아래는 Clinical Trial 10월 21일자 기사입니다.
영국은 1999년부터 석면 사용 금지를 했음에도 GobalData 역학자들은 2025년 2,300명의 악성흉막중피종 신규 환자가 발생할 것으로 예측하였으며, 2028년까지 유지될 것으로 보고 있다.
영국 NHS(국민보건서비스)에 따르면 매년 2,700명의 중피종이 진단되고 있으며 대부분은 75세 이상이라고 한다. 남성이 더 많은 것은 건설업에 종사하기 때문이다. 중피종은 치명적이고 치료 방법이 없으며 오랜 기간 석면에 반복적으로 노출되고 일반적으로 20년 후에 발병한다. NHS는 매년 2,500명이 중피종으로 사망한다고 한다.
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Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that is resistant to heat and corrosion. These properties make it suitable for insulation and fireproofing materials, vehicle brakes, and wallboard and roof materials in buildings. Asbestos was widely used in the UK because the harmful effects of this material were not fully known. Exposure to asbestos causes asbestosis (inflammation and scarring of the lungs) and mesothelioma (a rare cancer of the pleural membrane of the lung). It can also cause cancers of the lung, larynx, and ovary. As the harmful effects of this material became known, the UK Government banned asbestos from building materials in 1999. Despite this ban, mesothelioma cases are still prevalent in the UK. GlobalData epidemiologists forecast 2,300 new cases of malignant pleural mesothelioma in the UK in 2025, and that this will remain unchanged in 2028. This represents the cancer cases that could have been avoided by minimising exposure to asbestos.
Despite the ban, asbestos is still present in numerous old buildings all across the UK. As the buildings become old and the structures deteriorate, the asbestos lining is disturbed, and tiny asbestos fibres are released into the air. When these asbestos fibres are inhaled, they get trapped in the lungs and the pleural lining covering the lungs. With repeated exposure, accumulated asbestos causes inflammation and scarring of lung tissue, which can affect breathing and lead to serious health problems such as mesothelioma.
Asbestos fibres are present in the air, water, and soil, but at very low levels and do not cause any impact to human health. However, some people get exposure to higher levels of asbestos fibres on a regular basis, either through work in the construction industry or by living in a house with a high level of disturbed asbestos. The rules and regulations are now much stricter in handling asbestos-related products. However, the exposure still occurs in the construction industry in the repair and removal of older buildings. Workers might get exposed in the manufacture of asbestos-containing products, such as textiles, friction products, insulation, and building materials.
According to the UK NHS, more than 2,700 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year in the UK, and these cases are most commonly diagnosed in people aged 75 and over. It is more prevalent in men, as men predominantly work in the construction industry. Mesothelioma is lethal, and currently, there is no curative treatment. Mesothelioma develops after repeated exposure to asbestos over a long period, typically more than 20 years. The UK NHS reports 2,500 deaths per year caused by mesothelioma.
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Asbestos-related cancers still prevalent in the UK 
