There are many different mesothelioma risk factors. A risk factor is anything that raises your chance of developing a disease like cancer. Researchers have found several risk factors that increase a person’s mesothelioma development risk.
About Mesothelioma
There are different forms of mesothelioma. The most common form of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma. This cancer develops in the lining of the lungs. Also, it accounts for around 75% of all mesothelioma cases. Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma often affect breathing and the thoracic cavity(chest), and they can often be taken for problems related to other diseases, such as pneumonia, flu, or even lung cancer.
Different Mesothelioma Risk Factors
Researchers have narrowed down a few main risk factors that increase your chance of developing this cancer.
Asbestos
Exposure to asbestos is the number one risk factor for pleural mesothelioma. Studies have linked pleural mesothelioma to high levels of the carcinogen in the workplace. With bundles of tiny fibers, asbestos is a group of minerals found in soil and rocks. However, something disturbs asbestos fibers they can become airborne and embed in the lungs. Fibers that stay in the lungs can travel to the ends of the small airways and enter the pleural lining of the lung and chest wall. These fibers can then injure the cells of the pleura and cause mesothelioma. Asbestos fibers can also damage cells of the lung and result in scar tissue in the lung and even lung cancer.
Most products stopped asbestos use decades ago, however, it only takes one exposure to develop mesothelioma. The workplaces at risk the most are miners, factory workers, insulation manufacturers and installers, railroad and automotive workers, ship builders, gas mask manufacturers, plumbers, and construction workers. Workers exposed family members by carrying the deadly fibers home on clothing.
Zeolites
Chemically related to asbestos, zeolites are minerals found in rocks. Researchers link high mesothelioma rates to this material. Zeolites are commonly found in Turkey, however, it is naturally in the U.S. as well. The mineral has been found in Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Nevada, and Arizona. Currently, the North Dakota state government is studying whether exposure to erionite, the zeolite found in that area, could be cancer causing, too.
Radiation
A few studies have linked high doses of radiation to the chest or abdomen as one of the mesothelioma risk factors. Also, other reports linked this cancer to injections of thorium dioxide, Thorotrast. Doctors used this radioactive material until the 1950s for certain x-ray tests. Ever since researchers tied it to cancer development, use of the injection has ceased.
SV40 virus
Researchers are examining the possibility that infection with simian virus 40 (SV40) might increase the risk of developing mesothelioma. Between 1955 and 1963, medical staff gave injectable polio vaccines contaminated with SV40. As many as 30 million people in the United States may have been exposed to this virus.
Some lab studies have suggested that SV40 infection might cause mesothelioma. For example, when researchers infected lab animals with the virus, they developed mesothelioma. Also noticed by the researchers was that SV40 can cause mouse cells grown in lab dishes to become cancerous. Plus, asbestos increased the cancer development of SV 40. More studies are needed to further link the two.
Age
Normally, the risk of mesothelioma increases with age. About 2 out of 3 people with mesothelioma are 65 years old or older. However, mesothelioma can affect people of any age. In fact, doctors are diagnosing more young adults with cancer now than ever before. It is difficult to pinpoint why and what is causing this cancer since it can take anywhere from 20 to 50 years from exposure to develop mesothelioma. People have the same chance of developing cancer if exposed to a small level for a long period or high levels for a brief period. Plus, genetic predisposition comes into play. The asbestos exposure must exist, but those with the gene-environment interaction can develop cancer even with low levels of asbestos. Unlike older people with asbestos, younger individuals with the disease tend to be female. Last year, a study showed that those 35 years old or younger with mesothelioma had the BAP1 protein. This is a mutation that researchers previously identified as a marker for increased mesothelioma risk.
After a Mesothelioma Diagnosis
After a Mesothelioma diagnosis, it is important to have a Complex Litigation attorney like those found at The Michael Brady Lynch Firm is critical when seeking help to cover your asbestos-related expenses. Identifying when and where the asbestos exposure occurred is crucial to your lawsuit. Experienced lawyers are familiar with companies that used asbestos and know which job sites had a significant amount of asbestos use. Also, they know which products contained high concentrations of the toxic mineral. Consultations are completely free, confidential and have no obligation.
The Michael Brady Lynch Firm has successfully represented thousands of consumers and recovered millions of dollars for their clients. The industry has recognized our team of attorneys as some of the most experienced and successful in the country. Many seek out our award-winning staff for our knowledge of complex litigation, scientific evidence development, negotiation strategies and trial tactics.
Most of all, our law office is resourceful and dedicated to pursuing any compensation. Because of this, we have received a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement, such as inclusion on numerous Plaintiff Steering Committees. We will take whatever legal measures are necessary when fighting for your rights to damages.