What is Asbestos Cancer?

by Peter Lenkefi

Asbestos Cancer, also known as Mesothelioma Cancer, is one of the common diseases that are a result of exposure to Asbestos related substances. These Asbestos substances contain Asbestos fibers, which can enter a person’s body through the mouth, or through the skin, causing a slow Mesothelioma Cell Cancer to develop.

There are three main types of Asbestos Cancer and one lesser medical condition that can develop as a result of exposure to Asbestos related substances. The lesser medical condition is known as Asbestosis and involves the scaring of the lining of the chest.

The three main types of Asbestos Cancer include Pleural (chest), Peritoneal (abdominal) and Pericardial (heart). In the case of Peritoneal Asbestos Cancer, there is a higher chance of malignancy.

Asbestos Cancer has become more widely evident in the last 5-10 years, as Asbestos Cancer can take between 20 to 40 years for symptoms to arise. Asbestos Cancer is particularly difficult to diagnose, as the symptoms do not tend to become evident until the final stages of the disease.

A Quick Guide to Asbestos and Health Issues

Gerard Simington

Unless you have been completely out of touch, you have probably heard all the hubbub about the dangers of asbestos. So, what is the big deal?

A Quick Guide to Asbestos and Health Issues

Asbestos is a fibrous material that is highly resistant to burning. It has a long history. While it was first used on a large scale commercial basis at the turn of the twentieth century, it has actually been around much longer. In fact, the ancient Egyptians were known for using it burial clothes.

Common modern applications used to include building materials, products and automobile brake pads, which all required a fire resistant element. Asbestos is still used today, but on a fairly small scope. The reason has everything to do with health. Asbestos in and of itself is not harmful to people. What is harmful, however, is asbestos dust.

Asbestos dust is a vicious thing. Due to the chemical makeup of the material, the dust is like a cloud of fine glass particles. While they will not damage your skin, they do great damage to the lungs. Making matters worse, asbestos dust is so fine that it is easily raised from asbestos material like ceiling tiles and walls. Once in the air, it is all but invisible. Prolonged exposure, such as when working on or in a building with asbestos materials, can result in massive amounts of the toxic dust entering the lungs.

Once asbestos dust is in your lungs, you cannot expel it by coughing. That doesn’t mean the body does not try. Asbestosis is scarring of the lungs from acid created by the body in an effort to get the asbestos dust out. If this process is allowed to occur for 10 to 20 years, the lungs may stop functioning because of excess scarring. If that sounds bad, it only gets worse. Asbestos dust can lead to terminal cancer in the form of mesothelioma. [What is Mesothelioma?]

Asbestos is an excellent fire resistant material that saves us from burning while killing us in a much slower manner. Since 1989, it has been banned in the United States in all but a few commercial areas.

Gerard Simington is with FindAnAttorneyForMe.com - offering asbestos and mesothelioma legal information.

People who have had a high level of exposure to Asbestos related substances are more likely to develop Malignant Asbestos Cancer, as opposed to those people who have had a low level exposure to Asbestos related substances.

There are three types of Malignant Asbestos Cancer. These include Epithelial Malignant Asbestos Cancer, Sarcomatoid Malignant Asbestos Cancer and Mixed Malignant Asbestos Cancer. Of these three, Epithelial Malignant Asbestos Cancer is the most common.

The main symptoms of Epithelial Malignant Asbestos Cancer include, respiratory difficulties, continuous coughing and pneumonia. Malignant Asbestos Cancer is usually diagnosed through a biopsy.

The non-malignant form of Asbestos Cancer, known as Pleural, is found in the chest area and its main symptoms include, chest pain, respiratory difficulties and coughing. Pleural Asbestos Cancer is usually diagnosed through conducting a Chest CT Scan

Currently, Asbestos Cancer mostly occurs in people between 50 to 70 years of age. So far, it has been men who are mostly developing Asbestos Cancer, as they have mostly been exposed to Asbestos related substances through their work within the building Industry in the 1950’s to 1990’s.

Asbestos was mainly used in Industries such as the Construction Industry, Ship building Industry, Automotive Industry and other manufacturing Industries. However, because of the delayed symptoms of Asbestos Cancer, the use of Asbestos related substances, the use of Asbestos was not banned until the 1990’s.

Also, due to the delayed onset of the symptoms of Asbestos related substances, some of the more prominent cases involving Asbestos Cancer are now only expected to become evident in the next 5-6 years. This is why it is important that if you, or someone you know, was exposed to an Asbestos related substance, you should seek medical advice.

About the Author

Learn more about mesothelioma treatment and asbestos litigation go here: http://www.mesothelioma-treatment-center.com/asbestos-cancer.htm

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