Topic: Asbestos exposure
Hello. My dad recently passed with ICC. He asked me more than once why he got this cancer. I had hoped I would have a better answer but did not until now, unfortunately. During his illness, no one ever asked about his occupation and exposure to asbestos. My dad was a retired naval officer and did travel to Japan while in the Navy. I recently came across a study published by Univ of Bologna, Italy which found that ICC/ECC could arise from a chronic inflammation caused by deposition of asbestos fibers. I then discovered that as a naval officer who spent considerably time on ships in the 60's-70's he was definitely exposed to asbestos. Naval ships were laden with asbestos containing materials until mid 1970's-- it was not just the shipyards but in bedding, insulation, etc. Perhaps this is not new to some of you. I am curious to know how many diagnosed with ICC or ECC are aware of this association. The Navy Asbestos Victims Association cannot even have a conversation with me because my dad was not diagnosed with mesothelioma. I must assume the Navy does not recognize CC as a consequence of asbestos exposure. Anyone have any thoughts on this? We have been making contributions to this organization in lieu of flowers since my father's death 2/27/13. It is important to my mother that we continue to work to beter the outcomes of this difficult disease. (It seems, his travel to Japan puts him at risk due to possible infection with liver fluke - chlonorchis sinensis.) No one ever talked with my dad about why he had ICC-- other than to ask if he ever had hepatits or was a drinker.
Thank you all.