Mesothelioma is a slow-developing, malignant cancer that occurs mainly as the result of regular exposure to asbestos. As a rule, it affects the membrane known as the pleura which lines the lungs and chest cavity, but it is also occasionally found in the peritoneum, which lines the abdominal cavity, and the pericardium, a membrane surrounding the heart. There are a few cases where mesothelioma has been detected in people who have had no known contact with asbestos, but the evidence of asbestos contact exists in the majority of cases and is accepted as the main risk factor.
The most common victims of mesothelioma are people who have worked in industries in which they were exposed to asbestos. As asbestos was used widely in the 1960s and 1970s before its adverse effects were publicized, and as mesothelioma can take many years to develop and manifest itself, the majority of people found to be suffering from it are men in the 60-70 years age group. Their exposure to asbestos, however, also puts at risk people with whom they were in regular contact, such as family members. Fibers and dust from asbestos remaining on the skin, hair, and clothes of the workers were sometimes inhaled by others, putting them also at risk of malignant mesothelioma or other diseases related to asbestos such as asbestosis, pleural disorders, and lung cancer.
While mesothelioma is a relatively uncommon disease, its incidence has increased in the past two decades, along with an increased awareness of the dangers of exposure to asbestos. The number of mesothelioma-related deaths now stands at thousands each year in countries such as the UK and the United States. Studies project that these numbers will peak within the next decade before declining.
The most common victims of mesothelioma are people who have worked in industries in which they were exposed to asbestos. As asbestos was used widely in the 1960s and 1970s before its adverse effects were publicized, and as mesothelioma can take many years to develop and manifest itself, the majority of people found to be suffering from it are men in the 60-70 years age group. Their exposure to asbestos, however, also puts at risk people with whom they were in regular contact, such as family members. Fibers and dust from asbestos remaining on the skin, hair, and clothes of the workers were sometimes inhaled by others, putting them also at risk of malignant mesothelioma or other diseases related to asbestos such as asbestosis, pleural disorders, and lung cancer.
While mesothelioma is a relatively uncommon disease, its incidence has increased in the past two decades, along with an increased awareness of the dangers of exposure to asbestos. The number of mesothelioma-related deaths now stands at thousands each year in countries such as the UK and the United States. Studies project that these numbers will peak within the next decade before declining.
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