Asbestos is widely recognized as a hazardous substance with deadly health effects. The connection between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer is well-established with scientific certainty. A recent Australian study published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine, however, links childhood asbestos exposure to a wide-range of non-lung cancers, as well as non-cancer diseases such as heart disease.
In the study, researchers evaluated individuals who grew up in Wittenoom in Western Australia, a site for blue asbestos mining between 1943 and 1966. Blue asbestos, also known as crocidolite asbestos, is thin, thread-like, and highly flexible, making it extremely easy to inhale. The asbestos tailings were used throughout the town in roads, pavements, car parks, the racecourse, school playgrounds and backyard sandpits.
The Australian researchers found that the women studied had up to 100 times greater risk of mesothelioma than the general population of Western Australia. The data also showed that the women’s risk for brain cancer rose to four times as high as the general population and risk for ovarian cancer three times as high. The men’s numbers were not as elevated, but there was clear evidence of increased risk of brain cancer, leukemia, colorectal cancer and prostate cancer, as well as increased rates for circulatory and nervous system disorders.
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease or illness, contact the attorneys at the law firm of Brookman, Rosenberg, Brown & Sandler. Our Philadelphia asbestos attorneys are experienced in handling asbestos cases throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. We understand how high the physical and emotional cost can be when it comes to asbestos-related diseases and will assist you in recovering the compensation you and your family deserves. Call us at (215) 569-4000 or contact us online to schedule a consultation today.
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