Asbestos exposure increases the risk of the terminal cancer, mesothelioma, which is a type skin cancer. A law firm has recently announced that asbestos toll rises for women in recent few years.

Earlier, men were at higher risk of mesothelioma as Wittenoom workers claimed about the exposure of asbestos. Then the deadly disease was found in dock workers and then it was found among builders, electricians and plumbers. But now the disease is more common among women.

Suzanne Sandford, asbestos lawyer of Slater & Gordon, said that the number of cases of mesothelioma, which is caused by an exposure of asbestos, have found more among women and her 75% of clients, are women now. She said that Australia is alarming about the rise of mesothelioma cases among women and more women are claiming for the exposure of asbestos, which leads to mesothelioma.

Currently, the mesothelioma cases among women in their 80s are 7.5 times greater than in early 70s. The rate of mesothelioma has alleviated from early 1990s, and for women the risk has been rising with 4.9% annually. It was reported that 33,000 Australians have died of the disease since 1980.

Suzzane asserted, “Their asbestos exposure includes cases where women washed their husbands’ dusty clothes, or worked in offices and department stores”.