Lung Cancer Asbestos Exposure

Almost 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma diagnosed in the United States each year. Occurring more often in men and increasing in incidences with advancing age, mesothelioma is still a rare cancer.

Three-fourths of all cases of mesothelioma report a prior asbestos exposure. It is a well documented fact that working with asbestos is a major mesothelioma risk factor for mesothelioma. However, it is important to note that there are some cases of mesothelioma that report no known exposure to asbestos.

Asbestos has been used commercially since the late 1800s. We now know that since the 1940s millions of Americans have been exposed to asbestos. Although the harm caused by asbestos is not originally apparent, asbestos exposure often leads to serious, debilitating, and often fatal diseases, such as mesothelioma.

Initially the effects of asbestos exposure were not well known, however, it eventually became clear that shipyard workers, heating and air conditioning workers, asbestos mine workers and many others were developing mesothelioma at an alarming rate when compared to the standard population. Asbestos exposure turned out to be the common factor among all of these patients.

It is not just in the workplace, but asbestos exposure can also occur at schools, homes and even public buildings if asbestos products have fallen into disrepair or become damaged. The development of malignant mesothelioma is related to a variety of asbestos risk factors such as the amount of asbestos to which you were exposed and the total length of your exposure. There is no safe amount of asbestos exposure…don’t take the chance…avoid asbestos!

It is the knowledge that asbestos exposure can ultimately lead to the development of mesothelioma that first led to mesothelioma lawsuits. Because of the correlation between asbestos exposure and the failure of some employers to protect their workers from that exposure, many mesothelioma patients and their families working along with mesothelioma lawyers filed lawsuits for compensation based on the diagnosis of mesothelioma.

Asbestos is found in countless factories and industrial products. Items such as shingles, insulation, brake linings, cement, and flooring products are all manufactured using asbestos. Asbestos is a group of minerals that occur naturally as masses of strong, flexible fibers and can be separated into thin threads and woven.

Once these threads are woven, they can be used to develop many industrial products. There are literally thousands of commercial products that contain asbestos. It is a widely chosen material because of its strength, flexibility, and resistance to heat and chemicals. Asbestos also has a low electrical conductivity which also makes it a suitable choice of materials.

Lung cancer, asbestosis, mesothelioma and other cancers can also be related to asbestos exposure. Although workers are now more protected in the workplace by organizations such as the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA), asbestos exposure will always be a serious health hazard.

It is the inhalation of asbestos fibers that ultimately settle in the body and cause chronic inflammation that leads to one of the primary reasons of mesothelioma. The risk of mesothelioma increases with age and is most often seen in adult males.

Mesothelioma primarily impacts three areas of the body. The most common type of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma where the lining of the lung is affected. The second most common type of mesothelioma is peritoneal mesothelioma. With this type of mesothelioma, the cancer invades the peritoneum, or the lining of the abdomen. The rarest type of mesothelioma is known as pericardial mesothelioma, in which the cancer invades the sac lining the heart.

It is possible that you might contract malignant mesothelioma without direct exposure to asbestos fibers. Yes, most people are exposed to asbestos fibers at their work place. Workers in such fields as air conditioning, mining, ship building, auto mechanics, insulation, steel mills, and many other factories are most susceptible.

However, family members of these workers can also be at risk due to the asbestos fibers on the clothing of workers. If there are asbestos particles on the clothing of a worker and then a family member handles that worker’s clothing repeatedly for purposes such as doing the laundry, then those particles can certainly be inhaled or swallowed once airborne and asbestos exposure, as we have already discussed, is one of the leading reasons of mesothelioma.

Currently there is no cure for mesothelioma, but there are options available for both treatment and compensation. It is important to seek the advice of a mesothelioma attorney who is qualified through education and experience to act on your behalf.

Asbestos exposure is one of the major causes of mesothelioma. If you believe you have been exposed to asbestos and have begun to develop symptoms of mesothelioma it is critical that you seek treatment. A leading causes of mesothelioma, asbestos exposure deserves medical attention.

Mesothelioma cancer can show up as pericardial mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma or pleural mesothelioma, meaning it can invade the mesothelium or the lining of the heart, the abdomen or the lungs.

Even though asbestos has been mined and used commercially since the late 1800s, we now realize that beginning in the early 1940s that millions of American workers were routinely exposed to asbestos dust. People who worked in shipyards, in mines, in mills, in construction, and of course people who worked in factories which produced asbestos products could all be at an increased risk of developing malignant mesothelioma because of their exposure to asbestos dust and particles.

Because of this direct link between exposure and the risk of disease, a mesothelioma attorney may be a good place to start to learn about compensation options for those exposed to asbestos through their place of employment. Although I am not a proponent of a lawsuit happy culture, it is indeed heartbreaking to see the loyal worker who slaved for years in an environment that was unsafe and one that exposed them to asbestos which could ultimately cost them their life. So a mesothelioma lawyer or a law firm that specializes in mesothelioma cases may be a consideration for you.

Asbestos is defined as “any of several minerals that readily separate into long flexible fibers”. These fibers can then be separated into thin thread and woven. In the production of items containing asbestos, if minute particles float into the air and are swallowed or inhaled they can ultimately lead to very serious health problems.

It is important to remember that from the time of exposure to asbestos to the development of mesothelioma may be anywhere from 20-50 years. Not only can the exposure to asbestos lead to mesothelioma it can also lead to other cancers, such as cancer of the lung or larynx.

It could also lead to a non-cancerous disease called asbestosis, which is a chronic lung condition directly related to exposure to asbestos particles.

As mentioned earlier, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos. In areas where asbestos producing factories are located, people in the area may have been exposed by inhaling or swallowing particles of asbestos simply floating in the air.

Even families at home may have been exposed to asbestos particles by handling the clothes of a family member who was working with asbestos and came home with microscopic particles of it on their clothing.

The risk of developing malignant mesothelioma cancer is in the majority of cases directly related to a person’s exposure to asbestos and the exposure can occur many years before the actual development of the cancer.

Exposure to asbestos can occur by swallowing or inhaling tiny particles of asbestos which can even occur when doing the laundry and handling the clothes of a family member who has been exposed. Know the facts and know the risks… malignant mesothelioma is directly related to the exposure of asbestos… so prevention is key.