Document 4a8vnVJyX4vak5LEXX9d5N3qx
FILE NAME: Kaiser Gypsum (KG)
DATE: 1965 Mar 1
DOC#: KG096 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Memo RE Health Hazards with AP Report - Asbestos Pointed to as Cause of Lung Cancer
02/ 12/01 1 6 :2 6
KMESft - 14104482360
NO. 067 P009/025
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Health Hazards
The attached material has been received frofi the Cy-zs-^z Association and is presented for your in i'orr-ation. In connection ?/ith protection against asbestos cost, it is advised to use a respirator with a filler especially designed for asbestos dust.
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AS555TOS TS P O I N T S fiirr
AS-gSLjy LVW CAyCFR
by
Alton Blakesiee AP Science Writer
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NEW YORK (A?) -- Medical specialists pointed a strong finger of suspicion coday at asbestos as a cause noc only of lung cancer but also of another extremely rare form of fatal human cancer.
This cancer, known as mesothelioma, involves the lining of the abdominal and chest cavities.
Much of the specialists' evidence cooes from autopsy studies of men working with asbestos as an insulation material.
They said it also is possible that dust from products contain ing asbestos might be exposing people generally to some risk of cancers. How much risk there might be, they said, they could not cell.
Release Dust
Asbestos is used noc only for insulation but as a flooring material, in automobile brake shoes, and in many other applications. Ordinary wear and tear, they said, might release dust into the atmosphere.
The report
presented to the American Public Health
Association b y Drs. Irving J. Selikoff and Jacob Churg of Che Mount
Sinai Hospital, New York, and . Cuyler Hammond, Sc.D., director of
statistical research for the American Cancer Society. Dr. Haer '.id
is known for his studies of cigarette smoking in relationship to
lung cancer.
Asbestos is a mineral, magnesium silicate, and about 3 1/2 million tons of it are used worldwide each'year, they said. In 1935, worldwide usage amounted to about 500 tons, the researchers said.
liny, hard particles of asbestos can lodge in the lungs during mir.ins, processing end application of ashes cos containing materials, or possibly from dust raised through normal wear, they said.
"We had previously found that lung cancer and possibly gastro intestinal cancer were markedly increased in incidence among asbestos Insiilaiiin uorkera," they said*
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Increase Noted
So they siso find a markedly high increase among such workers of -- asothel orna, a car.cer so rare it is not classed separately as a cause of death in the international classification of diseases.
As a prime exacple, they reported finding 10 deaths due to this ,, for=s of cancer in a study of 307 deaths song New York end New Jersey
building traces union members engaged in using asbestos at least occasionally as an insulation caterial,
Sy contrast, this fora of cancer was found to be the cause of death saeng only three out of sore than 30,000 autopsies in a study of the general population sponsored by the American Cancer Society.
Other Studies
Other studies showed a high incidence not only of lung cancer but casothellcnas among persons who had asbestos particles in their lungs at the time of their deaths, they said.
''It would appear that mesothelioma must be added to the neoplastic (cancer) risks of asbestos inhalation and joins lung car.cer (53 out of 307 deaths) and probably cancer of the stomach ar.d color. (34 of 307 deaths) as a significant complication of such industrial exposure in the United States," cheir report said.
The cancers may not appear until 20 to 30 years after asbestos dust is Inhaled or swallowed, they said. Since the particles do net dissolve, they may remain in body tissue as a continuous source that might; incite ultimate cancer.
Dr. Hammond said one worry is whether a few or even a single past exposure might sfez the stage for cancer, lie said this is a matter calling for mo-, a research.
Taking precautions to avoid breathing in asbestos dust is a sain protection for industrial workers, he and Dr. Selikoff said.
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