Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure

Anyone who uses products containing asbestos are at risk of inhaling asbestos fibers. These fibers can penetrate the wall of the chest cavity and abdomen and are known as the pleura or peritoneum.

Exposure to asbestos increases the risk of developing malignant pleural mesothelioma or peritoneal cancer throughout your life. Although the risk is believed to decrease after 40 years of exposure, even the smallest exposure to asbestos is risky.

Age

The older the person is exposed to the environment, the higher the chance of developing mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects the mesothelium, which is a thin layer of tissue around the major organs of the body. The cancerous cells are malignant, meaning they expand beyond control and develop into tumors. Mesothelioma is typically diagnosed in people who were exposed to asbestos through their own work or as a family member of someone who was exposed to asbestos.

Exposure to asbestos may cause mesothelioma due to the irritation of the mesothelium. The lining of the lungs (pleura) is the most affected in patients suffering from mesothelioma pleural, but it can also affect the lining of the abdomen and peritoneum, as well as the heart lining (pericardium).

Asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral, is durable and heat resistant. It was widely used in the construction industry, insulation and other industrial applications up to the 1980s. In the 1980s millions of Americans were either exposed to asbestos as a result of their work or living near loved ones who were exposed to asbestos.

When asbestos is disturbed, it releases fibers into the air. They are too hard for the body’s system to break down or process. The fibers could cause irritation and cancer in the lungs if they become stuck.

Mesothelioma symptoms typically do not show up until years after exposure to asbestos. The symptoms are similar with other cancers, and may be fatal without treatment.

Mesothelioma affects men more often than women, and is most commonly diagnosed in people over age 45. Miners, shipbuilders and railroad workers, and people who installed or handled asbestos-containing products are at greatest risk of developing mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure in the workplace. The asbestos found on the clothing of these workers can also expose their families to risk.

Smoking

The longer an individual is exposed to asbestos, the higher their risk of developing mesothelioma. This is due to the lengthy latency time that can range between 20 and 60 year from the time of exposure until diagnosis. Mesothelioma can occur in different areas of the body based on the type and quantity of asbestos. The lining of the chest wall and the lung cavity (the pleura) is afflicted by pleural mesothelioma. Peritoneal Mesothelioma occurs in the abdomen’s lining and is also known as the peritoneum.

Most often, those who have been exposed develop mesothelioma of the chest or lungs. The most at risk are those who worked in the fields of shipbuilding, power production and construction. However, mesothelioma is also able to develop in people who were exposed to asbestos at home or in school. Children and spouses of asbestos-exposed workers may carry asbestos-containing particles from their workplace home and smear them on their clothes hair, skin and hair. This puts them at risk.

The majority of mesothelioma patients are white and over 65. They are more likely to have an occupation with a blue collar or military background. The United States Navy and other branches of the military used asbestos extensively because of its properties to resist flames, and millions of veterans could have been exposed to it.

Mesothelioma may develop when DNA of an individual undergoes changes which cause cells to multiply without control. This leads to the formation of tumors, which eventually transform into mesothelioma. The disease can be affecting any part of the body, however most often it occurs in the abdomen or chest.

Smoking cigarettes does not cause mesothelioma. However it increases the risk of this cancer by increasing the amount of asbestos that one breathes. Anyone who has been exposed to asbestos should quit smoking cigarettes.

The treatment plan of a patient with mesothelioma should also include a physician who is knowledgeable about asbestos exposure and risk factors. A specialist in mesothelioma who is knowledgeable on their side can help them determine the best approach to treat this rare cancer. The doctor will determine whether the patient is eligible for immunotherapy or other experimental treatments.

Asbestos Exposure

asbestos lawsuit is a naturally occurring mineral that is used in many different products such as flooring, roofing, and insulation. Anyone who works with asbestos-containing products and manufacture them, or work with them are at a greater risk of being exposed. Exposure to asbestos fibers in the air can cause cancer and other illnesses.

There is a long time of latency between exposure to asbestos and the onset of symptoms which makes it difficult to recognize many asbestos-related diseases. Mesothelioma is the most deadly of asbestos-related diseases is not an exception. Mesothelioma symptoms may manifest between 20 and 60 year after exposure to Asbestos Legal.

The most common way people are exposed to asbestos is through occupational exposure. Electrical, manufacturing, construction and automotive mechanic jobs all involve the handling of asbestos-containing components and materials. The risk of exposure to asbestos is also present through activities at home, such as smoking, or renovating older homes that contain asbestos.

The majority of mesothelioma cases are caused by asbestos inhalation. Inhaling asbestos fibers can lead to the lungs, where they irritate a lining called pleura. This irritation can result in thickened patches of pleura (pleural plates) and fibrosis within the lung. As the disease progresses it could cause fluid accumulation in the chest cavity (pleural effusion) and eventually lung cancer. Mesothelioma can also affect the lining of other organs, including the heart and abdomen.

Mesothelioma is the most frequent cancer among people who have been exposed to asbestos while working. People with a history of family members or mesothelioma or other asbestos-related illnesses are also at risk. The risk of a person being diagnosed with asbestos is increased if they were exposed to asbestos at multiple times over their lifetime. Smoking cigarettes does not increase the risk of mesothelioma, but it can make the condition worse for those who have already been diagnosed. If you have an history of exposure to asbestos and have mesothelioma symptoms quitting smoking may make you healthier and improve the treatment outcome. It is important to tell your doctor about your exposure to asbestos claim and any new symptoms, like breathlessness or abdominal pain, as they can treat the disease with medication or surgery.

Genetics

Many cancers are linked to genetics that means a person’s genes could increase their risk of developing a particular disease. However, mesothelioma doesn’t have any genetic component. Exposure to asbestos is the primary cause.

Asbestos fibers can enter the body by being inhaled or swallowed, and they stick to the chest’s lining (the pleura), the abdomen (the peritoneum) or around the heart (the pericardium). Over time these fibers that are loose can damage or mutate the cells that make up these small linings, which can result in mesothelioma’s development.

However, mesothelioma may not affect every person who is exposed. Researchers believe that other factors could influence whether someone develops mesothelioma from asbestos compensation exposure. This could include a person’s gender and age and their family history of mesothelioma and other diseases and whether they have additional risk factors such as smoking.

Mesothelioma is more likely to develop in men than women. This may be because more males than females were exposed directly to asbestos at work. Also, it takes between 20 to 60 years for mesothelioma to be diagnosed following a person’s initial exposure to asbestos.

Another risk factor for mesothelioma is an infected gene. In a study of two families with mesothelioma incidences that were high, scientists found that almost every member of the family carried a defective gene on their short arm chromosome 3. This gene is known as BAP 1 and regulates how calcium moves through cells. When a gene is not functioning properly this process is broken and calcium levels decrease. This allows asbestos to mutate healthy cells into cancerous ones, causing mesothelioma.

A gene that is mutated can increase the risk of developing mesothelioma as a result of asbestos exposure. People with this gene mutation have a lower percentage of white blood cells which are the cells that fight cancerous cells.

Other factors that can raise a person’s chance of mesothelioma include the type of asbestos they were exposed to and their work. The polio vaccine, which was administered to children between 1940 and 1950, can also increase a person’s risk of developing mesothelioma through exposure to cancer-causing SV40.