Many people are wondering about the risks of asbestos exposure and
getting malignant mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer on the
pleura, or lining of the lungs. It can lead fluid in the lungs,
difficulty breathing, and eventually death. When it comes to how our
bodies age and handle illness, 65% depends on the environment, like the
things we feed, expose, and do to our bodies. The remaining 35% is due
to genetics, that wonderful nuclear and mitochondrial DNA that we got
from ours parents and mothers, respectively.
When we think about environment, consider the following study. A 35-year
period evaluation of workers in an asbestos factory in Poland revealed
that increased rates of lung cancers, pleural mesothelioma, and all
malignant cancers were higher in these workers than in the general
population. Of the 4,187 subjects studied (2805 men and 1382 women),
five died from pleural mesothelioma. Also, the risk for these types of
illness did not differ between those that had a preceding documented
diagnosis of lung asbestosis and those that did not. So, where people
work, and the pollutants they are exposed to, clearly influence disease
risks.
Now with genomics laboratories, investigation of disease risk is taken
to a new level. A recent study in Northwest Italy evaluated single
nucleotide DNA polymorphisms in 4 genes responsible for DNA repair.
Polymorphisms are like typos in the DNA language. The assumption was
that sloppy DNA repair increased the risk for this cancer when a
gene-damaging substance like asbestos was thrown into the picture. It’s
like trying to fix an important system with an entire chapter ripped out
of the repair manual. So seven different variations of these 4 genes
were studied in 81 malignant mesothelioma patients and 110 of their
age-matched and sex-matched controls. All subjects were residents of
Casale Monferrato, a town polluted with asbestos. The results showed
that with one type of polymorphism (or DNA typo) a 2.147 oddds ratio
existed for this disease, another variant (or DNA typo) had a 4.09 odds
risk ratio. These genetic variations can certainly put people at an
increased risk of developing the cancer. This is valuable information
because the residents of this town can now look at their family genetics
and give more consideration about whether or not they should move out of
there!
Environment and genetics…we are getting more options now than ever
before to learn about our risks of getting cancers, like malignant
mesothelioma. If you have any concerns about a history of personal
asbestos exposure, I encourage you to explore with your physician or
health care provider what diagnostic tools are available for further
evaluation.
References:
Dianzani I, et al. Polymorphisms in DNA repair genes as risk factors for
asbestos-related malignant mesothelioma in a general population study.
Mutant Res. 2006 Marc 23; (epub ahead of print)
Wilezynska U, Szymezak W, Szeszenia-Dabrowska N. Mortality from
malignant neoplasms among workers of an asbestos processing plant in
Poland: results of prolonged observation. Int J Occup Med Environ Health
2005; 18(4):313-26.
About The Author
Natalie Kather, MD, is a diplomat of the American Board of Anti-Aging
Medicine and diplomat of the American Board of Family Medicine. She
specializes in using the latest longevity and anti-aging research to
extend and improve her clients' lives.
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