How Does Asbestos Relate to Cancer?
Even though asbestos was initially considered as useful because of its flame-resistant properties, being exposed to it for a long time can, especially to its fine fibers and particles, is found to pose some serious health dangers to those who come into contact with it for a prolonged period. Due to the widespread use of asbestos in many parts of the world, there are already hundreds of millions of people who have been exposed to it up to this very day. Sadly, prolonged exposure, and in certain instances, even short term exposure, can also cause mesothelioma cancer, which is a debilitating disease that still doesn’t have a definite cure right now.
What is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma cancer is a type of cancer that affects the thin lining that surrounds the lungs, or also called pleural mesothelioma. The fibers of asbestos can even attack the abdominal cavity’s lining, which results in peritoneal mesothelioma. In addition, the disease can also affect the sac surrounding the heart and other body organs.
Asbestos Exposure and The Military
Most victims of mesothelioma are people who served in the military, and those who worked in an area wherein they are in close contact with asbestos on a daily basis. In some cases, people can also develop mesothelioma as a result of secondhand contact through clothing. However, the primary culprit behind the development of mesothelioma remains to be excessive asbestos exposure.
American naval vessels made from the 1930s through the early 1990s were found to contain some very large asbestos amounts. Hulls, floors, steam pipes, electrical systems, and others contain asbestos fibers for the purpose of adding heat resistance, tensile strength, as well as low electrical conductivity. In turn, this made ships much safer, especially when it comes to extreme fires and temperatures. But, these large amounts of asbestos in auxiliary vessels and warships exposed marines, naval yard workers, and sailors to the carcinogenic fibers that can trigger the development of the disease.
Who Else Was Exposed to Asbestos?
In addition, steel plants, power plants, oil companies, manufacturing facilities, welding business, and others used asbestos a lot. Before the regulation by the EPA or Environmental Protection Agency during the late 1970s, asbestos was used in numerous mills, plants, and other types of buildings all over the world wherein there were thousands of people were subjected to this throughout their workdays.
Even though anyone who has been exposed to asbestos is prone to develop mesothelioma, victims on the average are usually males. The main reason behind this is because men were the predominant gender in areas of employment wherein asbestos was used before the implementation of the ban. Since it often takes decades before the condition is diagnosed, victims are often older, with an average 60 years of age.
While this is rare, kids are also prone to the risks of suffering from mesothelioma. In many cases, children experienced asbestos exposure through secondhand contact from a member of the family who worked a lot surrounded by the dangerous mineral. Sadly, when kids and young adults suffer from mesothelioma, this is normally left undiagnosed right away because this condition is more common among older adults.
How Can Victims Get Help?
A person who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma can find an abundance of value working with a mesothelioma lawyer. Asbestos attorneys dedicate most of their time helping victims of asbestos exposure find justice for their damages including medical bills, final expenses, and many other benefits.
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