Risk Factors
The major risk fact for mesothelioma is anyone who has worked with asbestos. A history of some amount of asbestos exsposure exists in almost all cases of this disease. However, it is possible and cases have been reported in some individuals who had no known exposure to asbestos. Also in some rare cases mesothelioma has been associated with irradiation, Thorotrast (intrapleural thorium dioxide), and the inhalation of other fibrous silicates such as erionite.
Asbestos is a group of minerals that occur naturally as strong, flexible fibers that can be separated into thin threads and woven together. Asbestos has been widely used in many different industrial products including: cement, brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation. When tiny particles of asbestos float around in the air, especially during the manufacturing process, they can be inhaled or swallowed, which can cause serious health problems. Not only does exsposure to asbestos put you at risk for developing mesothelioma, but it also increases the risk for lung cancer, a noncancerous chronic lung ailment called asbestosis, and cancers such as those of the larynx and kidney.
There is no link between smoking and mesothelioma, but it should be known that the combination of smoking and asbestos exsposure significantly increases a person's risk of developing cancer of the airways including lung cancer and bronchial carcinoma. In the 1950's the Kent brand of cigarettes used asbestos in their filters for the first few years of production which caused some cases of mesothelioma, however smoking modern cigarettes does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma.
