Mesothelioma causes

Exposure to asbestos is the primary cause of mesothelioma. Over time, asbestos detoriates into a fine white dust. This dust contains fibers of the mineral asbestos. Tiny fibers of asbestos enter the lungs when you breathe in. These fibers reach the small passages of the lung where they cause physical damage to the tissue of the lung, called mesothelial cells. This damage may result in lung cancer.

Asbestos exposure is generally a hazard for certian occupations. An asbestos worker generally works in an environment rich with asbestos fibers. Contact with the clothing of such an individual can be hazardous. You can also contract mesothelioma through househols contamination of your house contains asbestos.

Therefore the population most at risk for mesothelioma are those who have worked with asbestos over the last fifty years. This segment of the population is generally men over the age of 60. Again, the asbestos fibers damage the mesothelium cells of the lung and cause them to become cancerous.

It may take several years after the initial exposure for symptoms to appear. Most cases support a 15 year period between exposure and death. A significant number of absestos workers die from mesothelioma 15 years after exposure. The death rate for absestos workers from mesothelioma is several times the rate of the general public.