Mesothelioma Risk Factors

A risk factor is anything that increases your chance of getting a disease. The main risk factor for mesotheliomaasbestos cancer. Asbestos exposure is reported in over 90% of all mesothelioma cases. is asbestos exposure. Prolonged exposure to asbestos through a job, or during a building demolition or remodel, significantly increases your chances of getting

Asbestos was widely used in a multitude of commercial products, including:

• Insulation
• Floor tiles
• Door gaskets
• Roofing
• Patching compounds
• Iron board covers
• Brake pads

The majority of mesothelioma cases are men who were exposed to asbestos in a jobsite . While the incidences of cases in men are declining slightly, the incidences in women have remained steady. This would suggest that women are in contact with asbestos through their spouses work clothing, or from products in the home, rather than directly from time spent in a work place.

Occupations at risk for asbestos exposure and mesothelioma include:

• Construction Workers
• Auto mechanics
• Building engineers
• Railroad workers
• Shipyard employees
• Navy sailors
• HVAC workers

Additionally, studies have shown that family members of people exposed to asbestos are also at risk. Asbestos fibers can be carried home on clothing, putting the family at risk of breathing in and coming into contact with the fibers.

Asbestos Exposure Can Be Recent

Because asbestos was widely used into the 1980's, there are still a large number of schools and public buildings that contain asbestos insulation. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral, and can be found in dust and rocks in certain parts of the United States, as well as the rest of the world.
The risk of developing mesothelioma after asbestos exposure is related to the amount of asbestos the person is exposed to and for how long. This risk does not decrease over time. Once the exposure to asbestos occurs, the latency period is very long – as much as 20 to 30 years – before diagnosis. This diagnosis often occurs late in the diseases progress, negatively impacting the patient's mesothelioma treatment and life span.

Less Primary Risk Factors

Radiation

There are a handful of scattered reports of mesothelioma occurring after exposure to thoratrast radiation, typically associated with treatment for breast cancer.

Zeolite

A silicate mineral chemically related to asbestos, zeolite is common in the soil of the Anatoli region of Turkey. There are many cases of mesothelioma in this region directly tied to zeolite.