By Jonathan Sharp, Guest Columnist
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Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral known for its exceptional heat resistance, durability and flexibility. Because of these properties, asbestos was extensively used by the U.S. military during World War I and World War II, as well as after.
In 1970, the total amount of asbestos employed for civilian and military purposes exceeded 1,400 million pounds annually, while emerging data at the time suggested that there was a causal link between asbestos exposure and the subsequent development of lung cancers and diseases. By the time this data was certified, millions of people, veterans in particular, were exposed.
Today, research shows that atomic veterans, working aboard Navy ships during and after World War II, between 1940 and 1970, are six times more likely to develop mesothelioma, a rare and deadly form of cancer with survival rates below a year following diagnosis. This condition, as well as other asbestos-related diseases, can manifest even decades after exposure.
Veterans working in other branches of the military were also exposed as asbestos was used in aircraft and pipe insulations, army quarters and even in masks and respirators.
To improve survival rates with mesothelioma, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention aimed to develop a National Mesothelioma Registry, where, based on a case-finding methodology, at-risk populations (i.e. veterans) would receive periodic screening. New cases were proposed to be recorded in a common database in real time, accessible by researchers to facilitate investigations for the development of better disease identification tools, as well as improved treatment pathways.
However, six years after this proposal, this national database is not yet implemented. Feasibility studies were slow to progress, while bureaucratic hurdles and lack of funding act as significant barriers to making the registry a reality.
The rate of mortality with mesothelioma is not exclusively caused by the aggressiveness of this cancer. Several interlinked factors are at play. Notably, the disease is rare, with less than 3,000 cases diagnosed each year in America. Given the extent of exposure to veterans, around 30% of these cases are diagnosed in this population.
In North Carolina, the burden of asbestos-related disease has been significant, with 6,577 asbestos-related deaths recorded between 1999 and 2017; 1,159 were linked to mesothelioma, and 828 to asbestosis.
In Cherokee County, the annual estimated number of asbestos-related deaths is 18, a striking figure given the small population of about 30,000 people. While Cherokee County lacks major industrial or naval shipbuilding facilities, its veterans were often deployed to high-exposure environments across the country, later developing mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses after their service ended.
Today, more than 2,753 veterans live in Cherokee County, and about half served in the Korean and Vietnam wars during a time of heavy military asbestos use.
A national registry would provide a vital infrastructure to track new mesothelioma cases among this aging and vulnerable population, enabling earlier diagnoses, targeted outreach and better access to care. Without this shared database, thousands of veterans in places like Cherokee County remain invisible, underserved and underdiagnosed.
Jonathan Sharp serves as chief of financial operations at Environmental Litigation Group P.C.