A new Australian Mesothelioma Registry has been launched at the Bernie Banton Centre in Sydney. The registry aims to collect more detailed information about mesothelioma cases in Australia, and will attempt to improve the understanding of the circumstances that revolve around developing the terminal cancer. Additionally, better information about treatment responses, rate of diagnoses increase, and other useful information will be collected.
The new registry was launched by the New South Wales (NSW) Premier Kristina Keneally, the NSW Minister Assisting the Minister for Health Frank Sartor, and the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Julia Gillard. Managed by a consortium of medical institutes led by the Cancer Institute of New South Wales, the new registry will work to improve the world’s understanding of mesothelioma with the help of some of the foremost experts in asbestos related illness in Australia.
Mesothelioma is an aggressive, terminal cancer directly linked with exposure to asbestos fibers. Before the ban of asbestos in Australia, the nation had the highest per capita usage of the dangerous substance. With their mesothelioma diagnoses ranging among the highest in the world, Australia is now working to increase awareness of the disease, promote research of better treatments, and tighten international restrictions on the substance’s use.
Many developed nations outlawed the use of asbestos or applied strict usage regulations towards the end of the twentieth century in response to mounting evidence of its hazardous nature. Some nations such as Canada and Russia continue its production, however, and export the dangerous material to a wide variety of developing nations such as Mexico, India and China. While limited knowledge of the disease and its diagnosis techniques in those parts of the world are likely reducing the recorded incidents of mesothelioma and other asbestos related diseases, many fear that diagnoses of asbestos related illnesses are doomed to rise in nations which import the material.
The new Australian Mesothelioma Register will collect specific information about patient exposure, and hopes to contribute evidence to the international debate concerning the possibility of a complete ban.
Australia’s tragic experience with asbestos related diseases may serve to expedite asbestos bans worldwide, which could in turn dramatically reduce exposure and save countless lives. At present, as many as 100,000 new cases of mesothelioma are developed worldwide, with just around 3% of those in the United States.
“The NSW Government’s Cancer Institute has been awarded a major contract to manage and operate a national register of mesothelioma cases on behalf of the Commonwealth Government,” said Premier Kristina Keneally.
“The Cancer Institute is recognized as a national leader in the management of cancer registries and will manage the new registry with a consortium including the Monash Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Sydney, the Asbestos Disease Research Institute and the Western Australian Cancer Registry.”
The new Australian Mesothelioma Registry will replace the existing register that has been in place for more than twenty five years. Those involved hope that the implementation of new technology will improve the efficacy of information gathering efforts and ultimately curb the destruction caused by the disease. The new registry will begin collecting information this June.
