Exposure to Asbestos is the most common cause of mesothelioma. Almost all cases of mesothelioma are caused by asbestos exposure. Asbestos is a natural mineral which is mined from rock found in many countries around the world. It is made up of tiny fibres as strong as steel, woven like cotton and highly resistant to heat, chemicals and electricity.
The first definite link between mesothelioma and asbestos was made in the 1960s. At that time, asbestos was very widely used in the manufacture of insulation materials, such as insulation board and building materials, including cement.
When asbestos is damaged or disturbed, it releases tiny fibres, almost invisible to the naked eye, which, when airborne can breathed in, and cannot be exhaled or coughed out. Once the fibres are in the lungs, the body's defense mechanism tries to break them down and remove them, which leads to inflammation in the lung's tissue.
Asbestos fibres can also penetrate through the lung tissue to settle in the pleura (the membrane around the lung). Over many years they can cause asbestosis, mesothelioma or other lung diseases to develop. Asbestos fibres can also be swallowed, and some of the fibres become lodged in the digestive system. They will then move into the membrane that lines the abdomen (the peritoneum), where they cause inflammation.
Those individuals most likely to have been exposed to asbestos will include: construction workers, boilermakers, construction workers, demolition workers, electricians, plumbers, shipbuilders etc. Family members of those who worked with asbestos and unwittingly brought asbestos dust home on their clothes, will also be at risk and have also been known to developed mesothelioma.
There are three types of asbestos and these are: blue, brown and white. The blue and brown asbestos types are most commonly linked with mesothelioma, and are now very rarely used. However, although originally, white asbestos was thought not to be dangerous, recent studies have shown that it is also harmful.
Although by 1999 the importation and use of all asbestos was banned, and because mesothelioma develops so slowly, it is estimated that by the year 2015, approximately 3000 people will have been diagnosed with mesothelioma each year. After this time, the number of people who develop mesothelioma will begin to fall annually.
Mesothelioma does not typically develop for many years after the initial exposure to asbestos. Although it can take anything from 10 to 60 years, the average time is around 30 to 40 years after asbestos exposure.
Occasionally, mesothelioma will be diagnosed in people who have never had any history of asbestos exposure. Other causes of the disease are to date not fully understood, but in rare cases mesothelioma has been linked to radiation exposure.
Research has found no evidence that smoking increases an individual's risk of developing mesothelioma. It is understood that exposure to other building materials, for example fibreglass also will not increase the risk. Mesothelioma is not a contagious disease and therefore cannot be passed on to other individuals. Family members are only at risk when in contact with asbestos particles.
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