Erionite, a naturally occurring mineral has fibers which physically, but not chemically resemble asbestos fibres. Both of these toxic minerals were linked to cause mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the protective lining of the large cavity and organs of the body.
More recently, erionite has big news there were found as first was found the cause of mesothelioma deaths in Cappadocia and now the gravel roads in Western of North Dakota. Since this discovery, doctor Michele Carbone, by the University of Hawaii Cancer Center in Honolulu, and researchers from the environmental protection agency (EPA), U.S. Geological Survey and National Institute of environmental health sciences (NIEHS) have erionite exposure in Dunn County, North Dakota was assessment.
At the interdisciplinary symposium in Thoracic Oncology in Chicago, Illinois reported Carbone, that average erionite exposure levels along North Dakota streets and within the vehicles along these roads, are equal to or greater than those in the Turkish village of Boyali where 6.2% of all deaths is malignant mesothelioma. However, the levels were lower than those found in villages where mesothelioma accounted for 26% to 52% of all deaths.
Cases of mesothelioma have still in North Dakota are recognized because erionite only used gravel was to the streets in the last two to three decades, and mesothelioma takes on average 40 years to develop. However, once detected patients undergo aggressive mesothelioma treatment that includes a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, add your life expectancy for a further six months.
