Everything About Asbestos Cancer

What is Asbestos Cancer?

Asbestos cancer or Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos. Hence it is also termed as Asbestos Cancer. In this disease, malignant (cancerous) cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the body’s internal organs.

About Asbestos Cancer

Asbestos Cancer – Malignant mesothelioma or asbestos cancer is uncommon, but no longer rare, cancer that is difficult to diagnose and poorly responsive to therapy. Malignant mesothelioma is the most serious of all asbestos-related diseases.

A layer of specialized cells called mesothelial cells lines the chest cavity, abdominal cavity, and the cavity around the heart. These cells also cover the outer surface of most internal organs. The tissue formed by these cells is called mesothelium.

Cause of Asbestos Cancer or Mesothelioma

Beginning 15 years after the onset of exposure, about 6% of asbestos workers die of mesothelioma or asbestos cancer. In one study of asbestos insulation workers, the death rate from asbestos cancer or mesothelioma was 344 times higher than in the general population. (Selifoff IJ et al. Relation between exposure to asbestos and mesothelioma. NEJM)

Exposure to asbestos dust can occur at major construction job sites, in shipyards, in industry, and during construction or renovation of commercial buildings.

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June 21, 2019