Mesothelioma Causes And Risk Factors
There are various causes of mesothelioma, many of which are unknown. Most people who have been exposed to asbestos in their jobs develop this disease. This is true for people who were involved in the manufacture and employment of this dangerous substance. Since most workers who developed mesothelioma also had a history of asbestos exposure, it is easy to determine who was exposed to this hazardous material. If you worked in an office building that once had asbestos, then you had a very high probability of developing mesothelioma, as many other people did.
Mesothelioma develops when the mesothelium cell to become abnormal and divide uncontrollably. Malignant mesothelioma can be either malignant (cancerous) or non-malignant (non-cancerous). In malignant mesothelioma, the cells grow and divide uncontrollably. In non-malignant mesothelioma, the cells grow and divide normally. Both of these types of mesothelioma causes of cancer are genetic, meaning that they are present in families with similar traits.
Mesothelioma causes are still unknown, as research on the disease continues. Mesothelioma usually begins to develop in the main respiratory organ, such as the chest, lungs and abdomen. But it can also affect the fingers, toes and the nails. Asbestos exposure, as well as exposure to other toxic materials such as paint and certain chemicals can cause this disease.
Some mesothelioma causes are hereditary, while others are caused by environmental factors. Inherited disorders such as cystic fibrosis, and disorders of the immune system, such as HIV or hepatitis B, are some of the environmental factors that cause the cancer. They can pass from one generation to the next and cause the mutations that lead to malignant cells spread in the body. These environmental factors include asbestos exposure, which is a type of cancer-causing mineral that was commonly used in the 1970s, especially in construction. According to the World Health Organization, the most common cause of malignant tumors among people working with asbestos is the inhalation of microscopic fibers of the mineral.
To protect workers from mesothelioma causes, many companies today make sure their employees are warned about asbestos use and take certain safety precautions. The dangers of asbestos, however, were not known by many doctors and medical professionals until recently. Doctors began to suspect that there might be a connection between patients who had been exposed to asbestos and the development of certain cancers at a later time. Since the effects of asbestos exposure are not easily reversible, doctors have been concentrating their research on trying to determine how workers who are exposed to it might develop into malignant tumors.
Researchers now know that individuals who have been exposed to asbestos are at a much greater risk of developing mesothelioma than those who have never worked with the mineral. However, it is also important to remember that the risk of developing the disease does not depend only on whether one has worked with asbestos; it also depends on the individual’s overall health, his or her history of previous cancer, his or her family’s history of similar diseases, his or her age and his or her general health. A patient’s risk also depends on the type of asbestos exposure, he or she has experienced. Those whose exposure has come in the form of a ‘wet job’ are more at risk than those whose exposure came in the form of a ‘dry job.’ If someone wants to protect his or her chances of developing mesothelioma, it is necessary for him or her to take steps to avoid asbestos related jobs.
