Studies
Though mesothelioma is predominately diagnosed in men, especially older men that worked in trades where asbestos was used extensively, more and more incidences of women touched by this type of cancer have come to the attention of the medical community, prompting additional studies concerning women and the development of the disease. Some studies address why and how women develop mesothelioma cancer, including major risk factors, while others concern the epidemiology of the disease as it relates to women. All have helped shed light on the connection between women and asbestos-caused cancer, helping medical professionals better address the needs of women with mesothelioma.
Karain Village, Turkey and other Turkish studies
One of the most widely read studies concerning women and mesothelioma, was conducted in an area known as the Karain Village in Turkey. Published in 2002, the results shed much light on the plight of those women exposed to naturally occurring asbestos in that part of the world.
The study spanned 10 years and involved 1, 886 villagers in this part of the rural Anatolian Plateau. While the study was being conducted, 377 villagers died and 24 cases of malignant pleural mesothelioma were diagnosed. This was not so startling, given the fact that the incidence of naturally-occurring asbestos in this region was evident. What was noteworthy, however, was that the annual asbestos cancer incidence rates were calculated at 440.9 per 100,000 for women vs. 298.1 per 100,000 for men.
Immediately, questions arose as to the reason for the higher incidence among women. The easiest answer seemed to relate to a local habit of whitewashing one’s home with the “white soil” from the ground in that region. This white soil, also known as aktoprak, contained fibrous zeolite, an asbestos-like mineral. According to reports, this was the procedure that was associated with the highest levels of exposure.
A follow-up study was conducted years later among Karain Village immigrants who had relocated to Sweden. During the time researchers observed these 162 individuals, 18 deaths occurred including 14 from malignant pleural mesothelioma. Five others were still living with mesothelioma. Figures showed that the risk of mesothelioma was 135x and 1,336x greater in males and females from that Karain Village, respectively, than for the same sex and age groups in Sweden natives.
Another observation garnered from these Turkish studies of mesothelioma among women was the fact that lung volume probably influences fiber deposition and retention. Hence, smaller people – which include most women – tend to retain more asbestos fibers at the same exposure level. Hence, they are more likely to develop asbestos-related diseases than their male counterparts, perhaps even at low levels of exposure. The same study stated that people who are taller or have longer trachea are also less likely to develop mesothelioma disease than shorter individuals with shorter tracheas.
Wittenoom, Australia Studies
Dangerous blue (crocidolite) asbestos was mined and milled in Wittenoom in Western Australia from 1943 until 1966. Mine tailings were distributed throughout the town. Today, Wittenoom has been literally wiped off the map due to the high level of contamination there from the asbestos and the deaths of many town residents, including those who did not work at the mine.
A report by Reid et al was designed to determine, in part, if female subjects were more susceptible to asbestos exposure than male subjects among those who resided in Wittenoom. A total of 4,768 residents of the town were followed for the study, which concluded that “the mortality rate with mesothelioma increased with increasing residence duration, time since first exposure, and estimated cumulative exposure. The mesothelioma mortality rate was consistently lower for female subjects when compared with male subjects, but the dose-response curve was steeper for female subjects.” Hence, the study states that it wasn’t necessary for women in Wittenoom to be exposed to as much asbestos as men in order to develop the disease.
The above discovery supports the statements from the Turkish studies which indicate that women’s smaller lungs tend to retain asbestos fibers more easily than men’s larger lungs. Therefore, even low levels of asbestos exposure may cause asbestos cancer in females.
Good News for Women with Mesothelioma
One of the most recent studies on mesothelioma in women, published in a 2010 issue of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, indicates that women with malignant pleural mesothelioma appear to experience better mesothelioma survival rate than male victims of the disease. The study, conducted by several faculty members at renowned Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston (Wolf et al), concluded that women with the disease should be treated aggressively, especially when no other risk factors exist.
Sources
http://chestjournal.chestpubs.org/content/131/2/376.full;
