The link between asbestos and mesothelioma is solid - asbestos exposure is the primary cause of mesothelioma and other asbestos cancers. Asbestos, a naturally-occurring fiber, can be released into the air and inhaled or swallowed. It has no smell or taste and the fibers are invisible to the naked eye. Inhaling asbestos dust poses the highest risk of asbestos disease. When inhaled, asbestos fibers lodge in the lungs, lining of the lungs, or abdomen and cannot be naturally expelled by the body. Over time, the fibers can cause cell damage that can result in mesothelioma or other asbestos lung cancer.
Information on the relationship between asbestos and mesothelioma has been available for years. Heavy industrial use of asbestos occurred from the late 1880s to the early 1970s and exposed professionals to large quantities of asbestos over extended periods of time. Industries had proof as early as the 1930’s that asbestos was dangerous and caused lung diseases such as mesothelioma. Information was readily available through medical journals and results of clinical studies.
Asbestos is durable and heat resistant, making it ideal for use as a fire retardant and a construction component. Because of these properties, industries found asbestos ideal to use in the following items:
- Insulation
- Plasters and joint compounds
- Roof, floor and ceiling tiles
- Brakes and clutches
These are items we are regularly exposed to in our daily lives. However, exposure to asbestos does not automatically mean you will get mesothelioma, or any other asbestos disease.
Because most asbestos fibers are inhaled, the most common form of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma. Other types of mesothelioma include peritoneal and pericardial. It is possible for asbestos fibers to enter the blood stream and lodge anywhere in the body, creating a risk for asbestos cancer and other asbestos diseases.