Asbestos exposure is almost always the primary cause of mesothelioma cancer. Mesothelioma might also be caused by a few other factors, but this opinion is a continuing area of research.
While today, the average asbestos levels in buildings seem to be very low, an estimated three (3) million employees in construction and general manufacturing industries still face significant asbestos exposure on the job. These people will become victims of asbestos exposure. The greatest exposures to asbestos are still in the construction trades. The primary exposure to the dangers of asbestos are during the removal of products made with asbestos during renovation or demolition of buildings. And of course, everyone exposed to breathing the dust particles created by the terrorist attack on the Twin Tower Trade buildings on September 11, 2001 are at high risk of developing Mesothelioma. The risk of developing Mesothelioma increases over time, from 15 to 30 years, after the exposure to asbestos has stopped.
The commercial name for products made from a group of magnesium silicate fibrous minerals is asbestos. Until the late 1970’s, these products were used extensively throughout buildings, naval shipping, sound-proofing, and automobile industries. So, workers are most likely to be exposed during the manufacturing of asbestos products like textiles, insulation, automotive brake and clutch work. Asbestos related illness is also occurring in shipyard workers, school custodians and movie set workers.
The tiny fibers that make asbestos can become airborne as dust when products or materials containing asbestos are disturbed or damaged. After inhalation of these fibers Mesothelioma occurs and develops as cancer. Again, this development happens most frequently in people with a history of direct exposure to asbestos on the job. However, there is evidence that some Mesothelioma patients have been indirectly exposed by home renovation with cement products containing asbestos, and by washing a family member’s clothes that have been exposed to asbestos at work.
There is a lifetime risk of developing Mesothelioma cancer in people who have been greatly exposed to asbestos. Some estimates are as great as 10%. Unfortunately, the detection and occurrence of Mesothelioma symptoms may not be observed for 15 to 50 years after exposure.
Other Mesothelioma Causes
At least 90% of Mesothelioma cases reported are related to asbestos. A few other factors that are possible causes of this disease have also been reported.
There are reported cases of radiation therapy, to the chest or abdomen and used as a treatment for other cancers, that may be a risk factor for developing Mesothelioma. There is generally a long latent time from the radiation therapy and the diagnosis of Mesothelioma. This is a good reason to find non-radiation or non-chemotherapy method of treatment such as Veglin being developed and tested by Dr. Parkish Gill in his research made possible by the Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America.
The Simian virus-40 (SV-40) has been noted as having the potential to cause cancer in people. There are reports of this virus being present in some cases of Mesothelioma in which the patient had no history of obvious exposure to asbestos. This observation has been challenged and questioned as to the association and cause of the virus to Mesothelioma which leaves more study to be done to prove this relationship. Still, if evidence can demonstrate the role of Simian virus-40 with Mesothelioma its association could very well be useful as an early detection of tumors and the need for treatment.
Lastly, in rare cases the development of malignant Mesothelioma was found to be associated with an X-ray contrast medium called Thorotrast used from 1930 to 1949. Awareness of this side effect forced the ban and stopped completely the use of Thorotrast by 1950.
Malignant Mesothelioma can also be found in people who inhale erionite, a fibrous silicate mineral found in volcanic ash. Erionite can be found in gravel mines like those in southwestern North Dakota. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not currently regulate the exposure or use of this mineral.
