Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos fibers, which when they are inhaled remain in the body. Asbestos exposure can also cause asbestosis, a severe scarring of the lungs, and lung cancer. Mesothelioma is a deadly cancer that affects the lining of the lungs and, less commonly, the stomach and/or the heart.

Bang said the high rate of mesothelioma death in Maine could come from any of three sources: asbestos used in homes or other buildings as insulation prior to the substance being largely (although not completely) banned in the late 1970s; naturally occurring asbestos deposits where Maine borders New Brunswick and Quebec; or exposure in the workplace.

According to the NIOSH study, some of Maine’s largest employers used asbestos, including paper companies, chemical companies, and the shipyard inudstry. Bang says a study recently released by the National Cancer Institute places people formerly employed by the shipyard at the most elevated risk from asbestos disease including mesothelioma.

There also is danger to those working in the construction industry, as many products still contain small amounts of asbestos, as it is not yet entirely banned in the United States.

According to the MPBN report, Bang says mesotheioma deaths in the United States is expected to peak in 2010, about 40 years after companies began limiting or avoiding the use of asbestos.

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SOURCE: myMeso › Maine leads nation in mesothelioma deaths