mesothelioma – a potential legacy of 9/11?

September 26th is once again the day selected by the United States Congress to raise public awareness of the cause and effects of mesothelioma, Nearly 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year.

Despite regulations imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency, and the increasing number of lives claimed by mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related illness, an estimated 1.3 million construction and general industry worker are still regularly exposed to asbestos. Traditionally, industry workers such as shipyard and factory workers, plumbers, machinists, mechanics and electricians are those most commonly exposed to asbestos, and military and navy veterans also commonly suffer from asbestos cancer because of the toxic mineral’s presence in munitions and ships.

However, the discovery of new contaminants and the many tragic natural disasters that have torn through asbestos tainted buildings have put all Americans at risk.

The collapse of the New York City’s Twin Towers on 9/11 exposed thousands of first responders to asbestos and other fatal contaminants, as did Hurricane Katrina’s destruction of New Orleans. In addition, the mineral erionite, which is found in road gravel in several US states, has now been determined to also cause malignant mesothelioma.

Patients currently only survive about one year after diagnosis, but many studies and clinical trials are testing new and improved treatments that will hopefully help increase mesothelioma life expectancy.