Asbestos is a type of fibrous mineral that has been linked with cancer as well as other serious disorders. In the late 1950s to the early 1970s, asbestos was used extensively in the construction industry because of its strengthening and insulating properties. Many houses and buildings constructed during that era used asbestos containing materials for coating steam pipes, wood burning furnaces, stoves, and the like.
However, ever since the first cases of death as a result of exposure to the mineral, its use in industries has been severely restricted by government laws and regulations. As a matter of fact, some countries have outright banned its use all together.
According to many asbestos mesothelioma resources, the asbestos fibers, when inhaled, can pass through the larynx and be deposited in the lungs where they accumulate, causing adverse effects on the lungs. Sometimes, the fibers, which are about 1,200 times smaller than the average human hair, can get to other internal organs, such as the abdominal cavity and heart. Abnormal growths soon develop in these affected areas, often turning into full-blown cancer called mesothelioma.
However, ever since the first cases of death as a result of exposure to the mineral, its use in industries has been severely restricted by government laws and regulations. As a matter of fact, some countries have outright banned its use all together.
According to many asbestos mesothelioma resources, the asbestos fibers, when inhaled, can pass through the larynx and be deposited in the lungs where they accumulate, causing adverse effects on the lungs. Sometimes, the fibers, which are about 1,200 times smaller than the average human hair, can get to other internal organs, such as the abdominal cavity and heart. Abnormal growths soon develop in these affected areas, often turning into full-blown cancer called mesothelioma.
Who are vulnerable?
According to asbestos mesothelioma resources, the people most vulnerable to the dangers of asbestos are those working in industries where the risk of exposure is particularly high. These include:
- People who work in the trade industry
- Miners, particularly those involved in asbestos extraction
- Shipyard workers
- Workers in heating and construction industry
- Friends and family of the above-mentioned people
What are the symptoms?
Asbestos mesothelioma resources are disparate on the symptoms of mesothelioma. This is due perhaps to the fact that the symptoms of the cancer often depend on the particular type of mesothelioma one has.
According to asbestos mesothelioma resources, there are three fairly common types of mesothelioma – pleural (mesothelioma of the lungs), abdominal mesothelioma, and mesothelioma affecting the chest cavity. For each type, the symptoms may differ although they also share several symptomatic characteristics that are similar.
For instance, asbestos mesothelioma resources cite that in all three cancer types, the patient suffers from difficulty breathing and swallowing. Asbestos fibers often enter the body through the respiratory tract when he or she inhales the thinner-than-hair fibers, and these fibers only end up in other parts of the body when the fibers, or the cancerous cells themselves, spread.
Another common symptom, shared by both abdominal mesothelioma and mesothelioma of the chest, is difficulty sleeping. The cancer can affect the behavioral pattern of the patient, causing him to have trouble falling asleep or he can develop insomnia.
In more advanced stages of mesothelioma, the patient may suffer pain as the cancer spreads throughout all other parts of the body.
What are the treatment options?
Asbestos mesothelioma resources are filled with treatment options available for patients. The methods may range from surgery to remove the tumor, chemotherapy, radiation, or any combination of methods.
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