Southern Nevada counties that include Las Vegas show high proportions of women and younger residents coming down with a rare and aggressive cancer more commonly found in older men occupationally exposed to asbestos, suggesting that naturally occurring mineral fibers in that region are a contributing source of the cancers, University of Hawai’i Cancer Center researchers have found. The findings published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology highlight the need for more research to guide development in the region, where construction growth, a dry climate, dust storms, and use of off-road recreation vehicles help to make the carcinogenic fibers airborne and breathable by people.
