Mesothelioma - Who is at risk?
Mesothelioma is a rare and deadly cancer caused by exposure to asbestos without adequate protection.
The majority of people discovering they have mesothelioma are men in their 60's and 70's.
Most victims of mesothelioma have worked on jobs in the past where they inadvertently breathed in asbestos dust or fibers. When these
asbestos particles lodge in the lining of the lungs they eventually cause the cancer known as pleural mesothelioma. This is the most common
form of mesothelioma cancer.
The lymphatic system sometimes transports asbestos fibres to the lining of the abdomen or to the tissues surrounding the heart. This can
lead to the cancers named peritoneal mesothelioma or pericardial mesothelioma respectively.
A big problem with diagnosing this disease is the extended time between getting the cancer and noticing any symptoms.
This long latency period can be anywhere from 20 to 50 years after the initial exposure to asbestos.
Another problem is that the initial symptoms of mesothelioma are very similar to pneumonia or even the common cold.
The chances for survival of this disease depends to a great extent on early diagnosis and on how aggressively the cancer is treated after
its discovery.
There is no cure at this stage for fully developed, advanced cases of mesothelioma cancer.
To summarize, those most at risk of developing mesothelioma cancer are people who worked directly with asbestos.
This includes asbestos manufacturers, construction workers and also people who lived nearby asbestos factories.
Others at some risk are
those that had contact with these people who were exposed to asbestos as the fibres and particles can stick to hair and clothing.
Many victims of mesothelioma cancer are now lodging multi-million dollar lawsuits against the companies and people responsible for exposing
them to the dangers of asbestos.
The death rate from mesothelioma cancer in the USA during the period from 1980 to the late 1990's increased from 2000 to approximately 3000
per year. The statistics show that men are more than 4 times more likely to develop mesothelioma than women.