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(EMAILWIRE.COM, March 21, 2011 ) WASHINGTON, DC- Mesothelioma is one of the deadliest forms of cancers, and it currently has no cure. The main cause of mesothelioma is asbestos exposure, but scientists are still unsure how exactly asbestos fibers cause the cancer. A recent study by Italian researchers implemented synchrotron soft X-ray imaging and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) microscopy to examine the chemical makeup of the cancerous area and to shed some light on this question.
The technique used in this study provides a much higher probing depth than previously used techniques. This technique has also revealed deeply-buried material that electron or optical microscopes cannot detect. This study has provided a much more comprehensive view and chemical analysis of asbestos fibers and the internal mechanisms that occur once asbestos fibers begin to damage tissue.
Experts believe that the body produces a casing around a lodged fiber, perhaps as a protective mechanism, to isolate the asbestos from surrounding tissue. This casing is known by scientists as the asbestos body. The Italian experiment sought to differentiate between this asbestos body and the fibers by measuring levels of iron, oxygen, magnesium and silicon.
Compared to unaffected tissue, the tissue surrounding the casing showed high levels of magnesium and iron. The researchers of this study inferred that iron may evoke oxidative stress on cells that could lead to cellular damage. Magnesium may trigger the formation of shells around the inhaled fibers.
When inhaled or ingested, asbestos fibers become lodged in tissue surrounding the heart, lung and abdominal region. These fibers cause a rare, but deadly, form of cancer known as mesothelioma. Mesothelioma asbestos cancer has no cure and those diagnosed with Stage II or later are only given about six months to one year to live.
It is estimated that between 2,000 and 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year in the United States. Mesothelioma comprises about three percent of all cancer diagnoses. The cancer occurs four times more frequently in men than in women and all forms of the disease, except for benign mesothelioma, are terminal as no cure has been discovered. Symptoms of mesothelioma include pain in the abdominal region, persistent cough, or shortness of breath.
LegalView is a leading, online legal resource where individuals and their families' can find information about mesothelioma symptoms and treatments and how to find a potential mesothelioma attorney.
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