Asbestos and Cancer

A study coordinated by the pulmonologist Dr. Josep Tarrés, published in Archives of Bronconeumología, noted the importance of diseases related to asbestos or asbestos, ERA, in the areas of influence of a pollutant center beyond occupational exposure and at the same time, as the consequences of both malignant (mesothelioma) or benign can occur for a long time until 20 years after exposure, making the asbestos-related diseases in a public health problem.

To evaluate and assess the importance of disease was the Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery through the Area EROM (Occupational Respiratory Diseases and the Environment) has launched an online registration survey and monitoring of workers with a history of contact asbestos supplementing the National Register of mesothelioma.

Asbestos is a fibrous mineral commonly considered cancer-causing agent used in the industry. Inhalation will cause various diseases, both benign (pleural plaques, pleural thickening, pleural effusions, rounded atelectasis, asbestosis and chronic airflow obstruction, bronchial) or malignant (mesothelioma or carcinoma arising in cancer). The study covers Dr.Tarrés entire area of influence of the cement factory Uralita of Cerdanyola (Barcelona) who served between 1907 pollutant focus to 1997.

This retrospective study has met, reviewed and validated cases diagnosed in the centers of the affected area from 1970 to 2006 and cases were classified according to their source of exposure: occupational, or environmental coexistence. As usual in uncontaminated area is 10 cases per year of asbestos-related illnesses per million inhabitants, while in area near the factory have more than 95. In the number one killer of them, mesothelioma (pleural cancer) rate goes from 1 to 3 per million population to 47 cases. Living in an area near the factory manifold, of 47 the chance of developing fatal lung cancer. And the cases continue to grow at a fast pace because the disease can manifest itself until 20 years later.

Of the 559 patients diagnosed 1107 cases were identified asbestos-related diseases, which means that 40.9% had a single ERA, 36.4% had 2 and 22.7% had 3 or more. Another relevant data that reveals the study is the high incidence of respiratory affectations for the people who never worked in the factory. A third of those affected by asbestos are environmental, ie sickened from breathing asbestos fibers floating in the air (23%) or living (15%) who fell ill along the fibers that workers brought home on clothes. Some 62% of patients suffered was a direct occupational exposure. These data show the impact it can have a pollutant source in the general population and extends the problem of employment context to the category of public health.

When conducting the analysis by source of exposure was also found a higher proportion of males in the occupational exposure ERA in accordance with the increased presence of sex workers in this factory, while the ERA by cohabitation affects women twice . Environmental exposure in most cases back to being boys. Dr. Cristina Martinez EROM Area Coordinator (Occupational and Environmental Lung Disease) from SEPAR explains that “while the asbestos is not used since a total ban in 2002, due to its long latency period effects are still present in the current population .

Its wide use in different sectors: shipbuilding, construction, thermal … makes their effects can be considered a public health issue of unquestionable today. ” The Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery has begun Health, Pharmacy, Psychology, Beauty, register on line Medicamentosun examinations in workers with a history of contact with asbestos. “The goal is to identify the largest number of workers affected, in order to ensure the most suitable monitoring of their disease.”

This completes the record held by Spanish Group for Pleural Mesothelioma (GEMEP), within the area of Oncology, SEPAR, with pleural mesothelioma patients in 52 hospitals in all the Autonomous participants. The inclusion of cases was carried out between April 2008 and March 2009, and includes more than 100 patients. The purpose of registration is to increase awareness of the illness., Exposure to risk, improve the diagnosis and treatment and survival analysis.