When we hear about occupational asbestos exposure, we often think of constructions workers and emergency responders, but the textile industry is also to blame for exposing their workers to this highly toxic mineral fiber. A report published recently in the journal Lung Cancer claims that textile workers exposed to asbestos are at a high risk of dying of lung cancer and other cancers, including mesothelioma. This rare cancer of the protective lining of the lungs, heart, chest and abdomen is caused almost exclusively by prolonged asbestos exposure.
Researchers from The Chinese University of Hong Kong authored the report, which was based on the results of a study that tracked the employment and health status of 577 Chinese textile workers exposed to chrysotile asbestos from 1972 to 2008. Of the 259 worker deaths, 53 were caused by lung cancer and two by malignant mesothelioma. The results showed that workers with high asbestos exposure were twice as likely to die of lung cancer as those in the low exposure group.
The study results were published right around the same time that Reuters reported that the World Bank warned China that chronic non-communicable diseases, including lung cancer, account for over 80 percent of all deaths in China. It is also important to remember that many cases of chronic non-communicable diseases are generally underreported in countries like China, where there is high cumulative use of asbestos and fewer occupational safety regulations in place.
Related posts:
- Pleural Mesothelioma: Combination Therapy Shows Promise for Rare, Deadly Cancer Caused by Asbestos
- U.K. Government Releases ?Shocking? Mesothelioma Stats
- Genetic Link to Mesothelioma Discovered
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