Asbestos and Mesothelioma
Asbestos is the biggest work place killer today. Those who have
worked with asbestos or who are regularly in contact with
someone who has are at risk from asbestosis, lung cancer and
mesothelioma. All these are fatal respiratory diseases which are
extremely difficult to cure. Research is being carried out in
various research labs all over the USA and many pharmaceutical
companies are also endeavouring to find new drugs and treatment
methods.
One rare disease caused by asbestos which is becoming
increasingly common is mesothelioma. Although unknown by many
today, it is almost certain that awareness of this disease will
be broadcasted worldwide because of its increasing occurrence in
men aged between 55 and 70. Many of these men are now lodging
multi million dollar lawsuits against the companies who
subjected them to asbestos. Those most at risk from mesothelioma
are those who have been in regular contact with asbestos dust
and fibres without sufficient protection. Just a couple of
months of exposure to asbestos can lead to mesothelioma 30 years
later. The latency period (amount of time the disease takes to
start taking effect) of mesothelioma is 30 - 50 years which is
one of the reasons it is so difficult to cure because it is very
difficult to tackle in its early stages. Another reason it is so
difficult to cure is that its early symptoms are characteristic
of many other more common diseases such as pneumonia.
Mesothelioma symptoms include:
- Chest pains - Coughing that worsens over time - Weight loss -
Shortness of breath - Coughing up blood - Nausea and vomiting -
Fatigue - Wheezing - Lung infection - Swollen lymph nodes - Loss
of appetite
A patient will feel symptoms depending on which type of
mesothelioma he or she has got. For information on the different
types of mesothelioma go to: www.1-mesothelioma.co.uk
In the next 35 years it is estimated that over 1 million people
will die from asbestos related diseases in developed countries.
Most of these people will die from lung cancer and mesothelioma
as these two are the most prolific asbestos related diseases.