The relationship between Mesothelioma and Asbestos
The only thing that causes Mesothelioma is ongoing exposure to asbestos. Workers who have breathed in asbestos dust can develop symptoms to this cancer many years after they stopped being exposed. The scarring of lung tissue, known as Asbestosis, or fibrosis, can cause symptoms such as mild discomfort and shortness of breath. Symptoms that are more serious can cause severe breathing problems and heart attacks, which can cause this to be a very deadly disease.
Asbestos is used in cement, roof shingles, insulation, and packing materials. It can be found in brake linings and flooring products. Asbestos has been found in talc, which has been linked to ovarian cancer diagnosis. Since it has only been in the last few decades that the knowledge of the link between these asbestos fibers and Mesothelioma cancer, many urban areas are doing a “catch up.” Remodeling, debatement and major overhaul are occurring to make older buildings safer and up to current code and standards. It was discovered that many private and public buildings and water reservoirs contain the asbestos fibers.
Usually Asbestosis is related to long exposure to asbestos, (breathing in the dusts in a working environment), Mesothelioma cancer can show up decades after only small periods, or brief exposures to asbestos. It has also presented itself in family members of someone that was exposed, although this occurs less often, it hap
Increasingly, since the 1980’s, complications from Mesothelioma cause more than 2000 new diagnosis each year in the United States. Middle aged and elderly men are are currently receiving this diagnosis, years, sometimes several decades after the exposure in their work history.
Many companies, who knew the dangers of exposure but still allowed workers to go unprotected, find themselves facing severe battles against lawsuits from people now suffering from Mesothelioma. Since there is the strong cause and effect between exposure to asbestos and developing Mesothelioma, we now know ways to prevent it from happening.
Mesothelioma was discovered as a tumor of the pleura, peritoneum and pericardium in the late 1700’s. It was in 1960 hen this particular kind of cancerous tumor was described in medical circles in more detail. It was at this time also, that the association between asbestos exposure and the onset of its cause to Mesothelioma was discovered.
J.C. Wagner first wrote a report, about a case describing 32 workers exposed in the “Asbestos Hills’ in South Africa. Many studies around the world since this first report, have confirmed the finding of the correlation between asbestos and development of Mesothelioma cancer.
The disease does not affect a huge percentage of the population. Studies show it occurs maybe in 14 out of 1 million people per year. However, during the years from 1970-1984, 45 out of 1 million, most of who were men who worked in association with occupational exposure to asbestos. Most of the time these jobs existed in areas of asbestos product plants and shipbuilding factories.