Study Explores Potential Genetic Aspect of Absestos-Related Mesothelioma
There may be a gene that predisposes a person to developing mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos.
Researchers involved in a new study indicate that there may be a genetic component to the risk of developing mesothelioma cancer after being exposed to asbestos, following an examination of clusters of the deadly lung cancer among family members. In the mesothelioma study, which was published last month in the medical journal Cancer Epidemiology, researchers from the Lazio Regional Health Service and Sapienza University in Italy analyzed clusters of mesothelioma diagnoses among family members, indicating that familial instances of the cancer accounted for approximately 3.4% of all mesothelioma cases. If you believe you have been adversely affected by side effects of asbestos exposure, our consumer advocates at the Leading Justice can help put you in touch with an attorney who has experience handling asbestos-related mesothelioma claims.
Asbestos-Related Mesothelioma Cancer
Mesothelioma is a deadly form of cancer that attacks the lining of the body’s internal organs, and is only known to be caused by exposure to asbestos dust or fibers. Mesothelioma is associated with a very short life expectancy because it is often not diagnosed until decades after the initial asbestos exposure, when the cancer is already at a very advanced stage. Because of this long latency period, cases of mesothelioma cancer continue to be diagnosed throughout the country today, even though asbestos has been banned for more than 30 years. In fact, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), asbestos use peaked in 1973 in the U.S., but the number of diagnosed cases of mesothelioma is just peaking today.
Mesothelioma Linked to Secondary Asbestos Exposure
In the study, Italian researchers analyzed 997 cases of individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma over a 32-year period, and found 13 clusters and 34 cases with familial links, the most common being clusters that affected siblings, but not parents. “The results suggest potential genetic recessive effects in mesothelioma that interact with asbestos exposure,” the researchers wrote, “but it is not possible to estimate the specific proportion attributable to each of these components.” As the number of cases of mesothelioma cancer caused by first-hand exposure to asbestos continue to grow in the United States, so too do the number of cases of mesothelioma related to secondary asbestos exposure.
Contact a Qualified Mesothelioma Attorney Today
According to recent reports, in addition to workers directly exposed to dangerous asbestos dust and fibers on the job, a growing number of mesothelioma cases have been diagnosed in recent years involving spouses and children who breathed in fibers carried home on the clothing or in the hair of family members who worked directly with the material. As a result, more than 600,000 individuals in the United States have pursued asbestos lawsuits against more than 6,000 defendants, after being diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or other asbestos-related illnesses. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a deadly disease like mesothelioma, and you believe asbestos exposure to be the cause, contact a knowledgeable mesothelioma lawyer today to discuss your legal options.
[box type=”note” align=”aligncenter” ]Source: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187778211400037X[/box]