Asbestos Mesothelioma
Asbestos is made of fine fibers. These fibers can be broken down into fibers, much smaller and thinner. The smaller fibers can not be detected with the naked eye but can be inhaled.
Asbestos fibers are dangerous only if transported in the air and are breathed in, but all types of asbestos fibers are dangerous if inhaled.
Asbestos mainly affects the lungs and the lining of the lungs to the pleura. Breathing high levels of asbestos fibers have long or short exposure to high levels of asbestos; can cause lesions that look like scars in the lung and the pleura. This disease is called asbestosis and commonly occurs in workers exposed to asbestos but not the general public. People with asbestosis have difficulty breathing, often a cough, and in severe cases suffer from an enlarged heart. Asbestosis is a serious disease that can eventually lead to disability and death.
Breathing low levels of asbestos can cause alterations in the pleura, called plaques. Pleural plaques can occur in workers and sometimes in people living in areas with high ambient levels of asbestos. The effects of pleural plaques on respiration are not usually serious, but exposure to higher levels can cause a thickening of the pleura which may restrict breathing.
It is known that breathing asbestos can increase the risk of cancer in humans. There are two main types of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos: lung cancer and mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the pleura or tissue that surrounds the abdominal cavity (peritoneum). The cancer caused by asbestos does not appear immediately but occurs after several years (development may be delayed from 15 to 60 years). Studies of workers also suggest that breathing asbestos can increase the chances of getting cancer in other body parts (stomach, intestine, esophagus, pancreas and kidneys), although this is more uncertain. There is no cure for any of the diseases caused by asbestos.
Asbestos mainly affects the lungs and the lining of the lungs, the pleura. Asbestos / asbestos causes two main types of diseases: cancer and asbestosis
Asbestosis
Breathing high levels of asbestos fibers have long or short exposure to high levels of asbestos, can cause lesions that look like scars in the lung and the pleura. This disease is called asbestosis; was the first pulmonary disease related to asbestos and can cause disability and death.
It is defined as diffuse interstitial fibrosis of the lungs from exposure to asbestos dust and, therefore, is commonly found in workers exposed to asbestos. People with asbestosis because of these scars in the lung, have difficulty breathing, often a cough, and in severe cases suffer from an enlarged heart.
Breathing low levels of asbestos can cause alterations in the pleura, generating so-called "plates." Pleural plaques can occur in workers and sometimes in people living in areas with high ambient levels of asbestos. The effects of pleural plaques on respiration are not usually serious, but exposure to higher levels can cause a thickening of the pleura which may restrict breathing.
Cancer
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the World Health Organization (WHO / WHO) and the Environmental Protection Agency (Environmental Protection Agency - EPA) in the U.S.. UU. have determined that asbestos is carcinogenic to humans.
It is known that breathing asbestos can increase the risk of cancer in humans. There are two types of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos: lung cancer and mesothelioma.
The first reports linking lung cancer and asbestos date back to 1935. The cancer caused by asbestos does not appear immediately but occurs after several years (pleural mesothelioma often has a latency period of 20 to 40 years). Studies of workers also suggest that breathing asbestos can increase the chances of getting cancer in other body parts (stomach, larynx, intestines, esophagus, pancreas and kidneys). The early identification and treatment of all cancer can increase the quality of life and survival of the individual.
Common symptoms include appetite and weight loss, fatigue, chest pain, hemoptysis, or coughing up blood and shortness of breath.
It was suggested that the combination of exposure to asbestos and cigarette smoke significantly increases the chances of contracting lung cancer. Although this combination is considered to asbestos as the main cause of death, up from smoking. Generally, manufacturers are shielded, even today, the potential impact of smoking on cancer development, since most of the manufacturing population were smokers at times of increased use of asbestos. Several court decisions have ruled out, depending on levels of exposure, the incidence of smoking is higher than that of asbestos for the development of occupational cancer.
Lots of deaths from cancer, previously diagnosed as due only to lung cancers are currently classified as caused by asbestos, but only if there is a proper autopsy on the deceased, so that relevant statistics are not entirely reliable.
There is controversy about whether chrysotile is carcinogenic potency higher or lower than other varieties of asbestos.
According to medical reports, in the village of Sardañola del Vallés Barcelona (Spain) track lethal asbestos Uralita produced by the company in the area has left 149 cases of fatal diseases since 1997.
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma lung is a primary malignant tumor of mesothelial surfaces, which often affects the pleura and in fewer cases, the tissue that surrounds the abdominal cavity (peritoneum).
