"This outstanding mesothelioma resource written by Dr. Kaplan in easy
to understand terms will greatly benefit patients and their families."
- Zach Modis
"I wish I had this book when my dad was diagnosed with mesothelioma.
It explains so much. "
- Sundi
"Well written, informative, helpful…"
- Julia Baker
Causes of Mesothelioma
Everyone living on earth, at one point or the other, might have been exposed to
asbestos, either in the air they breathe in or the water they drink or from the
asbestos wastes lying all over the place. But most of the people exposed to asbestos
in these ways seldom suffer from mesothelioma. People who are diagnosed of mesothelioma
are those who have worked in factories where the asbestos sheets are produced or
those people who have been exposed to asbestos products for a longer period of time.
The family members of the workers of the asbestos factories may suffer from lesser
symptoms of mesothelioma through the clothing, skin or hair of the worker. The symptoms
of mesothelioma will not be seen immediately after exposure to asbestos and will
be exposed only after many years.
It is revealed that 9 out of the 10 cases of mesothelioma are due to exposure to
asbestos. Asbestos is a natural mineral and is made up of tiny fibers which can
be as strong as steel or can be woven like cotton as well. The tiny fibers of the
asbestos are the main culprits that cause mesothelioma in human beings. When you
breathe in these tiny fibers, they enter your lungs and cause inflammation and finally
may result in cancer.
Since the asbestos fibers are very thin, they can easily make their way through
the smallest of airways inside the lungs and hence cannot be taken out through cough
or hard breath. The defense mechanism of the body will try to remove the fibers
of asbestos inside the body, but it is highly unlikely and these fibers penetrate
deep into the lungs and settle on the pleura, the membrane around the lungs. After
many years they seem to cause inflammation in the lung which may result in mesothelioma.
The most common people suffering from mesothelioma are: construction workers, plumbers,
electricians, demolition workers, workers of asbestos factories and their families
and people staying near these asbestos factories. There are three types of asbestos
of which the brown and the blue asbestos have been most commonly linked to mesothelioma.
Recent studies have revealed that even the white asbestos are harmful in causing
mesothelioma. It is very difficult to actually find the true cause for mesothelioma,
as it will only develop after 10 to 60 years of exposure to asbestos fibers.
It is a rare sight to see a person affected by mesothelioma who has never been
exposed to asbestos. No other cause for mesothelioma has been diagnosed so far.
There is no evidence to prove that smoking is one of the causes of mesothelioma
either, as is the case with other types of lung cancers. Mesothelioma is a non-contagious
disease and hence cannot be passed on to another person. It is not a hereditary
disease as well. Family members of a person who suffered from mesothelioma will
not inherit the disease and there is no way that anyone within the family will get
it. So, as of now, the main and the only proven cause of mesothelioma is when a
person comes into contact with asbestos for a long period of time.
