Women and Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is the most serious of all asbestos related diseases. It is a rare cancer that has been conclusively linked to asbestos exposure. Usually men are more affected by Mesothelioma. In the United States annual incidence of mesothelioma is 7 to 13 per 1,000,000 in males with exposure to asbestos. Approximately 2,000 to 3000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the country each year and around 1/5 to 1/3 of all mesotheliomas are peritoneal.
Only a minority of women with a mesothelioma of any type, have a history of asbestos exposure. Women usually exposed to asbestos dust and fibre in other ways, such as by washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos, or by home renovation using asbestos cement products.
The reason of lower incidence of mesothelioma reported in women, is probably that women spend more time in the home than men and they work in an area with lower Asbestos exposure. The incidence of mesothelioma reported in women is 2 in 1,000,000 and in men is 10 to 30 in 1,000,000 in industrialized countries where asbestos is widely used. Most symptoms begin to appear by the time the patient is 70.
Recent study shows that women seem to be more susceptible to malignant peritoneal mesothelioma than men. A study from a Village of Turkey called Karain, where there had been environmental exposure to a highly carcinogenic fibrous zeolite called erionite, shows that the relative risk was higher for women than for men.
A recent research concluded on review, of 177 cases of both pleural and peritoneal mesotheliomas in women from Great Britain. The other important issue raised by this study of Metintas and coworkers is the relationship between asbestos dose and latency. Like all asbestos related diseases, the latent period between exposure and the onset of the symptoms of mesothelioma can be 20 to 40 years.
Women living with asbestos workers have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos-related diseases. 75% women patients had a history of exposure to asbestos and more than half developed the malignancy secondary to household contact with a worker exposed to asbestos. This risk may be the result of exposure to asbestos dust brought home on their clothing or hair. To reduce the chance of exposing asbestos particles to others, asbestos workers are advised to shower and change their clothing before leaving their workplace.
Initially the patient may complain about constant chest pain. Gradually, she will develop breathlessness with cough. The chronic cough worsens over time. Recurrent lung infection is seen in some patients. They may complain about shortness of breath with bloody expectoration. Other general symptoms like loss of appetite, fatigue, fever, weight-loss etc are also seen.
There are many treatments for mesothelioma, using both conventional and non-conventional methods.
Mesothelioma is the most serious of all asbestos related diseases. It is a rare cancer that has been conclusively linked to asbestos exposure. Usually men are more affected by Mesothelioma. In the United States annual incidence of mesothelioma is 7 to 13 per 1,000,000 in males with exposure to asbestos. Approximately 2,000 to 3000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the country each year and around 1/5 to 1/3 of all mesotheliomas are peritoneal.
Only a minority of women with a mesothelioma of any type, have a history of asbestos exposure. Women usually exposed to asbestos dust and fibre in other ways, such as by washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos, or by home renovation using asbestos cement products.
The reason of lower incidence of mesothelioma reported in women, is probably that women spend more time in the home than men and they work in an area with lower Asbestos exposure. The incidence of mesothelioma reported in women is 2 in 1,000,000 and in men is 10 to 30 in 1,000,000 in industrialized countries where asbestos is widely used. Most symptoms begin to appear by the time the patient is 70.
Recent study shows that women seem to be more susceptible to malignant peritoneal mesothelioma than men. A study from a Village of Turkey called Karain, where there had been environmental exposure to a highly carcinogenic fibrous zeolite called erionite, shows that the relative risk was higher for women than for men.
A recent research concluded on review, of 177 cases of both pleural and peritoneal mesotheliomas in women from Great Britain. The other important issue raised by this study of Metintas and coworkers is the relationship between asbestos dose and latency. Like all asbestos related diseases, the latent period between exposure and the onset of the symptoms of mesothelioma can be 20 to 40 years.
Women living with asbestos workers have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos-related diseases. 75% women patients had a history of exposure to asbestos and more than half developed the malignancy secondary to household contact with a worker exposed to asbestos. This risk may be the result of exposure to asbestos dust brought home on their clothing or hair. To reduce the chance of exposing asbestos particles to others, asbestos workers are advised to shower and change their clothing before leaving their workplace.
Initially the patient may complain about constant chest pain. Gradually, she will develop breathlessness with cough. The chronic cough worsens over time. Recurrent lung infection is seen in some patients. They may complain about shortness of breath with bloody expectoration. Other general symptoms like loss of appetite, fatigue, fever, weight-loss etc are also seen.
There are many treatments for mesothelioma, using both conventional and non-conventional methods.
