An Italian study recently published in the journal Particle and Fibre Technology (PDF) has uncovered new evidence as to how asbestos exposure leads to the formation of mesothelioma tumors and other asbestos cancers. Researchers used two state-of-the-art imaging techniques—synchrotron soft X-ray imaging and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF)—to examine the elemental structure of the “asbestos bodies” that form when asbestos fibers are ingested or inhaled.
Some experts believe that these asbestos bodies are formed by an individual’s body as a protective shell around asbestos fibers to shield vulnerable tissues from their toxic effect. Researchers found that the cells that were nearby these asbestos fibers contained high concentrations of iron and magnesium.
The authors of the study theorized that the iron-rich proteins found in high concentrations around asbestos fibers could increase damage to DNA and lead to the growth of cancerous cells. The presence of magnesium, they believe, could trigger the formation of the protective shell that forms around asbestos fibers.
While this study is the first of its kind to examine asbestos bodies with such powerful instruments, it may very well herald an important breakthrough in the study of mesothelioma and asbestos cancers. The scientists who authored the study are hopeful that their finding on how the body reacts to asbestos will pave the way for new and better treatments for mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.
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