Mesothelioma, a rare cancer affecting the lining of the lungs, chest wall, and abdominal cavity, is caused by toxin-induced inflammation of this membrane, a thin layer of cells known as the mesothelium. Up until the late 1970s, mesothelioma had only been attributed to exposure to asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral used for many years in different industrial and commercial products. Exposure was, for the most part, occupational in nature.

But, as a recent report by Myron Levin of FairWarning.org indicates, there may indeed be yet another toxic culprit responsible for mesothelioma deaths across the world; erionite. Erionite is yet another naturally-occurring mineral, of which, exposure to has now been correlated directly with the development of mesothelioma in communities located within the vicinity of these natural deposits. Perhaps there was no more troubling a lens into the toxicity of erionite than in the small villages of Turkey, designated “cancer villages,” where mesothelioma was attributed as the cause of death for 40-50% of the villagers.

Animal testing performed in mice indicated that toxicity of the mineral was 500 times more carcinogenic than asbestos, leading researchers to conclude that erionite was “almost certainly the most toxic naturally-occurring fibrous mineral known.”

While the devastation of near entire communities as a result of erionite exposure in Turkey was indeed disturbing, the fact was that it seemed like a distant epidemic. But now, more disturbing is that we are learning about how truly pervasive erionite exposure could potentially become- even in the continental United States. The truth is that there are dozens of validated erionite deposits throughout the Western United States. Despite the known hazards, there is still little public knowledge of the inherent risk.

Mindful that the hazard likely requires some federal level of response, next week the National Institutes of Health and Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Geological Survey will meet next week to discuss the risks of erionite and other hazardous minerals.

“At a minimum, we can begin to start to educate the public and policymakers,” said Dr. Aubrey Miller, a representative of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. “I certainly don’t want to count bodies later,” he added.

Likely driving domestic oversight efforts was the recent disclosure that erionite was found in North Dakota road gravel, which covered hundreds of miles of unpaved roads, including those along school bus and recreational vehicle sites.

Recently, unnerving amounts of asbestos were discovered in a public housing community in Wilmington, NC according to a report by the WECT News Channel 6 news team. It was the discovered that the complex, which was already scheduled for renovations, has not only asbestos in vacant buildings but in occupied buildings as well.

Community members are concerned about the risks this latest discovery poses on them and their children despite being assured there are no risks. However, many parents in the community claim that they believe that many of the respiratory problems of those in the area are a direct result of on going asbestos exposure. Asbestos is classified as a known human carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency and is associated with the development of mesothelioma and lung cancer.

The Wilmington Housing Association is currently in the midst of investigating all claims. In the mean time, the WHA is in the process of a $14 million renovation to all buildings in the community. All buildings over the 1% threshold have been sealed off with plastic and will be the first to have all asbestos removed. No residential buildings will be affected by the renovations despite residents’ complaints of mold and asbestos in the homes.

The asbestos removal will begin early next week and the WHA projects the project will be completed by December 2012. Michael Kraus, CEO of the WHA, insures that the removal is being done with the community’s safety in mind, as all of the necessary safety precautions are reportedly being taken.

Thailand’s Association of Occupational and Environmental Health has drafted a letter to the country’s industry minister to urge him to continue monitoring moves towards a ban on the use of asbestos, a toxic mineral that is known to cause cancer among those who are exposed to its hazardous fibers.

Under the previous administration, notes association head Dr Pornchai Sittisarunkul, asbestos was declared a Class 4 Hazardous Material and production, import, and export was banned. However, according to an article in the Bangkok Post, Sittisarunkul has reason to believe that under the current administration, those regulations may not be followed.

The doctor also claims that he currently has information indicating that many Thailand workers are already suffering from diseases such as pleural mesothelioma, which attacks the lining of the lungs, or peritoneal mesothelioma, which involves tumors in the lining of the abdomen. This is because asbestos was widely used in many industries throughout Thailand for several decades and workers were never warned of its dangers or provided with protective gear to prevent exposure.

The doctor also maintains that the number of cases of asbestos cancer in Thailand has been grossly under-reported, largely due to the fact that doctors in the country lack expertise on asbestos-related diseases and possess no clear knowledge about accurate screening and diagnosis. Therefore, the disease – when present – may be mistaken for something else and misdiagnosed.

According to several Montana newspaper sources, a state civil court has approved $43 million settlement for those exposed to asbestos at the Libby. MT mine operated by W.R. Grace. The settlement’s approval will end a nearly decade-long legal battle between those exposed to asbestos at the W.R. Grace vermiculite mine. Many have become sick or even died as a result of exposure.

The Libby mine was among the largest of its kind in the United States. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that nearly 70% of all vermiculite used in the United States over the past 80 years originated from the Libby, MT vermiculite deposits.

Interestingly, a large portion of the settlement will be paid by Warran Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway reinsurance unit, National Indemnity. In recent years, Berkshire has been particularly willing to assume asbestos tort obligations from companies for substantial up-front premiums.

The protracted nature of the Libby negotiations underscores the extent of liability implicit upon Grace. Nearly the entire town was affected by asbestos exposure at the mine, where the majority of the towns inhabitants worked. Perhaps more disturbing was the effect of non-occupational exposure across the town. Exposure was common among wives of workers who washed the clothing of those working in the mine. Asbestos was also found in areas around schools, public buildings, and parks, exacerbating the risks of non-occupational exposure. EPA officials designated the entire town a Superfund site in 2000 and has been working to clean it up since.

Though the mine has been closed for many years now, people are still becoming ill as a result of exposure. Asbestos-related conditions, including asbestosis and mesothelioma are associated with a great deal of latency (often between 20 and 60 years), meaning we may not know the true extent of exposure for many years to come.

It has recently become public knowledge that the British government is negotiating plans to have asbestos victims pay their own legal costs in legal compensation battles, and mesothelioma support groups and workers unions are fighting back.

“Victims have already taken the risk, they’ve already paid a price with their health and they should not have to face forking out any more,” says former Bradford textiles union leader and Bradford Asbestos Victims Support Group member Terry Briton.  He added that he lost many of his Bradford, England union colleagues to asbestos cancer.

Asbestos is a highly toxic mineral fiber that was commonly used in several industries, including the construction and manufacturing industries, throughout the 19^th and 20^th centuries.  Therefore, construction workers and other laborers are the most commonly exposed to carcinogenic asbestos fibers.  Prolonged asbestos exposure can cause such fatal diseases as asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the protective lining of the lungs, heart, chest and abdomen.

The British Government’s proposals for a Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill would leave personal injury claimants to pay the legal costs previously paid by the defendant when found at fault.  Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke believes this will save £350 million by trimming publicly-funded civil and family legal cases, thereby reducing the numbers of people using the courts.

“Where is the justice in making dying asbestos victims bear the burden of legal costs on top of the pain and suffering, while rich and powerful insurance companies enjoy relief from costs which the losing party have, and should, rightly bear,” asks Briton.

Demolition of the old government complex in Panama City, Florida has been stalled because of unanticipated asbestos problems.  Asbestos is a highly toxic mineral fiber that was used throughout the 20^th century in a wide variety of construction materials.  Because asbestos poses such a large health hazard, it must be removed before the demolition continues.  Should asbestos fibers become airborne, demolition workers and residents of the surrounding community would be at risk of exposure, which can cause such fatal diseases as lung cancer and mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the protective lining of the lungs, heart, chest and abdomen.

Right after the demolition began in April, the workers noticed asbestos had been painted onto the ceiling of the former Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and had seeped and merged into the structure.  Because asbestos removal is very costly and time consuming, the crew demolished all of the surrounding buildings but left the EOC standing.  Asbestos is relatively harmless if left alone and in good condition.  It isn’t until asbestos-containing materials are disturbed, causing the asbestos to crack and crumble that carcinogenic fibers are released.

Once asbestos has become airborne, anyone in the vicinity can inhale its fibers.  These microscopic fibers lodge in the lining of the lungs and fester for decades.   Mesothelioma disease takes an average of 40 years to develop and doesn’t become symptomatic until it reaches the cancer’s later stages.

A licensed asbestos mitigation team will have to remove the fiber, which has to be separated from the ceiling and taken to an asbestos-approved dumping location.

The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia has received an anonymous donation for the sum of $10 million, which it will use to the Penn Center for Orphan Disease Research and Therapy.  The new center will focus on discovering novel treatments for rare diseases.  There are a nearly 7,000 rare diseases, yet only 200 of them currently have any effective treatments.

Mesothelioma, a cancer of the protective lining of the lungs, heart, chest and abdomen that is caused exclusively by prolonged asbestos exposure, is considered an orphan disease.  Like so many of these diseases there is no known cure, and current therapies are palliative rather than curative.  What makes malignant mesothelioma so difficult to treat is the fact that it doesn’t become symptomatic until it reaches stage three or four.  By that time, standard mesothelioma treatment, which includes some combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, only tends to add between six months to a year to a patient’s life expectancy.

Penn’s team of researchers have been leading the way in mesothelioma research, and according to Dr. J. Larry Jameson, Executive Vice President for the Health System and Dean of the Perelman School of Medicine, “The Center will be a natural extension of Penn’s expertise in orphan diseases, and this strategic investment will galvanize support for orphan disease research around the globe.”

The tremendously talented Penn team includes Dr. Steven M. Albelda, vice chief of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Division, director of Lung Research and director of Thoracic Oncology Laboratories, who received the Wagner Medal for Excellence in Mesothelioma Research award in 2010, and Dr. Sunil Singhal, Thoracic Surgeon and Assistant Professor, who has received the National Lung Cancer Partnership’s Young Investigator Research Grants.

For cancer sufferers struggling to find effective treatment, clinical trials offer hope.  Rare and terminal cancers, such as mesothelioma, which affects the lining of the lungs, heart, chest and abdomen, are very difficult to treat.  Caused exclusively by prolonged asbestos exposure, mesothelioma takes an average of 40 years to develop and doesn’t become symptomatic until it reaches stage three or four.  By the time the cancer is diagnosed, mesothelioma treatment, which consists of some combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, usually only extends a patient’s life expectancy by about 18 months after detection.

There are currently 30 mesothelioma clinical trials offered worldwide, according to clinicaltrials.gov, where listings of the trials in the U.S. can be found.  Principal trial sites include the United States, Canada, Belgium, France, Germany and Italy.  For the nearly 3,000 Americans diagnosed with asbestos cancer each year, clinical trials may offer breakthrough treatments that are not yet available through their oncologists.

The Intercultural Cancer Council has reported that less than 5% of the over 10 million adult cancer sufferers in the U.S. participate in clinical trials.  Two of the primary reasons include lack of awareness of studies and mistrust of the research, making education of the clinical trial process essential to expanding participation in the trial process.  Patients should also be aware of the fact that federally funded clinical research has safeguards that are monitored by the Washington, D.C.-based National Institutes of Health to ensure that the possible risks, benefits, alternatives and responsibilities of the trial are explained thoroughly to patients before they agree to participation.

Labor disputes and the ongoing debate over Canada’s export of  highly toxic asbestos  has forced Quebec-based LAB Chrysotile to announce that they may be closing their Therford Mines in the city of Asbestos.  Although the use of asbestos has been banned in Canada, the country is still exporting copious amounts of the mineral to third world nations where it is yet to be banned or regulated.

“There are personnel problems, there are mining problems, there are all sorts of problems – it’s a business, there’s always something,” said Mine President Simon Dupere, who added that despite the troubles, he is still “very confident” that there is a market for chrysotile asbestos.

Asbestos is a known carcinogen that causes a wide variety of respiratory diseases, including asbestosis and lung cancer.  Mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the protective lining of the lungs, heart, chest and abdomen, is caused exclusively by prolonged asbestos exposure and is a terminal cancer.  Asbestos cancer takes anywhere between 20 and 40 years to develop and usually does not become symptomatic until it reaches stage three or four.  By the time it is diagnosed, even with treatment, the typical mesothelioma prognosis is a life expectancy of no more than 18 months.

The Therford Mine is considered Canada’s only fully-operational asbestos mine.  However, there is another mine in the same city, the Jeffrey Mine, but it only functions part of the year.  Therefore, closing the Therford Mine would likely only increase fervor to do away with Canada’s asbestos mining industry.  With thousands of newly diagnosed mesothelioma cases appearing in Canada each year, ending the Canadian asbestos industry would certainly err in the direction of enhanced workplace safety.

Great Britain’s Health and Safety Executive has finally released the shocking statistics behind the country’s rate of mesothelioma incidence.  Mesothelioma is a rare and terminal cancer of the protective lining of the body’s major organs and cavities that is caused almost exclusively by prolonged asbestos exposure.  According to the newly released figures, at least 5,000 deaths from mesothelioma a year are expected by 2015.  This is surprisingly higher than the numbers released by Washington, D.C., placing the number of cases of malignant mesothelioma cases detected each year in the U.S. at 3,000.

According to U.K. experts almost every building erected in the country prior to 1999 will have used asbestos in its construction.  This means that even the simplest renovation or repair projects can lead to the creation of a potentially hazardous situation.  Whenever asbestos-containing materials are disturbed, they are likely to release microscopic, carcinogenic asbestos fibers into the air.  These fibers can then be inhaled by anyone in the vicinity, ultimately lodging in the lungs and contributing to the development of pleural mesothelioma – which affects the lining of the lungs – over several decades.

Two of the names most closely linked to the tragedy of mesothelioma in Britain, are those of Chris and Mick Knighton.  Mick was exposed to asbestos while in the Royal Navy.  “The helmet he was first issued with as a gunner and the gauntlets given to him were all made of asbestos,” says Chris, Mick’s widow. “When the Navy realized all the ships were riddled with asbestos, they had them refitted, but the crews helped rip out the piping and bits which were to be removed.  They didn’t wear the proper ­protective clothing, they just got on with the job and many, many of them in effect condemned themselves to death in the process.  While the Royal Navy freely admits this is where Mick was exposed to asbestos and that it led to his developing mesothelioma, no one can sue the Crown, so he wasn’t entitled to any compensation.”

Since Mick’s death of naval-related mesothelioma ten years ago at the age of 60, Chris has managed to raise £1million for the Mick Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund.