Learning about the epidemiology of malignant mesothelioma is the foundation of all preventative and intervention measures. Understanding the determinate factors and causes is the first step towards knowing how to treat and control the disease.
When you are first diagnosed with mesothelioma, you may know little about this type of cancer or what causes it. Mesothelioma is a tumor that arises on the mesothelial surfaces of the pleural and peritoneal cavities, the tunica vaginalis, or the pericardium. Approximately 80% of all mesothelioma cases are pleural in origin, and there are approximately 3,000 cases diagnosed in the United States alone each year. Although the disease most commonly presents in the pleura (the two thin layers of membrane that surround the entire surface of the lung), mesothelioma also occurs in the pericardium (lining of the heart) or in the peritoneum (lining of the abdomen.)
Exposure to asbestos is considered the main cause of mesothelioma, with eighty percent diagnosed having a known history of exposure. Asbestos is the commercial name for a group of hydrated magnesium silicate fibrous minerals, commonly divided into two main types: serpentine and amphiboles. Serpentine chrysotile fibers are curly and pliable, whereas the amphiboles are thin and needle-like. Asbestos was well known for its insulating, heat and fire resistant properties and used extensively in industrial materials during World War II. Later, asbestos was used in cement, ceiling and floor tiles, automobile brake linings, and different forms of insulation.
Exposure to asbestos occurs either directly, most often occupationally, or indirectly, through coming into contact with an exposed person who brings the household into contact by carrying it home on his clothes or body.
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If you think you have any history of exposure to asbestos, it is imperative that you tell your doctor and have regular check ups. If diagnosed with mesothelioma, seek care and treatment from medical experts as soon as you can. Find out as much information about asbestos and mesothelioma as you can.