Back in the day, asbestos got used in all factions of American life, from manufacturing to building and insulating homes. Yet once its association with the cancerous condition, mesothelioma, was discovered along with its heavy consequences, its use disappeared.
Mesothelioma is the listed cause of death for roughly 2,500 people every year in the United States. To add to that, three thousand people get diagnosed with it annually.
So what is mesothelioma and what does it have to do with asbestos? Is there a cure for mesothelioma out there? Read on to learn more about asbestos’s link to mesothelioma.
What is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is malignant cancer that grows in the lining of the lungs, heart, or abdomen. The two most likely forms that a person may get are pleural mesothelioma, which affects the tissue that surrounds the lungs, and peritoneal mesothelioma, which affects tissue in the abdomen.
For pleural mesothelioma, the most common signs and symptoms might include:
- Chest pain
- Coughing that is painful
- Shortness of breath
- Strange lumps of tissue forming in your chest area
- Unexplained weight loss
For peritoneal mesothelioma, the symptoms are:
- Pain or swelling in the abdomen
- Nausea
- Unexplained weight loss
If these symptoms are persistent and bother you, seek an evaluation from your doctor.
What Causes Mesothelioma?
Cancer starts occurring when a series of mutations develop in a cell’s DNA. These mutated cells begin to grow and multiply out of control until they cluster together to form tumors. For mesothelioma, when asbestos fibers get inhaled, they travel through our air passages and reach the lung’s lining, where they can cause inflammation and scarring.
The average time from the first exposure to asbestos to the period a person is diagnosed is about 35 years, though it can also occur years after that. No amount of exposure to asbestos is safe. If you had asbestos installed in your home or work(ed) in these professions:
- Asbestos miners
- Pipefitters
- Insulators
- Shipyard workers
- Military personnel
you may have gotten exposed to asbestos fibers while at work, which puts you at significant risk.
The Cure for Mesothelioma
Some people are able to heal well from mesothelioma and go into remission. The most common treatments are radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery to remove the affected areas. How extensive they will depend on the stage you get diagnosed with.
But, getting cured is not possible for a lot of people. This is because as it is often discovered after long periods of asbestos exposure.
While you are seeking treatment for mesothelioma, there are law firms like Frost Law Firm, PC out there who are willing to help you seek rightful compensation for any exposure to asbestos that you might have had.
Learn How Asbestos Causes Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a very serious condition that causes great harm to humans, yet it is preventable if you are not exposed to asbestos. If you need any mesothelioma advice about it and asbestos, speak with your doctor about the next steps to take if it is revealed you have had long-term exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma can get prevented when you take the right precautions.
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