| By :
Wendy Moyer
The mesothelium is the thin lining between organs within your body and the cavities that surround them. Mesothelioma is a malignant tumor that appears on the mesothelium. It is a relatively rare form of cancer. Most mesotheliomas start as one or more nodules. They grow progressively and usually form a solid coating of tumor that surrounds the heart, lungs, or abdominal organs. Up to 90% of mesothelioma cases occur in the chest cavities. Acquiring mesothelioma is most often associated with having been exposed to asbestos. It's been shown that after some asbestos fibers have been quickly inhaled they work their way into the pleural cavity (the chest) by going through the lung tissue. When asbestos fibers have been swallowed they appear in the peritoneal cavity (the abdomen) after penetrating the wall of the intestine. It's been shown that the more intense the exposure and the longer its duration the greater the risk of mesothelioma. It's questionable if there is any level of exposure to asbestos that is safe. Some asbestos fibers, crocidolite fibers in particular, are more likely to cause mesothelioma. It's typically for mesothelioma to appear anywhere from twenty to fifty years after a person has been exposed to asbestos. However there have been cases where the disease developed as many as seventy years after exposure. Because of the latency period, people that were exposed to asbestos in the 1940s, 50s, 60s, and 70s are currently being diagnosed with this asbestos related disease. There is increasing evidence that some mesotheliomas may also be caused by viruses, radiation, and manmade mineral fibers. However there does not appear to be any direct relationship between mesothelioma and smoking. Most victims on the disease worked are males over forty years old that have worked at jobs where they had breathed in asbestos. Some people have also acquired the disease unknowingly after being exposed to asbestos in their household environments. In rare cases mesothelioma has originated from non-malignant, benign cells. This variation of the disease can be surgically cured. However, currently the malignant form of this disease is very difficult to treat. It is unusual for a person who has mesothelioma to survive more than two years after being diagnosed with the disease. What is of interest is that since the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) instituted restrictions on asbestos in 1983 the number of new mesothelioma cases in the US has remained relatively stable. However, the number of new mesothelioma cases is on the rise in Europe.
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