Everything You Need To Know About Mesothelioma

Ever believe that being exposed to asbestos will not have any negative side effects? Unfortunately, many who work in certain trades and industries do not realize how harmful the exposure is until years later and it is too late. As a result, malignant mesothelioma, a rare type of cancer, can slowly develop, and many individuals are not truly aware of this form of cancer or they simply lack the facts about it. Continue reading to learn the symptoms, causes, and risk factors of this dreadful disease.

What Is Mesothelioma?

Essentially, mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that gradually develops in the thin layer of protective tissues known as the mesothelium that lines several major body cavities and covers most of the body’s internal organs. When the cells of the mesothelium undergo changes that become malignant, they can spread to other parts of the body. Mesothelioma can start in the membrane surrounding the lungs, heart or abdomen, with the lungs being the most common site to host the disease. Approximately three-quarters of all cases start in the chest cavity.

Mesothelioma predominantly affects one population group: those who have had prolonged exposure to asbestos. Some two-to-ten percent of this population segment develops mesothelioma, making asbestos exposure the most common cause of the disease. Unfortunately, mesothelioma undergoes a very prolonged latency period, so symptoms of the disease may not appear for up to fifty years after the asbestos exposure has occurred. It is this gradual development of the disease that produces the low five percent to ten percent five-year survival rate.

Next, find out the primary cause and the other shocking causes of this sneaky disease.