Asbestos Awareness Week champions prevention over a cure

With approximately 14 Australians continuing to die every week from asbestos-related diseases, experts are warning people during Asbestos Awareness Week to take care and prevent their exposure to the potentially deadly material.

The risk is still high, with 13 new cases of disease being diagnosed every week.

If asbestos is disturbed during renovations or in the demolition of homes containing asbestos, fibres can be released into the air and be inhaled, thereby increasing the risk of malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer.

“There’s a growing body of evidence that more people including women are being diagnosed with mesothelioma through non-work-related exposure including during home renovations,” said Professor Nico van Zandwijk, director at the Asbestos Diseases Research Institute (ADRI).

“There is no known safe level of exposure to asbestos fibres and with exposure linked to DIY, it’s vital that all Australians learn to safely manage asbestos-containing materials that are reported to be in one-third of Australian homes.”

Mesothelioma is a cancer that can develop between 20–50 years after inhaling asbestos fibres, for which there is no cure. After diagnosis the disease progresses rapidly with many patients surviving less than one year. Inhaling asbestos fibres can also cause lung cancer; however, no reliable statistics exist on asbestos-related lung cancer.

Peter Dunphy, founding chair of the Asbestos Education Committee that established the national Asbestos Awareness campaign, said, “Asbestos can be found in any home built or renovated prior to 1987. Australians are playing a risky game of ‘Renovation Roulette’ if they disturb asbestos-containing materials and release fibres which can be inhaled, so we’re urging them to visit asbestosawareness.com.au to learn how to identify, manage and dispose of asbestos safely.”

The ADRI has also announced promising further results from the first-in-man study testing microRNA-based treatment for mesothelioma (TargomiRs) developed in association with Sydney-based biotech company EnGeneIC.

“Australians need to take the Asbestos Awareness warning seriously because they’re putting their lives and the lives of loved ones at risk when disturbing asbestos-containing materials,” said van Zandwijk.

“While results of the first stage of clinical trials of the new medication, TargomiRs, appear positive, prevention is better than cure. The most effective means of prevention is stopping exposure to asbestos fibres.”