Mesothelioma News

An artist from Scotland died this month after reportedly being exposed to clouds of potentially asbestos-containing dust throughout his working career, the Scottish Daily Record reports.

According to the news source, James Howie was known for using an atypical technique during his career, sanding down paint layers in order to carve out specific landscapes for his paintings.

However, this technique likely contributed to his death, as the cause of death was listed as malignant mesothelioma as well as a pulmonary embolism, which occurs when an artery to the lungs is blocked, the news source said.

"He had mesothelioma, which he could have contracted at any time during his work," said the man's widow, Joyce. "He used to do layer upon layer of paint, always scraping, sanding, cutting it back to paint over it again and again in order to create a certain effect."

In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos can lead to the development of asbestosis and lung cancer. Such diseases kill approximately 107,000 people around the world each year, according to the World Health Organization.