There are so many diseases in the world today, but not many that will send affected individuals and their families into panic mode. Knowing that you have an incurable or irreversible ailment can take a toll on both the mind and body, especially if it is a disease like mesothelioma. Understanding this complex disease can be as difficult as pronouncing its name, so if you have been exposed, contacting a mesothelioma lawyer is an ideal move.
To learn more about this disease and its sentence on thousands of lives, read below.
What Are the Mesothelioma Risk Factors?
Risk factors influence the likelihood of developing mesothelioma or pleural disease, but it is not necessary to have one or more of the risk factors mentioned below to develop cancer. A family background of mesothelioma can raise a person’s chances of getting cancer.
The leading cause of mesothelioma is asbestos contamination. It is liable for up to 80 percent of all incidents. Since asbestos particles may move on skin and clothes, living with someone else who interacts with asbestos can increase a person’s risk of acquiring mesothelioma. The radioactive material thorium dioxide, which has been used with X-rays to diagnose health problems between the 1920s and 1950s, may lead to an increased risk of mesothelioma. If you were exposed in anyway, seeing a doctor and contacting a mesothelioma lawyer is the best decision.
What Are the Risks of Asbestos Exposure?
Vocational asbestos exposure is the primary source of mesothelioma, especially among factory workers, construction workers, miners, shipbuilders, and other manufacturing workers, as well as veterans and mechanics. Asbestos contamination can also occur when asbestos-containing materials are disturbed, such as when building supplies decay over time or when such materials are removed during remodeling or renovation. When naturally occurring asbestos contained in rock and soil is emitted into the atmosphere as a result of human activity or weathering, it is known as environmental asbestos exposure.
What Causes Mesothelioma When You’re Exposed to Asbestos?
After asbestos exposure, mesothelioma might take from 15 to 50 years to grow. The lining, or mesothelium, of the pleural, peritoneal, and pericardial cavities protects internal organs. The mesothelium is a tissue made up of mesothelial cells which respond to asbestos exposure. Asbestos fibers inflame this tissue, resulting in scar tissue plaques developing on the protective lining’s surface. Malignant mesothelioma tumors begin to develop inside this scar tissue. When asbestos fibers are ingested and become lodged in the defensive lining of the lungs, pleural mesothelioma develops.
Asbestos fibers lead to inflammation and disfigurement within the liner over time, which can contribute to disease progression. When asbestos fibers are consumed, they can cause peritoneal mesothelioma, cancer that develops in the peritoneal lining. Pericardial mesothelioma, which occurs in the membrane that surrounds the heart, is an exceedingly rare type of disease. Pericardial mesothelioma is thought to develop as asbestos fibers pass through the bloodstream and become lodged in the pericardial membrane.
Getting compensated for this life-threatening disease is important for you and your family members, so contact a mesothelioma lawyer immediately if you have been diagnosed with the disease.