Asbestos News

An inquest in the UK heard recently that a former electrician who worked around asbestos-containing materials for much of his career passed away as a result of malignant mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer.

According to the Burton Mail, 76-year-old Cyril Ward worked for more than 30 years as an electrician, during which time he was reportedly exposed to the asbestos. Consultant pathologist at Royal Derby Hospital Dr. Andrew Hitchcock told the inquest that there was a "causal link" between the man's work history and his mesothelioma death.

"On the left side of the chest, there was a locally advanced pleural malignancy which had encased the entire left lung," Hitchcock explained.

Derby and South Derbyshire deputy coroner Louise Pinder told the inquest that Ward was diagnosed with mesothelioma in January 2011. He ultimately succumbed to the illness last March, according to the news source.

In addition to malignant mesothelioma, asbestos exposure has also been proven to cause both asbestosis and lung cancer. The World Health Organization estimates that these asbestos-related diseases claim the lives of approximately 107,000 people around the world each year.