Although humanity has made strides in the scientific field of medicine; developing medications and foods that strengthen the immune system, there is still one very dangerous disease, one that’s embedded in our very DNA: Cancer. Cancer is some of the most aggressive diseases that affect humans. It spawns in many places, is triggered by many catalysts, and is very hard to kill if discovered too late. One such group of cancer, is triggered by asbestos: mesothelioma.

Basic Pathology: What is Cancer?

Cancer is the rapid division of cells within the body. Normally, the nucleus of a cell divides at a speed that it is programmed in the DNA. But in cancerous cells, they divide uncontrollably; causing tumors to grow on the organs it affects and will eventually spread to other organs (metastasis). The reason cancer is so deadly is because the tumors put immense pressure on the organs and also divert nutrients and blood from healthy cells, which eventually causes them to fail.

Contrary to most beliefs, every human has cancerous cells, but are normally fixed in a dormant state. Environmental factors, such as pollution and air quality, diseases like the human papilloma virus (HPV), and other factors that could create genetic mutations (radiation) can all shock these dormant cancer cells and cause them to reproduce exponentially.

Digging Deeper: Mesothelioma

One of the most aggressive cancers is mesothelioma, which affects the mesothelium of various organs. This is the epithelial skin surrounding various organs that protects them from bacteria within the body. The mesothelium has a specific name for the organ it protects, such as the pericardium (heart), pleural membrane (lungs), or the peritoneum (abdominal organs).

How Is Asbestos Related:

Commonly used from the 1890’s to the 1960’s, asbestos was frequently used as an insulator in homes and buildings because it was very resistant to heat, electric, and chemical damage, as well as cheap to produce. Asbestos is derived from silicon, one the most abundant elements in Earth’s surface, which explains its widespread use.

However, like most silicates, when taken into the body, it can cause severe cellular damage. At the time, this was unknown to the general public and was only very recently correlated with mesothelioma until a few decades ago. For someone that is exposed to asbestos regularly for about eight to fifteen years, particles in the air can enter the body and pass through to the various mesothelium in the body. The asbestos causes these epithelial cells to become inflamed and scar, which results in irreversible cellular damage. Eventually, this manifests into tumorous growths on the protective layer.

Diagnosis:

About 2,000 to 3,000 cases of mesothelioma are diagnoses per year in the U.S. It is particularly difficult to diagnose because it symptoms are fairly vague and can look like a different disease. Patients who suffer note:

-Small growths on the skin just above the organ that’s afflicted

-Pain and pressure in the affected mesothelium

-Persistant weight loss

-Night sweats and fever

-Difficulty breathing

Patients must tell their doctor if they have been exposed to asbestos as this can determine the correct diagnosis. Patients will then undergo tests such as an MRI, PET scan, and a thoracoscopy (biopsy of the chest cavity) to confirm the presence of cancer.

Treatment:

Asbestos cancer treatment, like any cancer, is best handled when diagnosis is early. Early stages of cancer mean that the tumorous cells have remain localized in the afflicted tissue and have not metastasized. Following diagnosis, patients may undergo surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy to kill the cancer and will have frequent check-ups with their oncologist to confirm if removed.