| Asbestos and Cancer
by: Karen Brown
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma
or another asbestos related cancer, you may want to seek legal
advice. Typical legal settelements can reach five million
dollars.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant
(cancerous) cells are found in the mesothelium, a protective
sac that covers most of the body's internal organs. Most people
who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled
asbestos particles.
What is the mesothelium?
The mesothelium is a membrane that covers and protects most
of the internal organs of the body. It is composed of two
layers of cells: One layer immediately surrounds the organ;
the other forms a sac around it. The mesothelium produces
a lubricating fluid that is released between these layers,
allowing moving organs (such as the beating heart and the
expanding and contracting lungs) to glide easily against adjacent
structures.
The mesothelium has different names, depending on its location
in the body. The peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that
covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. The pleura
is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall
of the chest cavity. The pericardium covers and protects the
heart. The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal
reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis.
The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs
in women.
What is mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma (cancer of the mesothelium) is a disease in
which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide
without control or order. They can invade and damage nearby
tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also metastasize (spread)
from their original site to other parts of the body. Most
cases of mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum.
How common is mesothelioma?
Although reported incidence rates have increased in the past
20 years, mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer.
About 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the
United States each year. Mesothelioma occurs more often in
men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease
can appear in either men or women at any age.
What are the risk factors for mesothelioma?
Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma.
A history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in about
70 percent to 80 percent of all cases. However, mesothelioma
has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure
to asbestos.
Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur naturally
as masses of strong, flexible fibers that can be separated
into thin threads and woven. Asbestos has been 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. In addition to mesothelioma,
exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, asbestosis
(a noncancerous, chronic lung ailment), and other cancers,
such as those of the larynx and kidney.
Smoking does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma.
However, the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure
significantly increases a person's risk of developing cancer
of the air passageways in the lung.
About The Author
Karen Brown
http://asbestos-attorney-mesothelioma.net/
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