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The Institute of Medicine released a report yesterday revealing evidence that links asbestos to cancer of the voice box, or larynx.
Asbestos, a fibrous mineral formerly used for insulation, has long been linked to various other cancers, including lung cancer and mesothelioma – a rare cancer that affects the lining of the lung and other organs.
According to the report, a review of nine studies involving both workers and the general population supported the connection between asbestos and laryngeal cancer.
“Inhaled fibers pass through the larynx and may deposit there,” the report said. It then added, “there are reports of fibers and asbestos bodies being recovered from the laryngeal tissues.”
The U.S. Senate asked the institute to investigate the possibility of asbestos causing other types of cancer that are currently listed in stalled asbestos legislation.
“We are asking the Institute of Medicine to give further study and a more definitive answer to a possible causal connection between asbestos and pharyngeal, stomach, and colorectal cancers,” said Senator Arlen Specter, Committee Chairman who sponsored the bill.
If passed, the legislation would create a $140 billion compensation fund for those injured by asbestos. The bill would essentially halt asbestos litigation by allowing claimants to receive compensation through the fund.
Over the years, hundreds of thousands of lawsuits have been filed against asbestos companies and their insurers – both of which would be required to finance the fund. At least 70 companies have gone into bankruptcy as a result of asbestos litigation.
The Senate Judiciary Committee plans to hold a hearing today to discuss a revised version of the bill that would expand eligible claimants to those exposed to asbestos during the September 11, 2001 attacks and last year''s Hurricane Katrina.
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