United Kingdom – British researchers have discovered that an existing drug may be able to protect people from the harmful effects caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibers. The drug may even be able to protect people who inhaled the fibers several decades ago.

Asbestos-related diseases have become epidemic in many countries, including in America and Britain. Hundreds of thousands of people will eventually die from asbestos-related diseases. Due to the long latency period of asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma, many people who will eventually die may even now still appear to be healthy.

Around three thousand people are diagnosed with mesothelioma in America each year. Of those, approximately half may die within two years of diagnosis. Mesothelioma cancers are very difficult to treat, because the cancer spreads aggressively and is treatment-resistant.

Many asbestos exposure victims suffer from a disease called asbestosis, which causes considerable pain and difficulty breathing due to inflammation which causes the formation of scar tissue in the lungs.

Now a study published in “Science” explains that a new drug may be able to protect people who have been exposed to asbestos, and prevent the subsequent development of asbestos-related diseases.

The study explains for the first time how asbestos fibers cause the chronic lung inflammation that is thought to lead to asbestosis and eventually, mesothelioma.

The study was carried out by Prof Jürg Tschopp of the University of Lausanne, and other scientists in Europe and America. The research group has reported that the inflammation caused by asbestos is linked to a protein complex called Nalp3 inflammasome.

Nalp3 inflammasome is involved in other inflammatory diseases such as gout. That disease can be treated with an anti-inflammatory drug called Anakinra.

The research group believes that Anakinra might be able to slow down the progression of asbestosis by limiting inflammation in the lungs. Other diseases that are linked to the inhalation of mineral fibers might also respond to this preventative treatment.

Professor Tschopp says that Anakinra could be an effective preventative measure: “persons exposed to asbestos in the past and thus at high risk to get asbestosis or lung cancer could be treated with an inhibitor drug.”

In addition, the professor says, because the drug is already successful at treating gout, “we are…quite optimistic that the same treatment will work for asbestosis.”

However, Anakinra may need to be used in clinical trials to determine a safe and effective dose before it can be used to prevent asbestos-related diseases in the general population.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008 at 1:10 pm and is filed under Asbestos Exposure, Mesothelioma Treatment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS feed. Responses are currently closed, but you trackback from your own site.