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Asbestos is the
only known cause of mesothelioma. Asbestos is a combination of several
minerals held together by silky strands of fibers. These fireproof fibers do not
burn, and do not conduct heat or electricity. Because asbestos does not conduct
heat well and is resistant to melting or burning, asbestos was used widely in
all types of construction products up to the mid-1970s. Other products made with
asbestos, such as insulation materials and automotive clutches and brakes, were
designed principally to contain heat and sound.
Mesothelioma Chrysotile
Chrysotile asbestos is the main
cause of malignant pleural
mesothelioma. The three most common forms of asbestos are chrysotile,
amosite, and crocidolite. Chrysotile or white asbestos accounts for
approximately 95% of the asbestos used in US production of asbestos products and
is the only member of the serpentine group of minerals.
The fine fibers
of asbestos made it a great source for insulation and as a fire retardant but
they their entry into the human body can trigger the onset of mesothelioma.
Sometimes the asbestos fibers enter the body through the air and are breathed
into the lung area of the body. Once they are taken in through the respiratory
passages these fibers lodge themselves in the mesothelial cells around the
lungs. This can cause direct damage to the lungs by traveling to the ends of
small passages and reach the pleura area around the lungs.
Once lodged in
the plural area these fibers can injure lung cells and cause lung cancer or
asbestosis which is a term used to describe replacing healthy lung tissue with
damaged or scar tissue. In addition, asbestos fibers can also be directly
swallowed by people working in close of confined spaces with exposed asbestos.
These fibers can go directly to the stomach and abdominal cavity and may lead to
the development of stomach cancer or peritoneal mesothelioma.
The most
common way to get is through directly working with asbestos as part of a job or
career. Many people get mesothelioma as a result of their jobs working in
mining, construction, shipbuilding and any other job that required a regular
exposure to asbestos fibers. It is possible as well to get mesothelioma from
being exposed to asbestos fibers in your home of office. Many houses still
contain asbestos lined insulation that can be a grave danger if it becomes
opened or exposed to humans. As long as the asbestos remains in a sealed unit or
wrapped around a pipe with its exterior sealant intact, there is little danger.
But if any of these materials break out of their sealed units they could easily
contaminate any one who comes into contact with them.
Finally it is also
possible to develop mesothelioma through direct physical contact with the
clothes of someone else that has come directly into contact with asbestos. There
are numerous cases of wives and spouses of miners and construction workers who
have developed mesothelioma from breathing in the fibers that their husbands or
wives brought home with them from the plant, mine or construction site. If that
person worked in the insulation industry at a time when asbestos use was at its
peak they have a much higher chance of developing this deadly disease than
others who may have had minimal exposure to asbestos fibers as a result of their
daily working activities.
Today mesothelioma is one of the most commonly
recognized industrial or workplace diseases and special programs have been
developed to recognize mesothelioma symptoms and to provide support to those who
suffer from this disease.
Helpful Resources to help you learn more
about Asbestos:
See Pictures of Asbestos
Search for Asbestos Related
Articles
Search the Latest Mesothelioma News for Asbestos
Search All
Government Resources for Asbestos Related Information on Mesothelioma
Medical
National
Cancer Institute for more Asbestos exposure facts
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention Website for more Asbestos information
Occupational Safety & Health
Administration Government website for more Asbestos information
Enviromental Protection Agency Government
website for more Asbestos information
Article / Case Studies on
chrysotile asbestos being the main cause of Malignant Mesothelioma.
Over
thirty-three Mesothelioma clinical trials.
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