Texas

Texas Asbestos Exposure Information

Malignant mesothelioma is an extremely aggressive form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos fibers. These malignant cancer cells are found in the sac that lines the chest, abdominal cavity, or heart. Exposure to asbestos fibers is the only known cause of malignant mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is an incurable work related disease that destroys scores of victims in the United States yearly.

The symptoms of exposure from asbestos particles may take many decades before the asbestos cancer is discovered. This 25-40 year delay is called the latency period. The start of mesothelioma cancer symptoms can be very obscure and a mesothelioma cancer patient may endure many months of misery from the exposure to asbestos particles before a proper mesothelioma diagnosis is discovered.  Mesothelioma (meso) affects men between 50-75+ years old that worked in industrial settings where asbestos particles were present. Mesothelioma affects men more than women. Women are exposed to asbestos more often in the home setting from exposure to asbestos dust or fibers usually from her husbands clothing. Asbestos dust can cling to both hair and clothing and can be brought home from the workplace.

Mesothelioma cancer usually affects the pleura, which is the lamina that lines the lungs and the cavity of the chest. Mesothelioma may also affect the peritoneum, which is the lining of the abdominal cavity, and rarely the pericardium, which is the membrane around the heart.

Three Types of Mesothelioma

• Pleural Mesothelioma
• Peritoneal Mesothelioma
• Pericardial Mesothelioma