Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that develops in the mesothelial cells of the human body. These cells surround or line the lungs, heart, and stomach. The mesothelial cells protect these organs by producing a lubricating fluid that allows these organs to move smoothly. A widely known property associated with causes of Mesothelioma is the fact that this disease takes a long time to incubate in the human body, sometimes occurring twenty to thirty years after people have been exposed to asbestos before it shows clear and definite signs of Mesothelioma. Asbestos is a natural mineral, mined from rock found in many countries. It is made up of tiny fibres that are as strong as steel but can be woven like cotton and are highly resistant to heat and chemicals.
Asbestos releases tiny fibers which are very fine and when breathed in, they can make their way into the smallest airways of the lung, so they cannot be breathed or coughed out. Once the fibers are in the lungs, the body’s defence mechanism tries to break them down and remove them, which leads to inflammation in the lung tissue.
Asbestos fibers can also be swallowed, which go on to stick in the digestive system. They can then move into the membrane that lines the abdomen where they then cause inflammation.
The people most likely to have been exposed to asbestos as a cause for Mesothelioma include those working as construction workers, ship builders, demolition workers and even those who live in areas of close proximity with asbestos factories and industries.In certain cases it has been seen that family members of people who worked with asbestos and brought the dust home on their clothes have also sometimes developed mesothelioma and is therefore treated as a potential cause for Mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma does not usually develop until many years after exposure to asbestos. It can take any time from 10 to 60 years, although the average is about 30 to 40 years after exposure to asbestos.
Occasionally, symptoms of Mesothelioma develops in people who have never been exposed to asbestos. The other causes of Mesothelioma are not fully understood, but in rare cases the causes of development of mesothelioma has been linked to exposure to radiation.
Mesothelioma is not contagious and cannot be passed on to other people. It is not caused by inherited faulty genes and so family members do not have an increased risk of developing it, unless they themselves have been in prolonged contact with asbestos.