Mesothelioma Risk

Mesothelioma Risk
By dr. Nathalie Fiset

For the eye of the unsuspecting public, asbestos is a miracle material that protects their houses and other materials from easily contracting fire. The danger now comes when a person inhales the asbestos fiber since it will likely stay in the air passages - the lungs, thus leaving fibers that can cause asbestos diseases.

There are higher risks though in industrial workplaces such as mines, shipyards, construction sites, and railroads since there are higher degrees of

asbestos use. Thus, people who have worked in these places are likely to have higher risks of contracting asbestos diseases. This is also the reason why mesothelioma, laryngeal cancer or asbestosis is considered as occupational diseases.

There are several risk factors that will largely determine the probability that you will contract

asbestos diseases. Concentration - Asbestos diseases will only develop in relation to the degree of exposure. There should be enough concentration of asbestos in the air we breathe before we even begin to develop asbestos disease silently. Duration - Asbestos exposure needs a relatively long period of time before the person is endangered.

Asbestos diseases are usually dose-responsive. This means that with a longer exposure comes higher dosage of asbestos fiber exposure. Therefore, there are high risks of contracting and developing diseases.Typically, the development of any asbestos disease depends on this dosage-response principle. People who have worked in industries that make use of large asbestos concentration are at greater risk of developing asbestos diseases than those who have used asbestos materials once in their house only. There is hope in treatment though yet there are no cures for asbestos diseases.