How Much Asbestos Can Cause Mesothelioma
Many patients are diagnosed with mesothelioma because of prolonged, severe exposure to asbestos. The symptoms typically do not show until 20 to 60 years after asbestos exposure. Manufacturers were aware of the dangers but concealed them from employees and the general public.
Mesothelioma is most often found in the lung or peritoneum. It can also affect the testicles and heart.
Workplace Exposure
Asbestos workers are at most risk of developing mesothelioma. Asbestos was a strong fire-resistant, affordable, and cost-effective material that was extensively used in construction, manufacturing, shipbuilding and other industries due to its affordability and its strength. These jobs typically required the removal and handling of asbestos-containing products on a daily base. They were also exposed by second-hand exposure when asbestos-containing products were carried home on clothing, hair, or tools. Family members may have swallowed or inhaled these asbestos fibers, which caused mesothelioma development.
The length and the intensity of an asbestos worker's exposure is the biggest factor in determining if they will develop mesothelioma. The likelihood of developing mesothelioma increased even if a person was exposed to low levels of asbestos for a brief period of time. Mesothelioma is usually not able to show symptoms until decades after exposure. The typical time of latency is between 30 and 60 years for pleural, and 20 to 40 for the peritoneal.
Plumbers, pipelayers and electricians are also at high risk of developing mesothelioma. These professions were the top performers in the production of asbestos and its use from the 1920s until the 1960s. Asbestos was commonly used in electrical insulation, floor tiles, and vinyl siding. Asbestos was also used in a number of other manufacturing and construction products, such as brake shoes and clutches. Shipyards, and particularly veterans of the Navy yard, were among the most risky environments for mesothelioma. Workers in and around these ships dealt with asbestos-based materials, sanded and cut asbestos-containing materials, and sawed and sanded asbestos-containing insulation.
Asbestos is unique in its ability to break up and release tiny sharp fibers into the air. When inhaled, these asbestos fibers enter the body via small air passages, and then stick to a victim's mesothelial cells. Mesothelioma is caused by cells becoming inflamed, inflamed and infected. Mesothelioma is typically found in the lung's linings stomach (peritoneum), the heart (pericardium), and the linings of tests. To determine if you're qualified for compensation, people who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma can contact an experienced attorney. Many asbestos companies have set up trust funds to pay for those who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma due to occupational exposure.
Secondhand Exposure
Mesothelioma can be caused by secondary asbestos exposure. This type of scenario occurs when someone who has been exposed to asbestos while at work, brings harmful fibres to their clothing and skin. These fibres are then breathed in and ingested by family members, usually without their knowledge. Asbestos does not have any warning properties which is why it can occur all day long. Veterans and military personnel are the most likely to develop mesothelioma. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has revealed that 33% of mesothelioma patients are veterans. Asbestos is commonly used in military equipment, including ships and aircrafts to make them durable and resistant to flames.
The chance of developing mesothelioma is increased by the amount and duration of asbestos exposure. It is also affected by the type of asbestos to which an individual has been exposed. All asbestos types are dangerous, however certain types -- chrysotile or the crocidolite type in particular are more likely to cause cancer. For example, chrysotile asbestos is often linked to lung cancer, while crocidolite is more commonly associated with fibrosis, mesothelioma and other ailments.
After asbestos exposure, mesothelioma-related symptoms can be seen between 10 and 50 years later. This lag is called the latency period. It makes it difficult to determine the correct diagnosis. In addition mesothelioma symptoms are similar to those of other cancers and are often mistaken for one another.
Anyone who has been exposed to asbestos through secondhand exposure what causes mesothelioma other than asbestos may be entitled to compensation from the companies responsible for the exposure. These lawsuits require an attorney with experience in tracking the exposure. An experienced mesothelioma law firm can assist with this process and assist victims make a mesothelioma claim that is successful.
Women can also contract mesothelioma secondhand from asbestos exposure. Women, particularly those who were homemakers in the period when asbestos was in high demand and was a popular choice for homemakers, carried asbestos fibers home on their clothing and breathed them in.
Environmental Exposure
Mesothelioma can affect the mesothelium that covers the lungs, abdomen, or testis. The growth of the cancer is typically related to exposure to asbestos mineral, which is a carcinogen. Before the developed nations banned or strictly regulated asbestos use (Europe, Australia, United States) hundreds of people were regularly exposed to asbestos at their work places and at home.
Various types of products contained asbestos, such as pipes, insulation, drywall and cements, as well as glues and glues. Workers who handled or installed these products had the greatest risk of exposure to asbestos. Workers in the construction and industrial sectors, as well as those who manufacture asbestos products, such as asbestos cement insulation and shingles were at risk. Workers who dealt with asbestos directly were not the only ones exposed. Others were also exposed through inhaling asbestos fibres and dust. Inhaling asbestos dust can cause a variety of health issues, such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural plaques.
The risk of developing mesothelioma increases with the length of time and intensity of their occupational asbestos exposure. In addition to direct exposure, other factors that increase a person's risk include family history and residential asbestos exposure.
Certain people have inhaled asbestos fibres and dust from clothing. This kind of indirect exposure is called secondary mesothelioma exposure. Indirect exposure may also occur when a person moves in to a home that has had asbestos in it.
There is also the possibility of mesothelioma developing through gene mutations related to asbestos exposure. These gene mutations can affect the way an individual's immune system responds to asbestos, thereby increasing the chance of developing mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma symptoms can manifest within 20 to 60 years of exposure to asbestos. When symptoms start to appear, patients should tell their doctor about their asbestos exposure history. To avoid a misdiagnosis they should also request a referral to mesothelioma specialists to ensure quality treatment. The doctors will order imaging scans and blood tests to determine if the patient has mesothelioma or a different asbestos-related disease.
Genetics
The development of mesothelioma is in part dependent on how much asbestos a person was exposed to and the length of time that exposure lasts. Certain individuals do develop mesothelioma even though they have had no asbestos exposure. It has been suggested that genetic mutations could be the cause of this difference.
Researchers have discovered that specific mutations in genes can make people more prone to mesothelioma developing. They may also affect the way patients respond to chemotherapy. Mutations can result in either under or overexpression of proteins and genes that regulate the growth of mesothelial cells. Overexpression of these genes and proteins can cause cell overgrowth which is a characteristic of mesothelioma.
Scientists have discovered that a mutation in the gene BAP-1 can increase the chances of developing mesothelioma as a result of asbestos exposure. A mutation in this gene increases the amount of cytotoxic mesothelioma cells that the body produces. This can cause tumors to form in different parts of your body. For instance, asbestos fibers that stick to the lungs (pleura) can cause malignant pleural mesothelioma, while asbestos fibers that penetrate the abdomen and the abdominal lining (peritoneum) cause peritoneal mesothelioma.
Asbestos fibers damage DNA and chromosomes. This can lead to the development of a range of diseases, including mesothelioma. These mutations can also make patients more sensitive to the effects of asbestos.
Family history is an important risk factor for mesothelioma along with genetic mutations. Many victims are exposed asbestos as a result of their loved ones' occupational exposure. Exposure can be caused by asbestos particles that infiltrate the workplace and get home on the clothing of a worker or shoes.
Most cases of mesothelioma are a result of exposure to high levels of asbestos for a prolonged period of time. In most cases, people developed mesothelioma decades after their initial exposure to asbestos. The mesothelioma's latency time could last for up to forty years. A small number of mesothelioma patients had low-level asbestos exposure and suffered from the disease as a consequence. It is important to understand that a mesothelioma diagnosis will not mean that the patient was exposed to asbestos at any point in their life.