Mesothelioma is deadly cancer, which is relatively rare, although, in the last few decades, the number of people who have died from it has dramatically increased.
Mesothelioma occurs because of exposure to asbestos without sufficient protection. When a person has exposure he or she inhales tiny fibers, which float in the air.
Types of mesothelioma caused by asbestos:
These fibers pass into the respiratory system and end up becoming lodged in the lungs. An accumulation of asbestos fibers in the lining of the lungs like this can cause nearby cells to deform and eventually leads to what is known as pleural mesothelioma.
A collection of asbestos fibers in the lining of the abdomen leads to peritoneal mesothelioma.
A build-up of fibers around the tissue of the heart can cause pericardial mesothelioma.
Fibers reach these places over time or because they have been transported there by the lymphatic system.
Who is at risk of mesothelioma cancer?
Mesothelioma has an extensive latency period (time between getting cancer and feeling the symptoms of it). This period is usually between 30 – 50 years and so a person who bears mesothelioma is unlikely to know that they have it.
Mesothelioma is so hard to diagnose in its early stages because it shows no symptoms. The few signs that it does show, such as wheezing and shortness of breath, are typical of far more common diseases such as pneumonia.
The likelihood of being cured depends mainly on early and aggressive cancer treatment. If treated when it has fully developed and matured, it is challenging to cure.
Those at highest risk are construction workers, asbestos manufacturers, or those who have lived within a mile of an asbestos factory are the people who have the most significant contact with asbestos. Those who are in contact with these people are also at risk because fibers can stick to clothes and hair.
The majority of people who are discovering that they have mesothelioma are men of about 60 – 70 years of age. This generation worked with asbestos a lot without sufficient protection.
Many of these men are now lodging multi-million dollar lawsuits against companies that exposed them to the dangers of asbestos.
If you find this information useful, please share with colleagues and send them to our website: www.LNCKRUG.com.