Mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer are both serious illnesses, with mesothelioma always classified as fatal and lung cancer often leading to death. A new analysis of Global Burden of Disease data published by BioMed Central reports that, despite the clear association between exposure and illness, deaths attributed to occupational asbestos exposure have increased significantly worldwide, rising from 0.13 million in 1990 to 0.19 million in 2021.
Report Shows Rising Risk of Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer
According to the report published today, occupational asbestos exposure accounted for 9.4 percent of all mesothelioma and lung cancer deaths in 2021. The researchers found that Western Europe accounted for the highest incidence of asbestos-related deaths. At the same time, the Nordic countries, which banned asbestos years ago, have experienced a “marked drop” in lung cancer mortality. The study’s authors concluded that there’s an urgent need for a complete worldwide asbestos ban.
Even as many developed nations put asbestos bans in place decades ago, mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer deaths have continued to rise globally. While this demonstrates the long latency period characteristic of both illnesses, the group’s analysis of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from occupational asbestos exposure also shows the increasing burden on global health systems and workers’ families, and indicates that the trend is expected to get worse as asbestos is increasingly used in major economies like China.
Statistics Prove Impact of Asbestos Bans on Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer Incidence
Though the report shows that Western European countries continue having the highest absolute numbers of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related deaths, the marked decreases of these illnesses in the Nordic nations that prohibited the mineral also show that asbestos bans work. Unfortunately, these reductions take decades to materialize due to the long delay between exposure and disease development.
The researchers’ conclusion represents a serious warning that, without a worldwide effort to ban asbestos use and production, mesothelioma deaths will continue increasing and highlights the contrast between regions that have enacted those bans and those that keep allowing asbestos to be used. The statistics from the Global Burden of Disease analysis show clearly that partial measures and regional bans are not enough to address the crisis, and that with occupational exposure continuing to be a leading cause of these deaths globally, workers in countries without comprehensive asbestos prohibitions continue facing deadly exposure.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net are here to help. Contact us today at 1-800-692-8608 to learn more.
