Asbestos Called the Cause of Mesothelioma

 As the name suggests, mesothelioma is a cancer that attacks the mesothelium, the tissue that lines various organs in the body. Although the exact cause of this disease is not known for certain, exposure to asbestos or asbestos is said to be the trigger. Asbestos or asbestos is a type of mineral that is widely used as a building construction material, which is heat and fire resistant.

When asbestos is destroyed, either during mining or building renovations, this mineral will produce very fine fibers or dust. Well, fine fibers that can be very easily inhaled then enter and settle in the organs of the body and cause diseases, such as mesothelioma. However, ingested asbestos fibers can also move through the lymphatic system, then settle and infect cells in the lining of the abdominal cavity.

Other Factors That Also Increase Risk

In addition to exposure to asbestos inhaled in the air directly, mesothelioma can also increase the risk for several reasons, namely:

• Having a work environment that is prone to exposure to asbestos, such as mineral mines, construction sites, the automotive industry, power plants, textile industries, and steel factories.
• Living in an old building or environment where the soil contains asbestos.
• Having family members who work in an environment exposed to asbestos. Because, asbestos can stick to the skin and clothes, so it can be carried into the house or other environment.
• Have a history of mesothelioma or other genetic disorders that increase the risk of cancer.

However, in addition to asbestos, there are several other factors that can increase the risk of mesothelioma, although it is relatively rare. These include exposure to the mineral erionite, radiation exposure from the chemical thorium dioxide used in X-ray examinations until the 1950s, and infection with simian virus (SV40).

Symptoms That Occur Due to Mesothelioma

Symptoms of mesothelioma can develop gradually and usually takes 20-30 years for symptoms to appear. That is, people with mesothelioma may not feel any symptoms when they are still in the early stages. But over time, cancer cells will grow and press on nerves or other organs, causing symptoms.

Well, talking about symptoms, mesothelioma can cause different symptoms in each sufferer. This depends on the location of the presence of cancer cells. In pulmonary mesothelioma, the symptoms that may appear are:

• Fever accompanied by sweating, especially at night.
• Excessive fatigue, despite not doing any physical activity.
• Cough with unbearable pain.
• Shortness of breath due to fluid buildup in the lungs, precisely in the pleural cavity, which is the space between the two layers of pleura that line the lungs.
• Weight loss for no apparent reason.
• Chest pain.
• Swelling and deformity of the fingertips (club fingers).
• A lump appears in the tissue under the skin surface in the chest area.

Meanwhile, abdominal (peritoneal) mesothelioma has the following symptoms:

• Loss of appetite.
• Weight decreased drastically.
• Diarrhea.
• Constipation.
• Pain in the abdomen.
• Swelling in the abdominal area.
• A lump appears in the stomach.
• Disturbances in defecation and urination.

In addition to the two types of mesothelioma earlier, there are also types of pericardium and testes. Pericardial and testicular mesothelioma is very rare. For symptoms, pericardial mesothelioma usually makes sufferers feel chest pain and have trouble breathing. Meanwhile, testicular mesothelioma is characterized by swelling or the appearance of a lump in the testicular area.