Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma
Malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure. The cancer most commonly develops in the pleura, which is the outer lining of the lungs and the internal chest wall. The disease also may occur in the peritoneum, the lining of the abdominal cavity or other areas of the body.
Shortness of breath, chest wall pain and weight loss are common symptoms of the disease. Although chest x-rays and CT scan can detect the disease, it must be confirmed by a biopsy.
Workers began to be commonly exposed to asbestos in the 1940s and continued to be exposed to the disease into the 1970s. These workers, simply trying to provide for their families were unaware of the dangers of their exposure. In many cases, workers brought the deadly fibers into their homes and unknowingly exposed their families.
Many ask "why are so many older workers being diagnosed with the disease?" The answer is that the symptoms of the disease generally do not appear in its victims until many years after exposure because it takes a very long time for the disease to develop in the human body. This is called a latency period. The latency for mesothelioma is usually decades. They is why those exposed so long ago are only now developing the disease.
The dangers of asbestos were not publicly known for many years, although records indicate that manufacturers knew long before the public. Those who exposed workers and their families to deadly asbestos fibers should be held accountable.
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