What Is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a disease where the cells of the mesothelium
become abnormal. It is called the cancer of the mesothelium.
They can damage the tissues and other organs of the body. They
can also affect the other cells and spread throughout the body.
It was hard to find any information before the Internet era.
Now, with the invention of Internet, information on anything can
be achieved. Around 2000 cases of Mesothelioma are diagnosed in
US alone. In the past 20 years mesothelioma cases have gone
high. Mesothilioma mainly affects men than women and it gets
riskier as people age.
How do people get Mesothelioma? Asbestos is the main factor for
this disease. People in factories who work under the asbestos
roof or people who manufacture asbestos sheets or asbestos
related products tend to get this disease. Around 70-80 percent
cases for mesothelioma are because of asbestos. However, there
are some cases where the person with mesotheliioma has no
exposure to asbestos. The tiny particles or dust of the asbestos
float in the air, and when they are inhaled, it leads to health
problems. Exposure to asbestos also increases the possibility of
lung cancer, and other cancers. Smoking as well as exposure to
asbestos could lead to cancer in the air passageways.
Who can develop mesotheliioma? The risk associated with asbestos
was unknown for a long time. Millions of people have been
exposed to this dust since 1800's. But, nowadays, people wear
protective equipment while working with asbestos related
products. There have been cases where people who have worked
with asbestos for many years as well as people who have worked
for a very small time too have got this disease. Not all workers
get this disease. Even, family members have the history of
getting mesothelioma or other asbestos related disease. This
could be because of the dust brought by the worker from his hair
or clothes, so it is necessary that the worker at the factory
take bath before leaving the workplace.
Symptoms: Mesothelioma usually occurs after 30 years of exposure
to asbestos dust. Shortness of breath and chest pain is the
first indication. Mesothelioma is treated by surgery, radiation
therapy, chemotherapy etc.