How asbestos causes mesothelioma

If you have developed health problems after having worked in a factory, shipyard, auto mechanics shop or other location where there may have been asbestos, your condition might be connected to exposure. Symptoms of illness often do not arise for years after coming in contact with the microscopic fibers that you might inhale or ingest on the job. If your employer was aware of asbestos issues in your workplace, he or she should have informed you and taken proper measures to enhance safety. Asbestos is believed to be a root cause of a terminal disease known as mesothelioma

Data suggests that at least 80% of all mesothelioma cases were contracted after patients were exposed to asbestos. Occupational hazards are the most common issue among people who have this incurable disease. Understanding how asbestos causes mesothelioma is an integral part of most treatment plans.

Your mesothelium may have reacted to asbestos fibers

The internal organs in your body are protected by a lining known as the mesothelium. If you were exposed to asbestos at some point in life, it may have caused this lining to become inflamed. This, in turn, can result in plaque build-up and scar tissue that forms on the outer surface of the lining. Inside this scar tissue, cancerous tumors (mesothelioma) can start to grow.

Various parts of your body may be affected by mesothelioma

If you inhaled asbestos fibers, it may have affected the mesothelium that protects your lungs. If a malignancy develops, it is known as pleural mesothelioma. Years after contracting this disease, symptoms may start to show, including a lingering cough, difficulty breathing and chest pain

If you swallowed asbestos fibers without realizing it, mesothelioma may take hold in your peritoneal lining, which would eventually cause symptoms in your abdominal region. Another area of the body that mesothelioma can affect is the heart. While this form of the disease is rare, you can develop pericardial mesothelioma if asbestos fibers reach your pericardial membrane through your bloodstream

An oncologist can devise a palliative treatment plan if you have mesothelioma

If your doctor recommends palliative care, it means that there is no cure for your illness, and treatments are intended to alleviate pain and discomfort and enable as great a quality of life as possible as your disease progresses. To date, there is no cure for mesothelioma. There is also no known safe amount of exposure to asbestos. A single exposure is enough to cause disease.

Many mesothelioma patients have entered class action lawsuits after learning that employer negligence was a primary reason that they were exposed to asbestos on the job. There are stringent regulations and laws regarding asbestos removal, as well as employers’ obligations to keep workers safe. If you have concerns about your condition in connection to the workplace, you may want to speak with someone who is well-versed in asbestos litigation issues.