"Research Pinpoints Libby Amphibole Disease" - Tim Povtak
A research team led by Raja Flores, MD, Steven and Anne Ames professor in thoracic surgery, director of the thoracic surgical oncology program at the Tisch Cancer Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and system chair of thoracic surgery for the Mount Sinai Health System, has identified Libby amphibole asbestos disease for the first time as the puzzling killer that continues to threaten innocent victims exposed to one variety of asbestos. This progressive pulmonary disease involves lamellar pleural thickening that has a suffocating effect on the lungs. "It's a process that kills people before cancer does, before lung cancer or mesothelioma," Dr. Flores said. "It's a different disease. And it's killing more of these people than anything else." The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine published research in December. The Centers for Disease Control provided a research grant to fund it. "This is a new disease, which is why it was important to publish this paper. It's the first study to really describe he syndrome of Libby amphibole," Dr. Flores said. "It can rapidly progress to death, much quicker than others."
- Raja Flores, MD, Steven and Ann Ames Professorship in Thoracic Surgery, Director, Thoracic Surgical Oncology Program, The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, System Chair, Thoracic Surgery, Mount Sinai Health System