Facts About Mesothelioma Cancer & Asbestos
Approximately 27.5 million Americans were exposed to asbestos at work between 1940 and 1979. Even more people inhaled asbestos dust and fibers off of the clothing of loved ones and during home renovation projects. Every single one of these people is at risk of developing mesothelioma, a deadly form of cancer mostly caused by asbestos exposure.
According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 3,000 new cases per year of malignant mesothelioma cancer are being reported in the United States each year and the incidences appear to be increasing. The disease is three times more common in men than in women. (Men of course were in occupations that involved exposure to asbestos products) In men, the occurrence of mesothelioma cancer is ten times higher in men between the ages of 60-70 as compared to men between the ages of 30-40. Occupational exposure to asbestos over the past fifty years in the United States is calculated to have occurred in approximately eight million people.
Since the early 1900s, asbestos has been suspected of causing lung diseases but through the years many business, industries, and organizations, including the government, concealed evidence. Connecticut mesothelioma information will tell you if your job puts you at risk for developing mesothelioma.
Old coffee pots, toasters, hair dryers, irons, corn poppers and other seemingly innocuous home products may contain asbestos. Trade workers, teachers and miners were also regularly exposed, leaving them vulnerable to developing mesothelioma. Sadly, millions of people were also exposed to asbestos through the use of common household products. Even everyday cloth and brake lining also often contained the deadly fibers. Asbestos is a mineral that is composed of silicon, oxygen, hydrogen and other metals. Its fibers are powerful, flexible and flame retardant hence the reason it was used so frequently. Asbestos does not break down easily. Other asbestos uses over the years include plastics, paper products and floor tiles. Asbestos was also used together with another compound to form sealants, cement pipes and insulation.
Nearly every person in our modern day and age, according to the National Cancer Society, has been exposed to asbestos. While the risk of developing mesothelioma is highest for people who have worked directly with asbestos, people who have only had small exposure to asbestos dust can also develop this disease.
Mesotheloima is a cancer of the thin membrane surrounding many of your organs. While it most commonly affects the lungs, (Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking.), mesothelioma can involve the heart and the stomach too. When the cells become abnormal from the presence of asbestos, the membrane, known as the mesothelium, begins to overproduce the fluid that normally allows your organs to glide freely. This over production encases the organ in thick tumor ridden tissue and in advanced cases of mesothelioma the cancer then spreads to other areas of the body. Arming yourself with Idaho mesothelioma information can help you catch this disease before it can overtake the entire body.
One of the most important factors know is that Mesothelioma can take 20 to 50 years after exposure to develop. Regular health check-ups are vital to catching the disease in its early stages. Also, having a doctor who is familiar with mesothelioma can help insure you are receiving the best care possible.
In 9 out of 10 cases of Mesothelioma cancer the only known cause is inhalation or ingesting of asbestos fibers from industrial plants or previous employer job sites.
The largest asbestos manufacturer was located in Libby, Montana. Unbeknownst to their employees, the deadly asbestos fibers were being inhaled at work.
The first signs of trouble may seem vague, a persistent cough, chest pain and shortness of breath. Early diagnose is critical to extending life, so these symptoms should be evaluated by a doctor. If left untreated, the mesothelium, or thin membrane surrounding your internal organs, will over produce the fluid that typically allows your organs to glide freely. The organs then become encased in thick tumor tissues and the cancer can spread to other areas of the body.