Global Asbestos Mesothelioma: 174,300 Dead or Dying

Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, JapanAsbestos has long been viewed as a trigger for mesothelioma, an incurable disease that can lay in wait for as long as 30 to 50 years before emerging. And while little is known about the global impact of mesothelioma, a scientific paper appearing online this month in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) and published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) has at least come up with a number for global deaths and cases attributable to mesothelioma.

A research team led by Ken Takahashi utilized all available data on mesothelioma frequency and asbestos use for all countries possessing available data, calculating the 15-year cumulative number of mesothelioma cases from 1994 through 2008, "and assessed its relationship with levels of cumulative asbestos use during 1920–1970," the researchers said. "We used this relationship to predict the number of unreported mesotheliomas in countries for which no information on mesothelioma is available but which have recorded asbestos use."

The resulting data and analysis revealed about 174,300 mesothelioma cases occurring in concert with asbestos exposure and asbestos use within the group of 56 countries with available data.

"Our most important finding is the magnitude of unreported mesothelioma in countries that use asbestos at substantial levels but report no cases of the disease," said study co-author Takahashi, of the University of Occupational and Environmental Health in Japan. Such countries include Russia, Kazakstan China and India, which rank in the top 15 countries for cumulative asbestos use.

It was also found that cumulative asbestos use in 89 countries (accounting for more than 82 percent of the global population in the year 2000) totaled in excess of 65 million metric tons from 1920 through 1970, researchers said.

A telling observation by Takahashi is that researchers' estimates may be conservative because both asbestos use and incidents of mesothelioma may be under-reported in some regions of the world.

He noted that mesothelioma can be prevented by simply eliminating all exposure to asbestos, and called upon all countries of the world to ban the mining, use and export of asbestos.

Many countries have, but not all. In the US, asbestos has long been linked to asbestos cancer, and regulators, together with the manufacturing industry, have taken steps to minimize its use in products such as wallboard and insulation. However, asbestos is still used in the manufacture of some products—including brake shoes—and while workers are better protected today than they were 30, 40 or 50 years ago, more recent cases of emerging asbestos mesothelioma point to exposure anywhere from 30 to 50 years previously. Many of these cases have lead to asbestos claims.

And while asbestos is a known carcinogen and a trigger for mesothelioma, some employers continue to ignore the concern—especially in the renovation industry, where old buildings are found to contain asbestos insulation. Asbestos abatement within the current regulatory framework can be an expensive proposition. Some small renovators have been known to ignore the risks in the interest of saving money, putting themselves or their employees at risk. Asbestos lawsuits can also ensue.

With one caveat: exposure to asbestos today could lead to the pursuit of asbestos compensation 30 years out. Given the findings of Takahashi and his researchers, it appears as if Mesothelioma Lawsuits will always have a presence in the global village.