Everybody who has been exposed to asbestos may develop mesothelioma. An estimated 3 million employees in construction and general industry face significant asbestos exposure on the job, even though the average asbestos levels in buildings today seem to be very low.
The more exposure one has one has to asbestos, the greater the risk of having mesothelioma cancer. Work environments are the primary source where people get exposed to asbestos and later in life develop the disease.
The greatest exposures to workers are in construction trades. Asbestos was used in building insulation, cement, automobile brakes, roofing shingles, flooring, piping and this is a small sample. So many workers were exposed during the manufacturing of asbestos products. Asbestos-related illness is also occurring in shipyard workers, school custodians, miners, railroad workers and even movie set workers.
Asbestos was discovered unhealthy in the 70s and since usage has been abandoned, more recent exposure to asbestos is primarily during the removal of products made of asbestos during building renovation or demolition. The September 911 attack on the Twin Towers release tons of asbestos laden dust into the air that was breathed in by many people. Many medical experts believe that prolonged exposure to asbestos or exposure to high concentrations of asbestos will significantly increase the risk of getting mesothelioma. The disease can take 15 to 35 years, or more, to develop into mesothelioma.
Some people get mesothelioma who have relatives that work with asbestos and bring it home on their clothes. Some people get it who have lived in parts of the country where asbestos is mined or processed.
Should You Test?
Yes if: you have breathing problems; and anyone with prolonged exposure to asbestos, or anyone who thinks they have had prolonged exposure to asbestos; Initial testing is an x-ray (four view is best: front, back, side, and oblique) which should be reviewed by a certified B reader radiologist. Its recommended that they be board certified. Further tests may include a pulmonary function test, blood work, a CT scan (high resolution thin slice CT also known as an HRCT) and/or biopsy. Its most common to have the chest x-rays or HRCT first if no symptoms.
Please be aware that it is your right to know what these tests reveal. Do not be afraid to question your doctor about your condition and to explain it in such a way that you understand. It may be prudent to get a second opinion if surgery is indicated.
Here is a short list of trades exposed to asbestos:
| Sheet metal workers | Industrial Plants |
| Pipe fitters | Plumbers |
| Shipyards (all jobs) | Construction sites (all jobs) |
| Asbestos plant workers | Military (Navy/Army tank units) |
| Hotels | Schools |
| Telephone (installation/repair) | Longshoremen |
| Boiler Makers | Power Plants |
| Hospitals | Home Improvement (all jobs) |
| Railroad workers | Industrial Painter |
| Laborers | Oil Refinery |
| Glass factory workers | Loading Docks |
| Heating and Air Conditioning | Cement plant workers |
| Automotive and other repair shops | Metal lathers |
| Custodian/Handyman | Boiler or Engine Rooms |
| Steamfitters | Electricians |
| Asbestos workers/Insulators/Laggers | Merchant Marines |
| Steel Workers (plants and construction) | Utility Workers/Power Companies |
| Firefighters | Operational Engineers |
| Chemical Plants |
You can learn about research for treatment and cure of mesothelioma with Veglin at the Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America.