Between the 1950s and 1980s hundreds of thousands of workers were exposed to asbestos. However, only a small number have developed asbestos-related conditions, or will develop asbestos-related conditions later in life. In unfortunate cases, the person working directly with asbestos will not develop a condition, whilst their mother or spouse falls ill following exposure to their dirty work clothes.
So, why is it that asbestos affects some people and not others?
Are gene mutations to blame?
A recent study suggests that gene mutations may be to blame.
Published in Cancer Letters, the title of the study is, “Germline mutations in DNA repair genes predispose asbestos-exposed patients to malignant pleural mesothelioma.” The study’s findings support the idea that genetic components can contribute to mesothelioma.
Asbestos causes mesothelioma by interfering with cellular division and inducing chronic inflammation mechanisms. However, this does not happen to everyone who is exposed to asbestos. For example, there are families who have suffered a number of losses due to mesothelioma. However, another family, with a similar asbestos exposure history, may be unaffected. Therefore, there must be an additional factor.
The study’s findings:
Researchers in Italy looked at the genes of 93 malignant pleural mesothelioma patients. All of the patients had been exposed to high levels of asbestos. The research showed that 16 of the patients had a family history of mesothelioma. Through an analysis of their genetic sequences, they identified 10 affected genes.
Overall, they found that patients with the mutations had been exposed to significantly lower amounts of asbestos than those without the mutation. This suggests that these patients were predisposed to develop mesothelioma.
This research is important as these gene mutations could be used to identify those at risk of developing mesothelioma.
The researchers said, “The characterization of mutation carriers within these families is of particular clinical importance because all carriers are at risk for a certain cancer spectrum and should be included in specific high-risk surveillance and secondary prevention programs.”
How can we help?
If you require assistance in pursuing a mesothelioma claim or other asbestos disease then please contact us today. You can call us on our Freephone number 0800 038 6767. Alternatively, you can head over to the ‘Contact Us’ page. If you complete the form, we will be in touch shortly.
Source: http://www.cancerletters.info/article/S0304-3835(17)30410-X/fulltext