their families to discuss new treatments for malignant mesothelioma and advocate ways to prevent further asbestos exposure. Asbestos exposure has been linked to mesothelioma, an uncommon and aggressive form of cancer that affects the vital linings of the lungs and abdomen. Organizers believe that knowledge is power in spreading the global message to end asbestos disease. The conference, which ran from April 1-3, provides information and inspiration to those impacted by asbestos-related disease as well as others who advocate safe working environments. Topics addressed at the conference included advanced medical, occupational and environmental information to prevent home, school and work-related asbestos exposure. The conference also honors the people who attempt to bring a higher level of awareness to the toxic effects of asbestos. This year, U.S. Senator Max Baucus will be honored for his steadfast commitment and determination to ban asbestos in the United States. Through Mr. Baucus' hard work, a resolution was passed to declare the first week of April as National Asbestos Awareness Week in order to "raise public awareness about the prevalence of asbestos-related diseases and the dangers of asbestos exposure." In 2004, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that 10,000 people in the United States and 107,000 worldwide died from asbestos-related diseases. Organizations like the ADAO struggle to prevent the spread of asbestos around the world. Their continued efforts work to reduce the growing asbestos public health problem that affects families across the globe. Additional information about mesothelioma and how you can help raise asbestos awareness may be found through the Mesothelioma Center. |
| New Mesothelioma Biomarker Emerges as Prime Target for Chemotherapy Drugs A 2010 study sponsored by the National Institute of Health and the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation identified a new biomarker that may make chemotherapeutic treatments for mesothelioma more effective. |
| Advantages and Disadvantages of a Pleurectomy Decortication for Pleural Mesothelioma A 2011 review of 11 previously published papers concluded that in the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma, surgical removal of the tumors may be more effective at extending a patient's life span than palliative care. |
| Mesothelioma Study Reveals Chemical Processes Triggered by Asbestos As an established carcinogen, asbestos poses a number of serious health risks. While it is a prominent factor in asbestosis, one of the most aggressive illnesses associated with the mineral is pleural mesothelioma, a cancer that develops in the lining of the lungs. An Italian study led by Lorella Pascolo implemented synchrotron soft X-ray imaging and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) microscopy to examine the chemical makeup of the affected area. The study also revealed potential ways these chemicals could dictate the body's reaction to foreign asbestos fibers. |
| Mesothelioma Incidence Found to be Higher in Industrialized Countries According to research conducted by the University of Occupational and Environmental Health, more than 125 million people around the world come into contact with asbestos on the job each year. This carcinogen causes over 90,000 yearly fatalities, and incidence rates are far higher in industrialized countries. |
| New Diagnostic Test Facilitates Earlier Detection in Pleural Mesothelioma Patients On April 4 in Orlando, Fla., a research team led by Dr. Harvey Pass discussed the results of a novel test used to detect pleural mesothelioma in its early stages. These researchers believe the incidence of pleural mesothelioma in the United States is approximately 3,000 new cases per year and is not expected to peak until about 2030. |
| Mesothelioma Screening Using Plasma Samples May Increase Accuracy of Diagnosis Biomarkers are one of the most relevant tools for the early diagnosis of mesothelioma. Although the cancer is typically not detected until its later stages, new screening tests look for the presence of these proteins in a patient's blood or tissue samples to detect mesothelioma. |
| Mesothelioma Risk from Asbestos on World War II Ships Asbestos has been used around the world for decades to prevent fire in cities and ships. The advanced weaponry that was created during World War II required nations and militaries around the world to develop new techniques of preventing damage from fire. |
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