Exposure to asbestos is considered the main cause of mesothelioma, but how and why can be disconcerting. Asbestos is a natural mineral. It is in the air we breathe and some of us drink water. In 100 Questions and answers about mesothelioma, we learn that asbestos fibers can be inhaled and ingested.
Even though I work with people affected by mesothelioma for over a decade, there are still some questions I ask and we strive to find answers to trying to understand how an individual can end up with a diagnosis of mesothelioma.
can live near a natural deposit of asbestos increase your risk of mesothelioma?
perhaps the best example of this can be found in the article by Janet Raloff, "Dirty Little Secret," Science News, Vol. 170, No. 2, July 8, 06, which discusses a study in which data collected from 3,000 mesothelioma patients found that there was an association between the number of cases of mesothelioma and the distance was lived from a natural deposit of asbestos. In this study, the risk of mesothelioma declined by 6% for every 10 kilometers an experienced source of asbestos.
And then, of course, there is the fiasco Libby, Montana. In 04, Libby, Montana documentary portrays the lives of hard-working Americans who have been victims of asbestos exposure. The honest agony of the victims of poisoning to asbestos is heartbreaking.
How is it that when we breathe in these tiny particles the body can not get rid of them?
According to Dr. Pass, the majority of the asbestos fibers which are inhaled can be trapped in the mucous membranes of one of the upper air passages and are coughed. When the longer fibers are larger swallowed or not removed, they can travel through the body, lodging in the pleura, creating pleural plaques or plaques lung into scar tissue of time, known for asbestosis can develop. Those with pleural plaques are at greater risk of developing mesothelioma.
Dr. Pass, as well as other prominent researchers, is working to find and develop new methods for early detection for those with high levels of exposure to asbestos.
We must help Dr. Pass and other specialized organizations such as the Meso Foundation (Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation), IMP (International Mesothelioma Program), and the University of Chicago Cancer Research Center to find the answers and cure. If not a cure, then the resources to discover more treatment options and alternatives to help people with mesothelioma have a better quality of life and a lot more time with us.
The mesothelioma research is critical. We all need to push our lawmakers to do more.
