Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive form of cancer primarily caused by asbestos exposure and is found in the mesothelial lining of the heart, lungs and abdomen. Due to the extensive use of asbestos in various industries and shipbuilding during the mid-1950s, cases of mesothelioma are expected to peak around 2020.
There are four different types of mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common and develops in the lining of the lungs, known as the pleura. Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the lining of the abdomen, known as the peritoneum. Pericardial mesothelioma develops in the membrane surrounding the heart, known as the pericardium. Testicular mesothelioma affects the lining surrounding the testicles and is the rarest form of mesothelioma.
Every year approximately 2,000 to 3,000 people are diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma in the United States due to asbestos exposure. This cancer occurs about four times more frequently in men than in women and all forms of mesothelioma, except benign mesothelioma, are terminal since no cure has been discovered.
Symptoms usually do not begin until 20 to 50 years after the initial exposure to asbestos has occurred. The life expectancy of patients diagnosed with mesothelioma is generally less than one year following diagnosis. However, the prognosis can be affected by how early the disease is found in the patient.
Asbestos was widely used in the insulation of many industrial plants and also widely used in the insulation of U.S. Navy ships during the Second World War. Pleural mesothelioma is caused by the direct inhalation of the fibers in asbestos into the lungs, while peritoneal mesothelioma is caused by the swallowing of asbestos fibers.
However, today asbestos use is widely controlled and the applications in insulation and other products are very limited and have been government regulated since the 1970s and 1980s. Asbestos is a naturally-mined mineral and deposits can be found in mountainous regions around the world. It is widely used due to its durable qualities and heat resistance. Asbestos is commonly found in insulation and other industrial and household materials, and is also used in products such as car parts and adhesives.
Due to asbestos’ innate resistance to fire and heat, it once was a useful mineral widely used in industrial and domestic products. However, the shape of the fibers reacts negatively with human tissues and biological processes. When inhaled or swallowed, asbestos fibers become lodged in the linings of many organs, specifically the lungs and digestive system, eventually causing inflammation that leads to a variety of terminal diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Additional information about mesothelioma and asbestos exposure may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.
There are four different types of mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common and develops in the lining of the lungs, known as the pleura. Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the lining of the abdomen, known as the peritoneum. Pericardial mesothelioma develops in the membrane surrounding the heart, known as the pericardium. Testicular mesothelioma affects the lining surrounding the testicles and is the rarest form of mesothelioma.
Every year approximately 2,000 to 3,000 people are diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma in the United States due to asbestos exposure. This cancer occurs about four times more frequently in men than in women and all forms of mesothelioma, except benign mesothelioma, are terminal since no cure has been discovered.
Symptoms usually do not begin until 20 to 50 years after the initial exposure to asbestos has occurred. The life expectancy of patients diagnosed with mesothelioma is generally less than one year following diagnosis. However, the prognosis can be affected by how early the disease is found in the patient.
Asbestos was widely used in the insulation of many industrial plants and also widely used in the insulation of U.S. Navy ships during the Second World War. Pleural mesothelioma is caused by the direct inhalation of the fibers in asbestos into the lungs, while peritoneal mesothelioma is caused by the swallowing of asbestos fibers.
However, today asbestos use is widely controlled and the applications in insulation and other products are very limited and have been government regulated since the 1970s and 1980s. Asbestos is a naturally-mined mineral and deposits can be found in mountainous regions around the world. It is widely used due to its durable qualities and heat resistance. Asbestos is commonly found in insulation and other industrial and household materials, and is also used in products such as car parts and adhesives.
Due to asbestos’ innate resistance to fire and heat, it once was a useful mineral widely used in industrial and domestic products. However, the shape of the fibers reacts negatively with human tissues and biological processes. When inhaled or swallowed, asbestos fibers become lodged in the linings of many organs, specifically the lungs and digestive system, eventually causing inflammation that leads to a variety of terminal diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Additional information about mesothelioma and asbestos exposure may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 5th, 2011 at 11:44 am and is filed under Asbestos Exposure, Mesothelioma, Mesothelioma Treatment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS feed. Responses are currently closed, but you trackback from your own site.
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