Mesothelioma — a cancer that most
commonly attacks the lungs and abdomen, was profoundly rare until industrial
and commercial companies expanded the use of asbestos during the 20th century.
After spending decades investigating the disease and its causes, medical
researchers identified one primary culprit: Exposure to asbestos.
Medical research studies gradually
pointed to the fact that breathing in minuscule asbestos fibers starts a chain
of physical and metabolic events that lead to the development of several types
of cancers or an incurable breathing disorder called asbestosis.
In March 2011, the International
Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) presented an update on the link between
asbestos and cancer at a World Health Organization conference in Spain. The
IARC explained the scientific evidence of this link has only strengthened over
time, and there is overwhelming proof asbestos is cancerous to humans —
regardless of the type or fiber length.
In March 2009, the International
Agency for Research on Cancer reconfirmed that asbestos exposure is the leading
cause for mesothelioma and all forms of asbestos cause the disease.
Risk
Factors for Mesothelioma
While exposure to asbestos is the
leading cause for mesothelioma, other elements can play a significant role in
this cancer’s development. Doctors call these elements risk factors, and they
include any factors that increase a person’s likelihood of developing cancer.
Apart
from risk factors associated with asbestos, exposure to minerals with similar
properties to asbestos, a person's age and gender and other elements may
increase the likelihood of developing the disease.
Where Does Asbestos Exposure Occur?
Asbestos once
filled countless U.S. homes and businesses in the form of insulation and
heat-protecting materials. Throughout the massive construction boom following
World War II, it was a key element in thousands of industrial and household
products, including drywall, wiring, glues and adhesives, ceiling tiles,
cements and shingles.
Some of these
asbestos products remain in old structures and are usually harmless — as long
as they're not disturbed. Workers usually were exposed to the harmful natural
mineral while on the job, but others, including their family members, also
faced secondary exposures at home and environmental exposures in communities
that mined or processed asbestos.
Occupational Exposure
Most harmful
exposures occurred at work. The risk for asbestos-related illnesses is highest
for people who worked directly with the raw mineral or with asbestos-containing
products on a daily basis. Some of the most prevalent occurrences of asbestos
exposure that cause mesothelioma were in the following occupations:
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