A mesothelioma epidemic in Cappadocia: scientific developments and unexpected social outcomes.
In Cappadocia, Turkey, an unprecedented mesothelioma epidemic causes 50% of all deaths in three small villages. Initially linked solely to the exposure to a fibrous mineral, erionite, recent studies by scientists from Turkey and the United States have shown that erionite causes mesothelioma mostly in families that are genetically predisposed to mineral fibre carcinogenesis. This manuscript reports, through the eyes of one of the researchers, the resulting scientific advances that have come from these studies and the social improvements that were brought about by both the scientists and members of the Turkish Government.
Carbone
Michele
M
Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, Thoracic Oncology Program, Honolulu, Hawaii 96816, USA. mcarbone@crch.hawaii.edu
Emri
Salih
S
Dogan
A Umran
AU
Steele
Ian
I
Tuncer
Murat
M
Pass
Harvey I
HI
Baris
Y Izzettin
YI
D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006801:Humans; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D017641:Zeolites / Q000633:toxicity*
C083174:erionite; D017641:Zeolites