A recent study published in Cancer Science by Japanese researchers, indicates that the removal of iron from the bodily system of someone exposed to asbestos may help to prevent mesothelioma developing in the future.
Malignant mesothelioma is a rare but deadly cancer which is exclusively caused by exposure to asbestos; it can develop in any lining of the organs but is most commonly found around the lining of the lungs in the form of pleural mesothelioma, or in the abdomen, which is known as the peritoneal type. This is most commonly found in people who, during their employment, worked with or where exposed to airborne asbestos fibres. As a result of their historic exposure, in the UK alone there are over 2,000 deaths per year due to asbestos related mesothelioma, with many initiating mesothelioma compensation claims as a result of their employer’s negligence by exposing them to asbestos.
Presently it is not known how to reduce the risk of developing mesothelioma for people who have already been exposed to asbestos. The researchers, who are based at the Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, have suggested that the risk can be lowered by reducing iron in the patient’s system.
Although it is not completely understood how exactly the dangerous asbestos fibres cause the development of mesothelioma, it is thought that there are a number of factors that trigger the process. One of these could be levels of iron found specifically in the area where mesothelioma cells develop.
As we know, iron is important for normal bodily functions. However, in people who had been exposed to asbestos it was found that they had an overload of iron within their system, suggesting that iron levels had a potential impact on mesothelioma cancer development.
The experiment studied the effects of asbestos exposure on laboratory rats. Following the exposure the rats developed common signs of asbestos exposure. They also showed an increase in levels of iron, as well as oxidative stress and inflammation.
Following the development of signs of asbestos exposure the rats were injected with desferal, an iron-removing agent. This was injected into the abdomen, the area in which peritoneal mesothelioma develops.
The significant findings indicate that following the injections there was a significant decrease in the inflammation, oxidative stress and the levels of iron. It is unknown whether this will prevent the future development of mesothelioma or if it will significantly reduce the risk of mesothelioma developing in potential sufferers as a result.
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