New studies have revealed that there is a link between ovarian cancer and mesothelioma, a fatal lung cancer. The reason its linked is most likely due to both of them being caused by coming into contact with asbestos. It’s been known for a long time that asbestos causes diseases and cancers of the lungs, but this new information shows that cancers such as mesothelioma are not the only effects of coming into contact with asbestos.

    Before we knew that asbestos causes mesothelioma, the deadly mineral was heavily used across many different industries. Due to its heat-resistant qualities, it was heavily used in building and insulation materials. This means that most buildings built before the 1980 ban on asbestos contain some form of asbestos. The leftover asbestos can cause new health problems for anyone who remodels or works on these buildings.

    When asbestos is inhaled by someone, the fibers travel into the lungs and stay there for many decades. Over time, these asbestos fibers irritate the lining of the lungs, causing them to become swollen and inflamed. When the cells become so infalmes, they can morph into cancerous cells. This is how mesothelioma is developed.

    Recently, coming into contact with asbestos has also been shown to cause ovarian cancer. This can be soon through the use of baby powder. Some forms of talc contain asbestos, due to the minerals being mined close to each other. Women who used this asbestos contaminated baby powder later developed ovarian cancer.

    In this new study done by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the correlation between asbestos, mesothelioma, and ovarian cancers was strengthened. It was found that the states with the lowest amount of mesothelioma also had the lowest amount of ovarian cancer. Along these same lines, states that had the highest levels of mesothelioma also had a 10% higher than normal rate of ovarian cancer in women.