If there’s one place you should feel perfectly comfortable and safe, it’s your home. That’s one reason people lock their doors and windows or invest in home security alarm systems. It’s about fortifying your dwelling for you, your family, and the people you invite into your abode.
But what if there are dangers unseen that could potentially jeopardize the health and safety of your entire household? That’s one of the risks associated with asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral previously found in products ranging from flooring material to attic insulation.
Asbestos exposure can lead to many health risks. Arguably the most severe is a rare and aggressive type of cancer known as mesothelioma. Because it can take decades after initial exposure for symptoms to manifest themselves, treatment options are few and far between.
By the time the problem is identified, the mesothelioma is usually far advanced. That can limit treatment options and shorten life expectancy. So, avoiding asbestos exposure is best.
Keep reading to see five things about mesothelioma you probably don’t know but should.
Table of Contents
It’s a Rare Form of Cancer
According to one source, around 30,870 people worldwide were diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2020. In the same year, an estimated 26,278 people passed away due to the disease worldwide. Considering the billions of people on the planet, the disease is rare.
More Men Get the Disease Than Women
More men get mesothelioma than women. One reason is that men are more likely to work in at-risk occupations such as roofing, auto repair, construction, mining, and plumbing than women. People who worked in these occupations before asbestos was banned are at a higher risk of getting the disease than people whose occupations didn’t include asbestos exposure.
Life Expectancy After Diagnosis is Low
While life expectancy ranges differ depending on the source, a general range would be between 18 and 30 months. That assumes that the patient undergoes treatment. The earlier someone is diagnosed, the better the odds of a longer life expectancy.
As was previously mentioned, late diagnosis contributes to the low life expectancy of people with mesothelioma. Post-diagnosis, the patient and doctor must work together to treat the disease.
Asbestos Exposure Is the Main Risk Factor
Anywhere from 70% to 80% of mesothelioma cases originate from asbestos exposure. Meanwhile, a small percentage of people with this rare form of cancer inherit it from a parent. So, there is a genetic component that, while very rare, is possible.
Other risk factors include radiation exposure and smoking. Smoking doesn’t cause mesothelioma, but it can interact with asbestos exposure to increase the odds of developing mesothelioma.
There Are Four Kinds of Mesothelioma
There are four kinds of mesothelioma, but one of them represents the majority of cases. That would be pleural mesothelioma, which occurs in the lining of the lungs. It represents up to eight in 10 of all mesothelioma cases. Meanwhile, peritoneal mesothelioma, which occurs in the abdomen lining, accounts for 10% and 15% of all mesothelioma cases.
Pericardial mesothelioma, which occurs in the lining of the heart, and testicular mesothelioma, which occurs in the lining of the testes, each represent about 1% of all mesothelioma cases.
Conclusion
While there are many people who’ve never heard of mesothelioma before, that doesn’t make it any less severe. The fact that it’s so aggressive and hard to treat warrants special consideration.
The good news is that you can avoid the most significant risk factor — asbestos exposure. If you live in an older home, you can exercise caution by considering whether to remove old tiles or an old roofing system independently or hire contractors to do the job safely.
