mesothelioma information & research on asbestos cancer
Exposure to asbestos is the primary cause of mesothelioma, a cancer which is known as the most serious of all asbestos-related diseases. Asbestos, which is made up of combinations of minerals forming long, threadlike fibers, is ideal for making materials which are fireproof. Asbestos is found in electrical insulation, roofing, and filters, to name a few, and can even be spread to other people via work clothes or the air we breathe.
After asbestos fibers are breathed in they can cause damage to the mesothelial cells and this may result in cancer. The mesothelial cells cover the outer surface of most internal organs and line the abdominal cavity, the chest cavity, and the cavity around the heart.
Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma (chest) are pain in the lower back or side of chest, shortness of breath, cough, and flu-like symptoms such as fever, sweating, fatigue, and even weight loss.
Asbestos fibers can even be swallowed. In this case, they may cause peritoneal mesothelioma in the abdominal cavity. Symptoms of asbestos cancer of the abdomen include pain, weight loss, nausea, and vomiting.
A tumor in the vicinity of the heart is called a pericardium mesothelioma. People often mistake symptoms for common, minor ailments.
Symptoms of asbestos cancer are often experienced for only a few months prior to diagnosis.
Those at risk of mesothelioma are those most exposed to asbestos, regardless of age, gender, or geography. Certain occupations pose a greater risk of exposure to asbestos, and hence, people in these occupations are more vulnerable to mesothelioma.
Beginning 15 years after the onset of exposure about 6% die of mesothelioma. Asbestos insulation workers have a death rate from mesothelioma which is 344 times higher than the general population.
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