QUICK-FACT SHEET FROM THE NCA on Mesothelioma

QUICK-FACT SHEET FROM THE NCA on Mesothelioma:

Steady increase in the last 20 years
It is still relatively rare cancer with no real cure
2000 new cases are typically diagnoses every year in the
More commonly found in men than women
It appears later in life and are typically dormant only to make itself manifest years after the exposure actually took place.
Women and men can suffer (even children), from the dust residue stuck on work-clothes and toolboxes, transferred and brought into the home from mines or construction sites for example.

Risk factors

Certain roles and functions, industries and occupations: Any work or occupation where there is asbestos products handled or present
A key contributing factor: Asbestos exposure was a key factor in 70-80% of all diagnoses cases.
Character of the invasive foreign element: Asbestos fibers are soft, small and flexible, hard for the body to expel
Prevalence of sources of exposure: Asbestos is 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
Some of the effects of inhaling or ingesting asbestos fibers: increased risk of lung cancer, asbestosis (a non-cancerous, chronic lung ailment), and other cancers, such as those of the larynx and kidney for example.
Continuing smoking although diagnoses with mesothelioma

Who is at increased risk for developing mesothelioma?

Commercial mining workers (men and women, all ages)
Asbestos dust and fiber rich working. Initially, the risks associated with asbestos exposure were not known. Shipyards and mills
Heating and construction workers
Trades people and cement workers
personal protective equipment to lower any risk of exposure is modern standard practice
Range and timing of the asbestos exposure and longer exposure time
NOT EVERYONE WHO HAS EXPOSURE WILL DEVELOP THE DISEASE
Increased risk for families and members who share living quarters due to transferal
Into the living area by dust on the clothing, hair and tools of the workers.

Therefore, we have established that mesothelioma attacks weak spots. These mesothelia or protective linings of our internal functioning organs are invaded and affected direly and aggressively, robbing of breath and eventually life.

Chest, abdomen, heart and lungs do not escape attack. Mesothelial cells are filled with fluid and breathing (in and out) becomes problematic and painful. Pain is not uncommon, pressure builds up. Areas of inflammation and trouble are identified by pleura (chest), peritoreum (abdomen) and pericardial (heart). These invasions can be benign or malignant, or cancerous or non-cancerous. These are different from other cancers that might develop due to other symptoms and illnesses.

Here is a quick topology of the different types of mesothelioma: (three in total)

epithelioid (50% to 70% are of this type) - this type has the best outlook for survival (prognosis)
sarcomatoid (7% to 20% are of this type)
mixed/biphasic (20% to 35% are of this type)

The majority of mesotheliomas start in the chest cavity, with 10-20% starting in the abdomen, the pericardial types (heart) are not that common and form the smallest percentage of occurrence.

Back

Website Design & Developed by Flexsin Technologies