Mesothelioma and asbestosis are the long term result of prior exposure to asbestos. You have undoubtedly heard of asbestos, and are probably aware of its dangers. But many people are not aware as to exactly what it is and where it can still be found in the environment in which we live.
Asbestos is a type of mineral fiber that used to be utilized in many products for the purpose of making them more resistant to the extremes of heat and cold. For many years asbestos was used widely by the building industry, before it was known that this material releases particles which produce mesothelioma - an aggressive form of lung cancer - when they are inhaled. Asbestos is no longer used, for this reason.
There is also active controversy that some sectors of the building industry continued to exposure their workers to asbestos, with the attendant risks of asbestosis and mesothelioma long after the building industry was in possession of compelling evidence of the dangers of asbestos use.
One issue many people may not realise is that asbestos use was not limited to commercial buildings - it was commonly used in the building of homes, and yours could be one of them. The fibers of asbestos are in some roofs and tiles built up with asbestos cement. They also can be found in paintings and substances to cover holes in walls or ceilings. Some old hot water pipes might be covered with asbestos too. Ask a professional to take a look to your house in order to ascertain if you and your family are in risk.
Certainly, if you are considering demolishing any walls, or renovating or remodelling your home, it is imperative that you have an asbestos expert determine whether or not there is asbestos present in your home. Indeed, it is illegal to demolish or otherwise interfere with any structure containing with asbestos. It is necessary to have the asbestos professionally removed by people who know exactly what precautions to take to remove asbestos containing structures, and how to safely dispose of the asbestos so as not to cause any inadvertent exposure to asbestos, which could well cause the development of mesothelioma some years later.
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Studies show that there is an increase of lung cancer instances among workers exposed to asbestos. In lieu to this, asbestos lung cancer has become one of the most dreaded types of lung cancer. The causes of lung cancer vary. Aside from exposure to asbestos, smoking and air pollution can trigger the onset of the disease. Therefore, avoiding these possible cancer-causing agents is essential for healthy lungs.
If you are in the construction business or employed by an industry that uses products containing asbestos, you may wonder "Are asbestos fibers visible to the eye"? Generally asbestos fibers are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Asbestos becomes dangerous when it has broken down into small fibers and is inhaled. It is nearly impossible to detect the presence of asbestos without taking the material to a lab for testing. A lab technician will put the material under a microscope to search for asbestos fibers. Asbestos does not cause an immediate reaction. It will not cause you to cough, sneeze, or your eyes to water. You cannot see, smell, or taste asbestos.
Cigarette smoking is probably the most closely related link to developing lung cancer. A person who smokes two packs or more of cigarettes per day has a one in seven chance of developing lung cancer. Those that smoke one pack of cigarettes per day have a twenty-five times greater chance of developing lung cancer than a non-smoker. In addition, those people that smoke a pipe or cigar have a five times greater chance of developing lung cancer than a non-smoker.
Asbestos is a problem in homes that a lot of people have heard about, but few understand. It is a mineral fiber capable of standing up to intense temperatures, added to a variety of products before people realized it was dangerous. It is now considered toxic waste, but previously was used in a some building equipment due to its low cost and heat resistance. In the 1970s, the Environmental Protection Agency instituted a decade-long phase out of its use, but many older homes still contain the material. Asbestos is now considered a liability, and is sometimes the determining factor in whether a buyer will purchase a home or whether a mortgage company will provide a loan. If you suspect asbestos
It would almost seem like a given in this day and age that people would know and understand that smoking greatly increases the risk of lung cancer. Secondhand smoke has even been linked with increased lung cancer risks. Even were a person to never smoke a cigarette or be subjected to secondhand smoke, the possibility of lung cancer remains very real. But smoking cigarettes is nothing short of adding more bullets to a gun being used to play Russian Roulette-eventually, the odds of getting lung cancer will become impossible to ignore.
Covering our internal organs, the mesothelium is a protective tissue that lubricates and protects our internal organs thus allowing our lungs to breathe and our heart to contract or expand without any discomfort for us.This fine tissue, the mesothelium enables breathing and heart beating therefore being essential to our survival.
Among the various type of cancer deaths, lung cancer is responsible for 29 percent of that. Hence, you can begin protecting yourself now by arming yourself with the general facts on lung cancer before it's too late.
