Asbestos and the Mesothelioma Disease
Asbestos and the Mesothelioma Disease
Mesothelioma is a very serious disease that needs attention. It is an extremely aggressive and lethal form of cancer. A cancer of the pleura – mesothelial lining – of the lung, that is almost exclusively caused by exposure to asbestos fibers. Although the disease is relatively rare, it is one of the most painful and difficult to treat. The best cure for it is prevention. Ultimately, this means avoiding exposure to asbestos. Although the chances of contracting mesothelioma are proportional to the amount and intensity of exposure, the disease has been known to develop in people whose exposure has been minimal, but who have a genetic predisposition to cancer. Most patients die in less than twelve months after diagnosis.
The only known cause is exposure to asbestos. The problems arise when its fibers are dispersed in the air and are inhaled. Due to the size of the fibers, the lungs can not expel them. Almost everyone is exposed to it at some time in their lives. However, most people do not get sick as a result of this exposure. Since the late 1800s, asbestos has been widely used for commercial purposes and use has increased dramatically during the Second World War. People who become ill due to exposure to asbestos usually are those exposed on a regular basis, most often in their job dealing directly with the material or through substantial environmental contact.
Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they were exposed and inhaled asbestos particles, or they were exposed to its dust and fibers in other ways. The act of washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos can also put a person at risk of developing mesothelioma.
Some of the ways to prevent it are improve ventilation in the workplace, among other measures. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) promoted a series of regulations to protect employees on construction work where exposure to the problem occurs more. Studies have shown a link between smoking and mesothelioma showing that smokers face a greater chance (9%) of getting asbestos cancer. Getting regular checkups; especially if there is a known history of asbestos exposure is also recommeded.
As a consequence for the prohibition of the use of asbestos, numerous materials have been used as replacements. However, none of them are as versatile as asbestos. Some of the substitute materials are calcium silicate, carbon fiber, cellulose fiber, ceramic fiber, glass fiber, steel fiber, aramid, polyethylene, polypropylene, polytetrafluoroethylene. In applications that do not require the reinforcing properties of fiber, perlite, serpentine, silica and talc are used.
