Mesothelioma triggered by asbestos

Mesothelioma is a malignancy or cancer in the lining of the chest and lungs or the abdomen. It is a rare form of cancer. The most common type is Pleural mesothelioma, which is a cancer in the chest region. Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the abdomen and is much rarer. An even rarer form can involve the sac around the heart.

Cases of mesothelioma are rare, but fatal

About 2,500 cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Men are four times more likely to be diagnosed than women. Although there is a benign form of the disease, there is no cure for malignant mesothelioma and all cases are considered terminal. Most patients reportedly live less than a year after diagnosis.

Asbestos is the main cause

Environmental exposure is the main cause of mesothelioma cases. The most common contributor is exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is made from a handful of fibrous materials. It was used in construction for its ability to stop fire and heat conduction. Asbestos was often used in automobile brake pads and in heating systems. However, the fibers often become airborne as the material is cut, wears, abrades or is fabricated. Research shows the majority of mesothelioma cases are in men over 40 who held jobs where they were exposed to repeatedly breathing asbestos fibers. However, there have been numerous cases of people developing malignant mesothelioma because they were exposed to asbestos in their homes. Because of these risk factors, the U.S. Government put restrictions on the use of asbestos which began in 1983.

Development of disease takes decades

Exposure to asbestos will not immediately lead to development of mesothelioma. Research shows it can take more than 30 years in some cases after exposure for the cancer to develop. Asbestos exposure of as little as one month has been traced to mesothelioma decades later.

Symptoms of mesothelioma

Mesothelioma begins to manifest itself with shortness of breath. Patients often complain of pain in their chests. These symptoms progress with the disease. However, a doctor will have to look inside the patient’s chest cavity and perform a biopsy for a positive diagnosis. As the disease progresses, patients exhibit weight loss and as the tumors can contribute to loss of voice and in some cases the diaphragm and other structures in the chest wall will lose function.

Goldberg & Osborne, a personal injury law firm, has provided this article for informational purposes only, written by an independent author, and has not reviewed or edited this article and is not responsible for its content or accuracy.