Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Mesothelioma in Turkey - 1

Although mesothelimoa included in rare tumors is frequently seen in our country in recent years, it is a malignant tumor taken origin from membranes that cover lung, heart and abdomen respectively called as pleura, pericardium, peritoneum. This tumor that generally emerges depending on asbestos exposure is mostly seen on pleura (lung membrane).

The most significant known risk factor for mesothelimoa is asbestos exposure. Asbestos, defined as mineral with fibrous structure, can be widely used in many industrial sectors. For example; it is known that asbestos is used in ship building and industrial sectors that produce brake lining systems, heat insulation materials and insulating materials. If adequate protection measures are not taken in workplace in which asbestos is used, the airborne fibrous particles enter the lung through respiration and pass from there to lung membrane, thus particles cause the mesothelimoa. Asbestos is significant risk factor in the development of lung cancer apart from mesothelimoa. Also it is a risk factor for some non cancer diseases called as benign asbestos that cause the pleurisy or interstitial lung disease.

As a consequence of researches carried out in Central Anatolia Region of Turkey, Prof. Dr. İzzettin Barış determined that some minerals (such as erionite) in soil also cause the mesothelimoa such as asbestos. Soil that contains these minerals and called as white soil (beyaz toprak) apply the wall of houses as plaster and paint material and so mesothelimoa is mostly seen disease in these regions.

To be continued

No comments:

Loading....

Post a Comment