Mesothelioma News
Asbestos-related deaths in UK reach record levels
Deaths from asbestos-related cancers have reached all-time highs in the UK in the latest indication that the effects of being exposed to the carcinogen often do not manifest themselves for decades.According to research conducted by the BBC, the male death rate from malignant mesothelioma has increased by more than four-fold in the eastern part of England. Statistics from the Health and Safety Executive showed that the rising rate was higher than that of both Scotland and Wales.
The BBC reports that the male death rate from mesothelioma in eastern England jumped from 14.8 per million between 1982 and 1984 to 66.4 per million from 2006 to 2008. In Essex, for instance, coroners recorded 115 deaths as a result of industrial diseases in 2010.
One such case was that of Tom Sewell, a former builder who was exposed to asbestos dust while working as an apprentice. Sewell died in January at the age of 48, with his widow Nikki describing the death as "quite shocking" to the BBC.
In addition to malignant mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos has been proven to cause lung cancer and asbestosis. In all, such diseases kill approximately 107,000 people worldwide each year, according to the World Health Organization.
8/19/11
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