抄録
Asbestos is a biopersistent fiber made mainly of silica, which has been widely used in industry and engineering. This broad use of asbestos is due to its unique physicochemical properties and low cost. However, inhalation of asbestos is now clearly linked with development of lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma. Malignant mesothelioma is a cancer arising from mesothelial cells that are the lining cells of somatic cavities, such as pleura, peritoneum and pericardium. The mechanism of mesotheliomagenesis is still unclear, and thus how dimension (long/thin), shape (straight/tangled) and constituents (iron) of fibers are contributing to cancer development is yet to be answered. The investigation of the carcinogenic mechanism is now becoming more and more important because we now welcome a new type of biopersistent fibers, carbon nanotubes. Although there are many differences between carbon nanotubes and asbestos, there is an important similarity in needle-like structure and durability. In order to avoid the case that carbon nanotubes would bring about similar environmental health problems as asbestos, we should hasten to elucidate how biopersistent fibers can be oncogenic. Here we summarize classical hypotheses of mesotheliomagenesis and recent advances in fiber toxicology.
