Unveiling the factors and causes of mesothelioma |
| Date Added: September 04, 2010 08:51:25 AM |
| Author: Brent Thompson |
| Category: Health: Diseases and Conditions |
| Mesothelioma, a rare cancer type arises from cells that line the chest sacs or abdomen. Pleural mesothelioma is among the most popular form that presents the symptoms in chest region of the patient. On the other hand, the peritoneal mesothelioma is less common and can great affect the abdominal organs. Some common symptoms related with this kind of mesothelioma include nausea, bowel obstruction, abdominal swelling and vomiting. The pericardial mesothelioma is found to be the rarest kind and includes sac that surrounds the patient’s heart. A large number of people having the malignant mesothelioma are found to have worked or are working where they are exposed to breathing asbestos. Generally, this includes males over the age of 40 years or so while others are exposed in the household environment. Surprisingly, the amount of new mesothelioma cases has been stable since the year 1983 because of the fact that restrictions were imposed by the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration to reduce the use of asbestos in industries. Apart from asbestos, other factors that cause mesothelioma include the exposure to simian virus 40, tobacco, radiation and zeolite. Though exposure to the fibrous content asbestos is the prime risk factor linked with this rare cancer form, asbestos is actually the insulating content that includes magnesium silicate fibers. Asbestos was common amongst the contractors and builders for a large number of years due to its reduced heat conductivity as well as resistance to burning and melting. Occupations that were popularly affected because of asbestos included factory workers, miners, ship builders, railroad workers and the construction workers who installed the asbestos that included insulation. The danger of mesothelioma is raised in the smokers as well and it is a commonly known fact that smoking can increase the less severe asbestos-associated illness like asbestosis, tumor formation and the early stages of cancer. Asbestos exposure when blended with smoking has synergizing effect which in turn raises the danger to develop deadly diseases like lung cancer. So people who are exposed to the fibrous asbestos for extended time span are recommended not to indulge in smoking. Another cause of mesothelioma is genetic cells mutation. As per the renowned mesothelioma treatment institutes, causes for this form of cancer can be associated with genetic mutation which translates the healthy body cells into cancerous ones. These cancerous cells then multiply manifold times as compared to the normal body cells and so they do not degenerate at similar rate as the normal cells do. Then the cancer cells gather down in order to form the tumors that can invade the body tissues and eventually spread over wide areas. The accumulation of different factors causes the genetic mutation thus leading the person to face cancer mesothelioma. Such factors involve the individual’s environment, his health and the lifestyle options one chooses like smoking and drinking. Some cases of this cancer in Turkey have also been linked with intake of zeolite, the silica based mineral which has similar kinds of chemical properties like asbestos. Last but not least, the thorium dioxide which is used mainly in X-ray tests has reported cases of causing peritoneal and pleural mesothelioma. So it can be concluded that apart from asbestos, there are other factors as well that cause mesothelioma. Brent Thompson is the author of this article on Mesothelioma. Find more information about Mesothelioma Causes here. |
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