Let us help you understand the unique circumstances and risk factors of asbestos exposure for this type of cancer. Mesothelioma is a very serious but rare form of malignant cancer that is almost always caused by asbestos exposures. The most common forms of mesothelioma are:
Pleural mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects the lining of the lungs (called the pleura). Peritoneal mesothelioma is a type of abdominal asbestos cancer that starts in the’ lining of the abdominal cavity (called the peritoneum).
Other types include pericardial mesothelioma (affecting the heart), and the rarest form — testicular mesothelioma.
Did you know that even brief or minimal exposure to asbestos can cause mesothelioma?
Unfortunately, it’s true. For example, in several cases, mesothelioma victims who are wives and children of workers who unknowingly brought asbestos dust into their homes on their work clothes (called second-hand asbestos exposure).
Mesothelioma is a “dose-response” disease.
This means that the more a person is exposed to asbestos, the greater the risk he has for developing the disease.
Mesothelioma has a long latency period.
This means that victims of mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos many years before the cancer developed. The average latency period for mesothelioma is approximately 30 years but can be shorter than 15 years or longer than 40 years.
Victims of mesothelioma may also have another asbestos-related disease such as asbestosis or pleural disease. These non-cancerous conditions, although caused by asbestos, are medically separate and distinct diseases from mesothelioma. Therefore, a disease such as asbestosis does not “develop” into mesothelioma.
Because asbestosis has a shorter latency period than mesothelioma, some mesothelioma victims also develop asbestosis many years before developing the cancer. Medical experts believe that less than 15% of asbestosis victims will ever develop mesothelioma. Also, a person can develop mesothelioma but never have asbestosis or any other asbestos-related disease.
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you are likely entitled to settlement from those responsible. Make sure you have the best mesothelioma Attorneys on your side throughout the legal process.
