Jonathan Sharp

Asbestos is a natural mineral that was mined for decades and used in public and private buildings as insulation. The material was also extensively used in shipbuilding and piping, as well as in Army facilities and weaponry.  Veterans carried out the vast majority of these jobs while serving in the military. Because of this, veterans are at risk of developing mesothelioma, a rare type of cancer. From the 3,000 documented cases each year in the U.S., this group accounts for over 30% of cases. 

As mesothelioma can emerge even 40 years after initial exposure, those who served in the military from the 1930s to the 1980s are still at risk of mesothelioma. For these people, diagnosis and treatment are complicated as the condition is rare and thus gets little attention from researchers. Its survival rate is a short 15 months. The primary reason for the poor prognosis is misdiagnosis. Fourteen percent to 50% of the time, patients receive an inaccurate diagnosis. They’re often informed that the case they have is less advanced than it really is, delaying life-saving treatment that makes the condition more deadly.

To address this gap, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) proposed a national database for patients with mesothelioma in 2019. The National Mesothelioma Registry would serve as a common hub, linking researchers and patients in real time. It would facilitate investigations that would lead to better diagnosis methods and treatment options. Additionally, unlike the currently used identification and reporting system, the registry would focus on a case-finding methodology, screening populations at risk periodically, including veterans. Presently, research is being conducted on the feasibility of the registry, as well as on the methods and procedures that would evaluate patients while protecting their data.

Asbestos risk in Park County

Wyoming has a long and troubled history with asbestos. Aside from the construction, mining, refinery, power generation and chemical facilities that relied on the carcinogenic, Air Force installations built before the 1980s, like the F. E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, used asbestos extensively. Old buildings in Yellowstone National Park also contain the dangerous mineral. 

From 2009 to 2017, asbestos claimed the lives of 549 people in Wyoming, while over a hundred lost the battle to mesothelioma. The state’s average death rate of 6.9 for every 100,000 people is significantly higher than the nationwide 4.9 average. Despite these troubling figures, Park County registered fewer deaths than its neighbors. During the 18-year period, the county experienced 22 fatalities, much lower than Natrona County’s 113 and Laramie’s 103. Veterans risk becoming part of these statistics. Wyoming is home to over 39,000 veterans, with more than 2,200 residing in Park County. Most of them served during World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the Gulf War — periods of military engagement that are all associated with the widespread and unrestricted use of asbestos.

need for mesothelioma registry 

Although asbestos is heavily regulated nowadays, its decades-long legacy remains a public health issue for all those exposed. Its death toll is only made worse by mesothelioma’s diagnostic challenges and long latency period. 

But a national mesothelioma registry offers hope that veterans can receive regular screenings, faster diagnoses, and timely cancer treatments. Led by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD), the registry would identify asbestos-exposed veterans who may develop mesothelioma. Instead of waiting for symptoms to appear, they would be proactively invited to attend targeted health screenings. As soon as mesothelioma is detected, veterans can undergo specialized treatment while it can still make a real difference. Meanwhile, researchers would have better access to patients and could invite them to clinical trials that desperately need participants. In the long run, patient studies and additional clinical data could lead to diagnostic innovations and more effective treatments. States can also benefit. Legislators would have real-time information on which communities are most affected, allowing them to allocate resources accordingly.

After veterans risked their lives for our nation, we failed to protect them from toxic exposure. The damage cannot be undone, but what we can offer is care that anticipates the health-related dangers of asbestos. For veterans across the nation, including those based in Wyoming, a national mesothelioma registry could mean a better chance at surviving an aggressive and highly lethal disease. That alone makes a nationwide registry worth the effort.

(Jonathan Sharp serves as the CFO at the Environmental Litigation Group, P.C., a law firm focusing on cases related to toxic exposure. In this capacity, he oversees financial assessments and claims for individuals who have been exposed to harmful substances.)