Asbestos and Cancer - What you should know
By Karen Brown
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma
or another asbestos related cancer, you may want to seek legal advice.
Typical legal settelements can reach five million dollars.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer
in which malignant (cancerous) cells are found in the mesothelium,
a protective sac that covers most of the body's internal organs. Most
people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled
asbestos particles.
What is the mesothelium? The mesothelium is a membrane
that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body.
It is composed of two layers of cells: One layer immediately surrounds
the organ; the other forms a sac around it.
The mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that
is released between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as
the beating heart and the expanding and contracting lungs) to glide
easily against adjacent structures.
The mesothelium has different names, depending on
its location in the body. The peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue
that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity.
The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs
and lines the wall of the chest cavity. The pericardium covers and
protects the heart. The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal
reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica
serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs in women.
What is mesothelioma? Mesothelioma (cancer of the
mesothelium) is a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become
abnormal and divide without control or order. They can invade and
damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also metastasize
(spread) from their original site to other parts of the body. Most
cases of mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum.
How common is mesothelioma? Although reported incidence
rates have increased in the past 20 years, mesothelioma is still a
relatively rare cancer. About 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are
diagnosed in the United States each year.
Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women
and risk increases with age, but this disease can appear in either
men or women at any age. What are the risk factors for mesothelioma?
Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for
mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in
about 70 percent to 80 percent of all cases. However, mesothelioma
has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to
asbestos.
Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur
naturally as masses of strong, flexible fibers that can be separated
into thin threads and woven. Asbestos has been widely used in many
industrial products, including cement, brake linings, roof shingles,
flooring products, textiles, and insulation.
If tiny asbestos particles float in the air, especially
during the manufacturing process, they may be inhaled or swallowed,
and can cause serious health problems. In addition to mesothelioma,
exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, asbestosis
(a noncancerous, chronic lung ailment), and other cancers, such as
those of the larynx and kidney.
Smoking does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma.
However, the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly
increases a person's risk of developing cancer of the air passageways
in the lung.
http://www.asbestos-attorney-mesothelioma.net
