Women and Mesothelioma | Mesotheolima Information

Pleural Mesothelioma in Women is Associated with Environmental Exposure to Asbestos

2009-04-20T20:08:00.000-07:00

Mesothelioma Exposures in Women
To determine whether local environmental exposure to asbestos in the community of Hof van Twente, Netherlands (which houses a large asbestos cement facility and has a serious environmental asbestos pollution problem), is accompanied by an increased mortality due to pleural mesothelioma among women. Design: A descriptive, ecological-epidemiological study. Method: 29 women with a verified diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma were selected from 810 requests for compensation submitted to a specialized lawyers' office in the period 1990-2002. Information on asbestos exposure from occupational, household, environmental or unknown sources was obtained. The place of residence was compared to information on sources of asbestos in the immediate environment derived from the settlement 'Asbestos removal in the environment.' The expected number of cases of pleural mesothelioma among women was estimated on the basis of the observed mortality in the Netherlands in the period 1996-2002. A standardized mortality ratio (SMR) was calculated as the ratio of observed cases divided by the number of expected cases of pleural mesothelioma × 100. Results: In total, 5 cases of pleural mesothelioma were identified among women without occupational or household exposure to asbestos. The age at diagnosis varied from 38 to 81 years. Each case was exposed to asbestos in the direct vicinity of the residence through walking and cycling over local roads metalled with asbestos cement scrap material. The expected number of cases of mortality due to pleural mesothelioma in the town of Hof van Twente for the period 1996-2002 was about 0.46. The SMR was 1090 (95% CI: 465-2551), indicating a 10-fold increase in risk. Conclusion: The increased mortality of pleural mesothelioma was most probably due to environmental exposure to asbestos. This finding agrees with comparable studies in other countries.

by Burdorf, A., Dahhan, M., Swuste, P. H. J. J.

Mesothelioma Cancer Risk Among Women

2009-04-19T07:07:00.000-07:00

Mesothelioma, can also risk for Women.
The women who are at risk for developing mesothelioma cancer are those who:

worked in industries that used asbestos
have a husband, father, or other family member who worked with asbestos
lived in communities that had asbestos-contaminated air, soil, or water

These primary and secondary types of exposure to asbestos cancer have resulted in thousands of women at risk of contracting mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer.
Women Exposed to Asbestos
In the decades before the cancer-causing properties of asbestos were confirmed, hundreds of products causing asbestos cancer were manufactured and distributed for use across the United States and around the world. Asbestos was thought of as a kind of miracle material that was flame-, fire-, and friction-resistant ─ an excellent insulator used in various forms and applications to which essentially everyone was exposed.
Women's Secondary Exposure
Although the ratio of men to women with mesothelioma is about three to one, the numbers of cases of mesothelioma among women is rising. Secondary (secondhand) exposure to asbestos is more common among women than the primary (direct) exposure that so many male workers have suffered.

In many documented cases of mesothelioma among women, the asbestos exposure was from the microscopic fibers of asbestos that were brought home on the work clothes of men who worked in an asbestos-related industry:

Asbestos mines
Asbestos product manufacturers
Shipyards
Steel mills
Rail yards
Refineries
Power plants

Difficult to Diagnose Mesothelioma Cancer in Women

Mesothelioma cancer is such a rare disease that not all doctors are able to diagnose it. To make matters worse, physicians often miss it as a diagnosis in female patients because the disease is especially rare in women. Women who have been exposed to asbestos either directly or by way of a loved one should inform their physician, particularly if they are experiencing any abnormal symptoms.

from mesothelioma treatments center.org

Malignant Mesothelioma in Women

2009-04-18T18:06:00.000-07:00

Malignant mesothelioma reportedly shows different epidemiology and pathology in females, and a proportion are believed to arise spontaneously. METHODS: One hundred and seventy seven cases of malignant mesothelioma in females were reviewed, examined by histochemistry and immunohistochemistry, assessed for asbestosis and lung fibre burden by transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive x ray analysis, and compared with 31 female controls. RESULTS: Two of one hundred and three cases tested for carcinoembryonic antigen were positive and were excluded from further analysis. Tumour cases showed increased amphibole burdens; in those in whom exposure information was known, 74 (80%) of 93 patients had a history of exposure to asbestos. Seventy two (47%) of 152 patients had lung fibrosis. Tumour site and histological type were little different from those reported in adult males. Mixed type histological pattern, lung fibrosis, and peritoneal site were associated with heavier lung asbestos burdens, but not exclusively. Thirty five (30%) of 117 patients had amphibole burdens of less than 2 x 10(6) fibres/g; the sites affected and the histological pattern of tumours in this group were similar to those in cases with amphibole fibre counts of > or = 2 x 10(6)/g lung. A higher lung amphibole burden than the mean burden in control females was found in 115 (98%) of 117 patients tested. CONCLUSIONS: The pathology of malignant mesothelioma appears to be similar in women and in men, and in cases associated and unassociated with asbestos.

by A Dawson, A R Gibbs, F D Pooley, D M Griffiths and J Hoy
Department of Histopathology, Llandough Hospital, Penarth, South Glamorgan, UK.

Asbestos More Likely to Cause Mesothelioma in Men Than in Women, Study Suggests

2009-04-17T05:17:00.000-07:00

Mesothelioma, Asbestos Exposures to Women

The death rate from mesothelioma increased with cumulative asbestos exposure and with increasing length of residence in a town that had an asbestos mine.

CRAWLEY, AUSTRALIA — March 16, 2007 — Men exposed to blue asbestos (crocidolite) may be more likely to develop mesothelioma than women who are exposed to the substance, according to an Australian report. Researchers studied the medical histories of 4,786 residents of Wittenoom in Western Australia. Although they never worked in the town’s asbestos mine, these study participants were exposed to asbestos tailings and airborne asbestos when the mine was operated by the Australian Blue Asbestos Company between 1943 and 1966. The asbestos tailings were used to pave roads, parking areas, the school playground and a race course and were spread on the yards of houses to suppress red dust. Mine workers also came home in asbestos–laden clothes, according to the report.

By 2002, 36 men and 31 women in the study developed mesothelioma, including 64 who died from the disease. The death rate from mesothelioma increased with increasing length of residence and cumulative asbestos exposure and was lower for women than for men. After adjustments were made for cumulative asbestos exposure and age, men had four times the rate of mesothelioma compared to that for women. Among the women with mesothelioma, most had lived with men who worked for the Australian Blue Asbestos Company.

The authors did not come to a definite conclusion to account for the gender difference in mesothelioma rates. They did point out that there could be differences in behavior. In Wittenoom, they said, men rather than women usually performed casual labor and gardening around the home, activities that could bring them into contact with asbestos dust. On the other hand, the authors noted that women who lived with Australian Blue Asbestos Company workers were probably exposed to asbestos from that source, yet more men still developed mesothelioma.

One somewhat surprising discovery was that residents who were at least 15 years old when they were first exposed to environmental asbestos were more likely to die of mesothelioma than those who were less than 15 years old when they were initially exposed to asbestos. The study authors said that these children may have had a “more efficient defense mechanism,” but they did not go into detail about the meaning of this phrase.

from Mesothelioma Site.com

Mesothelioma Death Rates Lower for Women

2009-04-16T16:04:00.000-07:00

Mesothelioma Death Rates Lower for Women

An Australian study revealed that men have more chances than women to develop malignant mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos.

Alison Reid, the leader of the study group said that the people exposed to asbestos at Wittenoom in Western Australia were studied. "This was an asbestos mining and milling town that closed in 1966, but still provides us with a legacy of asbestos-related diseases," she said.

Ms. Reid and her associates, at the University of Western Australia, Crawley, report the findings in the medical journal Chest. They have studied 2000 former residents of Wittenoom.

Deaths due to mesothelioma were found higher with increasing length of residence, and were consistently lower for women than for men. The astonishing revelation of Ms. Reid and her companions is that men have more than four times mesothelioma rate as women as a result of accumulative exposure to asbestos.

The age at the time of first exposure also was analyzed in their studies. It was noted that people who were above or equal to 15 years at the time of first exposure were more likely to die of mesothelioma than those who were less than 15 years.

"The asbestos epidemic is almost past its peak in the developed world, but elsewhere it will just be starting. It is still being used in many developing countries where they have little or no regulation about its use, worker protection, or means of treatment," said Ms Reid.

Mesothelioma is a malignant tumor of the lining of the lungs, heart, or abdomen. Mainly this is caused by asbestos exposure. Usually only one case is found in 100,000 people. Symptoms of the disease, which can be found in the linings of the lungs and abdomen, may not appear for decades after exposure. But it kills most of its victims within 7-12 months of diagnosis. A cure for mesothelioma is yet to be developed.

Mesothelioma Treatments for Women

2009-04-15T03:03:00.000-07:00

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.

Women Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma

2009-04-14T02:14:00.000-07:00

Women Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Primary peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare disease withan annual incidence of only one case per million inthe US. In 1960, the clear relationship between occupational and environmental crocidolide exposureand diffuse pleural mesothelioma was demonstrated.A recent study from Norway has also shown a highincidence of mesothelioma and a high ratio ofmesothelioma to lung cancer among asbestos andcement workers. No peritoneal mesothelioma wasfound. The ratio of mesothelioma to lung cancercases was 1: 2 for the total cohort. Rare cases ofmesothelioma have been associated with radiationexposure, with studies in rats supporting the notionthat radiation exposure can cause mesothelioma. Itseems safe to state that intensive radiation exposurecan cause mesothelioma; however, the overallnumber of mesotheliomas caused by radiation isprobably small. There is some evidence that SimianVirus (SV 40) and asbestos might be carcinogens inhuman mesothelial cells in tissue culture. Genetic anderionite may co-operate in causing mesothelioma inthe Cappadocian region of Turkey. Mesotheliomamay be a cancer in which genetics, radiation, virusesand erionite interact to cause malignancy.

Women and Mesothelioma : Data, Statistics, & Information

2009-04-13T13:23:00.000-07:00

Mesothelioma Data, Statistics, & Information

Mesothelioma is fairly rare. There are an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma diagnosed each year in the United States. The incidence of mesotheliomas in the United States increased from 1970 to 1990 and then stabilized. It may now be decreasing. Most of the past increase in cases, as well as the recent decrease in cases, has been in men. The rate of incidence in women although lower, has been fairly steady. In European countries and world wide, the rate of mesotheliomas is still increasing.

Mesothelioma is a serious disease. The only known cause of mesothelioma is asbestos. By the time the symptoms appear and cancer is diagnosed, the disease is often in advanced stages. The average survival time is about 1 year. The 5-year relative survival rate is around 10%, but this rate has been slowly improving. Better treatments have resulted in a more favorable outlook for recently diagnosed patients.

Mesothelioma is rare in people under age 55. Its incidence increases with age. Three-fourths of people with mesothelioma are over 65 years old. The disease affects men 5 times more often than women. Mesothelioma is less common in African Americans than in white Americans.

from Mesothelioma Data

How to Recognize the Early Signs of Lung Cancer in Women

2009-04-12T12:21:00.000-07:00

Incidence of lung cancer deaths in women grew one hundred and fifty percent during a period of time from 1974 until 1994. During the same time period there was an increase of merely twenty percent in men. This disease is responsible for more deaths in women than breast cancer. It is reported that half of all new cases of this illness are women.

It can take several years for the warning signs and symptoms of lung cancer to arise. This may lead to the disease not being diagnosed until it is in an advance stage. Symptoms that can arise may include:

Back, shoulder, or chest pain that is relentless and unrelated to pain that can occur from coughing.
Out of breath.
Intense, unrelenting smoker's cough.
Persistent nonsmoker's cough that lasts longer than two weeks.
Occurrences of bronchitis or pneumonia that keep coming back.
Change in color of sputum (mucus or phlegm mixed with saliva).
Finding blood in sputum.

Other late stage lung cancer related signs or symptoms may be:

Loss of desire for food.
Weight loss that cannot be explained.
Low energy.
Swelling in the neck and face.
Headache, aching joints, bone pain.
A wobbly gait and other neurologic signs such as memory loss.
Bone breakage not related to an accident.

Detecting lung cancer early can result in life and death for someone suffering with this disease. If it is found early while it is affecting only the lungs (or remaining localized) the five year survival rate is nearly fifty percent.

There are also symptoms and signs that can be caused by the spread of lung cancer to other parts of one's body. These signs may include:

* Bleeding.
* Bone breakage.
* Blood clots.
* Headache.
* Physical weakness.

More research is needed to understand why the number or women dying from lung cancer is increasing. Women are one and a half times more at risk for the disease than men. Women are smoking fewer cigarettes and they inhale less of the cigarettes that they do smoke but risks of the illness are still higher for them. Scientists suppose this could be genetically linked.

Early detection may save a woman's life. Those experiencing these symptoms or signs should consult their physician as soon as possible.

Smoking cigarettes is viewed as the main reason for eighty percent of the lung cancer deaths in women.

by Fran Mullen

How Common is Mesothelioma Among Women?

2009-04-11T23:11:00.000-07:00

Mesothelioma Case Among Women Mesothelioma Patients

It is relatively rare. While studies show that men are the most prominent victims of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases, here are a few examples of how a women may have contracted mesothelioma, prior to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) implementation of limits for acceptable levels of asbestos exposure in the workplace in the early 1970’s:

Working in company laundry facilities:

Women who worked in company laundry facilities, where asbestos was used in large commercial dryers and other appliances where heat and fire was a threat, were at risk for asbestos exposure. If asbestos insulation was damaged, asbestos fibers could circulate, and potentially be inhaled or ingested. Additionally, women who cleaned these facilities may have been exposed to fibers while sweeping asbestos dust from the floors.

SIMILARLY:

Wives of asbestos workers were subjected to second hand asbestos exposure every time they put their husband’s work clothes into the washing machine at home. Many asbestos workers literally “brought their work home” on their clothing and in their hair.

Working for cosmetics companies:

At one time, asbestos was used in cosmetics, and women who worked in factories that manufactured asbestos-containing make-up and powders may have inhaled the mineral on a daily basis.

During World War II:

During World War II, civilian women were often hired to work in shipyards, steel-producing facilities, and power plants to replace men who had gone to war. Asbestos was commonplace in these environments.

by Ami

Women and Secondary Asbestos Exposure

2009-04-10T23:52:00.000-07:00

Mesothelioma Cases in Women
Yvonne Power, now 49, always harbored an aversion to housework, and this may have saved her life. In an interview for The Guardian, she recalls turning headstands in the garden while her older sister, Evelyn, helped scrub their father's overalls. It was the early 1960s and their father, John, worked as a foreman in Cowley, Oxford cutting asbestos boards for ceiling tiles. He eventually died of the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma, as did many men working in environments that caused them to be exposed to the hazardous material. However, mesothelioma also took the lives of his wife Barbra and his daughter Evelyn. Because Barbra and Evelyn never worked or even visited John's asbestos-latent workplace, experts believe the mother and daughter contracted the disease by washing John's overalls, which were covered in asbestos particles.
All of those affected by mesothelioma develop malignant cells in the mesothelium, the protective lining that covers most of the body's internal organs. Mesothelioma has a long latency period, developing anywhere between 15 and 60 years after inhalation of the fibrous dust. The disease may result after very brief exposure, and it is almost always fatal.
There are many organizations that have dedicated a vast amount of their resources to helping those affected by exposure to asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral used as a fireproofing and insulating material. Common treatments for all patients suffering from mesothelioma include radiation, chemotherapy, immunology, and surgery-although none of these treatments have presented life-saving results. And while the medical options for those suffering from secondary exposure are the same as those for individuals exposed on the jobsite, legal options differ greatly. Unfortunately, being a woman that was exposed to asbestos in the home makes it even harder.
A witness is required, preferably the husband who brought the dust home. Sadly, many of the women whose husbands worked in asbestos-exposing environments no longer have living husbands to serve as their witnesses, and thus no claims unless they can secure another witness.

from Asbestos.com

Women and Mesothelioma

2009-04-10T10:10:00.000-07:00

Among the people who are stricken by mesothelioma, the ratio of men to women is three-to-one. In fact, when the words "mesothelioma victim" are uttered, the image that arises is that of a 60-something white male who worked with asbestos in some form years ago perhaps in the Navy, or in the construction or shipbuilding industries.

Women Exposed by Loved Ones

Although it's true that most of the thousands of people diagnosed with mesothelioma every year are men, public health officials have begun to recognize another population victimized by asbestos exposure: the women whose husbands, fathers or brothers brought the asbestos dust home with them every day. It's becoming apparent that many women have already died from cancer that is only now suspected to have been mesothelioma.

Missed Diagnoses?

Mesothelioma is not easy to diagnose, and many physicians do not know how to identify the disease. Over the past few decades, both men and women have died from unidentified respiratory and other cancers that may well have been mesothelioma. The cases of mesothelioma among women in particular may have been missed, in part because they usually didn't have jobs that exposed them directly to asbestos.

However, plenty of people who were children in the 1940s and 1950s have memories of their mothers regularly washing their husbands' work clothes separately because of the clouds of sparkly asbestos dust that would be shaken from the clothes. Some of those mothers died years ago (or not so long ago) from an undiagnosed cancer. Was it mesothelioma?

Little Is Currently Known

The U.S. government only started tracking mesothelioma cases in 1999 and the number and type of cases due to secondhand asbestos exposure is still largely unknown.

As thoracic oncologist Dr. Pasi Janne of Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute stated recently, "We know the secondary victims of asbestos are out there...we don't know how many there are, and we don't know yet if they're mostly women."

from Asbestosnews.com

Case Studies of Women and Mesothelioma

2009-04-09T09:21:00.000-07:00

Case Studies of Women and Mesothelioma

A study published in Chest, a medical journal that focuses on the multiple disciplines of chest medicine, analyzed the relative risk of men versus women for developing malignant pleural mesothelioma from environmental exposure to asbestos in Turkey. The study found the relative risk was higher among women (159.8 per 100,000) than in men (114.8 per 100,000)-yet cohort studies from Australia, North America, and Europe have revealed a lower risk for women.

There are a number of plausible explanations for this discrepancy. First and foremost, cohort studies in Australia, North America, and Europe typically involve work-related cohorts, which are notoriously dominated by the male gender. Thus, men are so overrepresented in these cohorts that enough evidence has not been collected to aptly assess relative risks among women.

Another explanation for the elevated relative risk among women in this study is a possibly higher exposure to asbestos. Women in this region of the world typically take care of household "whitewashing," which involves the use of asbestos-contaminated soil and is associated with high levels of exposure. However, authors of the study extensively evaluated the cohort and could not find any significant difference in the exposure levels between men and women. Thus, possibility of higher levels of exposure among women was ruled out.

Some have proposed physiological differences between men and women may help explain the discrepancy. Researchers have proposed that those who are taller and have longer tracheas and larger lungs are more capable of expelling asbestos fibers. Thus, women, who have comparatively smaller lungs and shorter tracheas, experience more difficulty in ridding asbestos fibers from these areas.

A number of studies have also found that women are more susceptible to developing malignant peritoneal mesothelioma than men. One study found the ratio of peritoneal to pleural mesotheliomas to be significantly higher in women (1:2) than in men (1:5). The exact cause for these discrepancies has yet to be defined and further research is necessary to understand the apparent differences between men and women in regard to malignant mesothelioma.

from Asbestos.com

Women and Mesothelioma : Natural Exposure to Asbestos

2009-04-08T08:20:00.000-07:00

Natural Exposure to Asbestos

Throughout history, in certain countries and cultures, exposure to asbestos occurred through common household tasks. For example, women in several Mediterranean countries, like Turkey and Greece, often oversaw the task of "whitewashing" the home.

To those who live in modern times, the term whitewashing usually refers to applying a coat of white paint. Historically, however, whitewashing in these countries referred to the process of using white (asbestos-containing) soil to whitewash a house. It was also commonly used as plastering material for both interior and exterior stucco. (Such asbestos-laced soil is naturally occurring in many of these areas.) The toxic mineral was also used on roofs for insulation and prevention of water leakage. Women (and others) were exposed to dust emanating from the walls and the act of "sweeping" the room with a broom caused more dangerous fibers to circulate. Alarmingly, the white asbestos soil was also sometimes used in place of baby powder, exposing yet more individuals to this toxic mineral.

Studies done in these regions show an extremely high rate of natural asbestos exposure among women and many individuals are still living in and caring for homes where asbestos is present.

by Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center

A New Treatment for Mesotheolima Patients

2009-04-07T07:07:00.000-07:00

Mesothelioma treatments have a new progress research. SANTA FE, N.M. -- The National Center for Genome Resources (NCGR) today announced the launch of the first web-based software system specifically designed for analysis of ultra-high throughput DNA sequencing projects. The new software system, Alpheus(TM), will enable researchers to achieve highly scientifically meaningful results from massive DNA sequencing projects. Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) announced today that they had employed Alpheus(TM) to discover the unique genetic mutations of cancerous tumors in individual patients. This new approach may dramatically improve therapeutic decisions for cancer patients.
BWH researchers used Alpheus(TM) to analyze the DNA sequences of all genes expressed in tumors from four patients with mesothelioma, an asbestos caused cancer of the lung. Approximately 266 million bases of expressed genes were sequenced per patient in collaboration with 454 Life Sciences, Inc., and analyzed with Alpheus(TM) software. Alpheus(TM) was collaboratively developed with BWH researchers to pipeline ultra-high throughput DNA sequences, enabling comparisons between patients and with reference databases to identify candidate mutations, which were validated by independent methods. In the four mesothelioma tumors 15 novel mutations of multiple types were discovered and each mesothelioma tumor had a unique mutation profile. None of the mutated genes has ever been implicated in mesothelioma. Each tumor had a unique mutation profile, similar to having a unique fingerprint.
The findings confirmed the usefulness of the Alpheus(TM) system to identify patient-specific mutations in massive numbers of DNA sequences from tumor tissues and suggest that this approach could become a new standard for discovery of mutations that underlie cancer. This approach points the way to individualized analysis of patient tumors thereby encouraging discoveries that have tremendous potential to refine individual patient care and guide therapy.

Women and Mesothelioma : On-the-Job Asbestos Exposure

2009-04-06T06:06:00.000-07:00

On-the-Job Asbestos Exposure

Men weren't the only ones who were exposed to asbestos at work. Women, for example, made up the bulk of employees in laundry facilities where asbestos was ever present. Because asbestos was such a good insulator, its use was commonplace in large commercial dryers and other appliances where heat and fire was a threat. Often, asbestos insulation was torn or damaged, causing airborne fibers to circulate. Those who cleaned the facility were also exposed while sweeping asbestos dust from the floors.

Asbestos was also used in cosmetics and women who worked in factories that manufactured asbestos-containing make-up and powders may have inhaled the mineral on a daily basis. Protective gear was not provided so exposure occurred regularly.

During World War II, women were exposed to asbestos through their work in factories around the country. Because they assumed many of the jobs usually done by the thousands of men who were off fighting the war, exposure was more commonplace during this time period, especially among civilian women who worked in shipyards, steel-producing facilities, and power plants, where asbestos was abundant.

by Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center

Women and Mesothelioma: History of Exposure

2009-04-05T17:17:00.000-07:00

Women and Mesothelioma: History of Exposure
Mesothelioma in Women

A mention of the disease mesothelioma normally conjures up images of men working in shipyards or toiling in vermiculite mines in small towns throughout the U.S. While it's true, however, that men are the most prominent victims of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases, women are not immune from developing them.

As a matter of fact, cases of women with mesothelioma are on the rise as doctors and others recognize that the female sex is highly susceptible to the disease, mostly through secondhand exposure; that is, exposure to a family member who worked with the toxic mineral on a daily basis. However, secondhand exposure is not the only way in which women can develop such diseases.

by Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center

Mesothelioma Pain and Problems

2009-04-03T03:03:00.000-07:00

"Mesothelioma is a form of cancer caused due to exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma mainly affects the mesothelium which is a protective lining covering all internal organs of the body."

Mostly, it originates in the pleura, which is the between the outer part of the lungs & the chest cavity. Mesothelioma may also attack in or the lining of abdominal cavity (peritoneum) or the sac which surrounds heart (that is, pericardium).

It has been observed that person having Mesothelioma must have worked on a job where he may have inhaled asbestos particulates, or he might have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in any other way. It might be caused just by washing cloths of some family member handling asbestos regularly. But, unlike lung and oral cancer, there exists no link between mesothelioma & smoking. It is an unbelievable fact that an exposure of 1 or 2 months could result in mesothelioma 30 or 40 yrs later and for some, as much as seventy years later. People exposed in the 1960s and '70s are now diagnosed of mesothelioma due to the long latency of asbestos deposit.

On suffering from Mesothelioma, patient may have breathlessness, slight pain in the chest and cough, while peritoneal mesothelioma causes patient to lose weight and pain in the abdomen. Peritoneal mesothelioma causes obstruction in bowel-area, abnormal blood clotting, anemia, and may also cause fever. In case the cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it may cause pain, troublesome swallowing, or swelling in neck and face. Mesothelioma can only be diagnosed from biopsy by pathological examination If further examination is warranted, more tests may be done. Mesothelioma has three kinds of treatments. First one involves surgery, that is, to take out the cancer. Secondly, the deadly radiation therapy to kill cancer causing cells. The third is the chemotherapy, in which drugs are inserted in body to fight cancer.

by Johanes Stone

Information about Mesothelioma

2009-04-02T02:02:00.000-07:00

Peritoneal Mesothelioma Form of Mesothelioma Develops in the Lining of the Abdominal Cavity.

Malignant mesothelioma, also known as mesothelioma cancer is a deadly cancer that affects the lining of the lung (pleura), the lining of the abdominal cavity (peritoneum), and the lining of the heart (pericardium). The most familiar type of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma, while pericardial mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma are less frequent. Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles. The main cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos, although other factors such as smoking may result in additional complications.

Smoking modern cigarettes does not seem to enlarge the risk of mesothelioma. Simian virus 40 (SV40) may act as a cofactor in the development of mesothelioma. There are five common types of mesothelioma. Four of are malignant cancers, and one is a benign condition. Pleural Mesothelioma type of mesothelioma develops in the lining of the lungs, known as the pleura. It is the most common form of malignant mesothelioma. Pericardial Mesothelioma form of mesothelioma develops in the lining of the heart, known as the pericardium.

Testicular Mesothelioma is the infrequent type of malignant mesothelioma; to date, there have been less than 100 proof cases. Testicular mesothelioma develops in the tunica vaginalis of the testicles. Benign Mesothelioma benign form of mesothelioma most commonly develops in the pleura. This is the only form of mesothelioma for which full cure and recovery is a probable outcome, though it may be a precursor of future asbestos-related problems. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and abdominal pain and swelling due to a buildup of fluid in the abdomen.

Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may comprise bowel obstruction, blood clotting irregularities, anemia, and fever. Treatment for mesothelioma depends on the sites of the cancer, the phase of the disease, and the patient's age and normal health. Surgery is a common treatment for mesothelioma. For cancer of the pleura (pleural mesothelioma), a lung may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy. Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed. Radiotherapy may be used as part of treatment to try to cure mesothelioma.

by Juliet Cohen

Mesothelioma Definition

2009-04-01T01:01:00.000-07:00

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos. In this disease, malignant cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the body's internal organs. Its most common site is the pleura (outer lining of the lungs and internal chest wall), but it may also occur in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity), the heart, the pericardium (a sac that surrounds the heart) or tunica vaginalis.
Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or they have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways. Washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos can also put a person at risk for developing mesothelioma. Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking, but smoking greatly increases risk of other asbestos induced cancer. Compensation via asbestos funds or lawsuits is an important issue in mesothelioma (see asbestos and the law).
The symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural effusion (fluid between the lung and the chest wall) or chest wall pain, and general symptoms such as weight loss. The diagnosis may be suspected with chest X-ray and CT scan, and is confirmed with a biopsy (tissue sample) and microscopic examination. A thoracoscopy (inserting a tube with a camera into the chest) can be used to take biopsies. It allows the introduction of substances such as talc to obliterate the pleural space (called pleurodesis), which prevents more fluid from accumulating and pressing on the lung. Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or sometimes surgery, the disease carries a poor prognosis. Research about screening tests for the early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing.

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