Japan faces mesothelioma threat

Japanese as a community are struggling to find their lives from the devastation of the earthquake and tsunami in March, another threat is looming nearby. Piles of debris and rubble on the island mystery, full of asbestos-containing materials. Once cured and relatively safe, the rubble of drying can now afford to asbestos fibers into the air, causing another, even if subtle danger.

The World Health Organization classifies asbestos as a carcinogen type 1. Known to cause lung cancer and asbestosis, asbestos may be more associated with the rare cancer mesothelioma. Mesothelioma affects about twenty thousand people in the world each year. Often, a danger in the workplace, natural disasters such as fires, floods and earthquakes can quickly release the fibers into the air deadly. Once these fibers are inhaled they begin a shift in lung cancer tumors of improper motives and coating the lining of other abdominal cavity.

Asbestos was widely used throughout the history of Japan in many industries. Its fire resistance and the quality of stabilization have made a choice desirable in construction, shipyards, refineries and many other construction trades. Health problems related to asbestos were not widely known until the last decades. Many countries are struggling to enforce safety standards in asbestos while cleaning years of use of asbestos.

Mesothelioma has a long latency period, usually between twenty and fifty years only. When they show symptoms similar to pneumonia and bronchitis, delaying correct diagnosis. Prognosis for patients with mesothelioma is sad, life expectancy after months of average diagnosis age of eighteen. There are treatment options for mesothelioma, but no known cure.

Japanese government officials are working on a plan to isolate and manage the risk of spreading asbestos fibers by countless mounds of rubble.