Document N236RpV3qM7yvqRwX2qbOKB4g

2 Doctors Report /aAA^uMim Asbestos Suspected As Cause of Cancer By ALTON BLAKESLEE New York '/pi -- Medical specialists pointed a strong finger of suspicion today at asbestos as a cause not only of lung can cer. but also of another extremely rare form of fatal human cancer. This cancer, known as meso-( Tiny, hard particles of as- thelioma, involves the lining of'bestos can lodge in the lungs the abdominal and chest cavi during mining, processing and ties. application of asbestos-contain Much of their evidence comes ing materials, or possibly from from autopsy studies of men dust raised through normal working with asbestos as anj wear, they said. insulation material. Marked Increase But they said it also Is pos sible that dust from products containing asbestos might be exposing people generally to some risk of cancers. How much risk there might be, they said they could not tell. "We had previously found that lung cancer and possibly gas trointestinal cancer were mark edly increased in incidence among asbestos insulation work ers," they said. Asbestos is used not only for insulation but as a flooring material, in automobile brake! shoes, and in many other ap plications. Ordinary wear-atid- tear, they said, might release dust into the atmosphere. j Present Report J The report was presented to the American Public Health: Association by Drs. Irving J.l Selikoff and Jacob Churg of, the Mount Sinai Hospital, New! York, and E. Cuvier Ham mond, S.C.D., director of statis-j lical research for the Ameri can Cancer Society. Dr. Ham-1 mond is known for his studies; of cigaret smoking in relation-' ship to lung cancer. | Asbestos is a mineral, mag nesium silicate, and about 3^2 million tons of it are used world wide each year, they said. In 1935, worldwide useage amount ed to about 500 tons, the re searchers said. HWBUI0012686