Background information on Mesothelioma
What is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of
the lungs, and associated almost exclusively with exposure to asbestos.
Just one fibre is enough to cause the disease.
A long "lag time" between exposure to asbestos and the development
of mesothelioma can apply, varying from a minimum of about
10 years upwards, the average interval falling in the order of 30 to
40 years.
Cases of mesothelioma in the UK appear most prominently
in those individuals who previously worked in ship building, construction
and railway engineering (which used significant amounts of asbestos)
and asbestos product manufacturing industries.
Who, Where, When and How
Government statistics show that the areas with the highest
mesothelioma incidences in the UK include:
- West Dumbartonshire
- Barrow-in-Furness
- Plymouth
- Portsmouth, and
- South Tyneside
This is due to the association and past exposure
to asbestos in ship building. Other areas with high overall rates
generally associated with past asbestos exposure are those close
to or containing railway engineering sites, including:
- Eastleigh
- Crewe
- Nantwich
- as well as factories that made asbestos products, such as Barking, Dagenham and
Newham
An increasing proportion of cases include diagnosis of individuals
who may have had less intense exposure such as the building
industry (carpenters, electricians, demolition workers etc) and people
who have worked in buildings where the use of or disruption of asbestos materials
occurs.
This area now represents the majority of new cases, therefore,
a large number of people who are at risk of the disease may be
unaware of their exposure to asbestos.
Mesothelioma can also affect family members who
have come into contact with asbestos fibres eg handling of clothing worn at
work. This is known as secondary exposure and is becoming a common
cause of mesothelioma in individuals.
Men are considered at a higher risk of for mesothelioma
due to the direct exposure from the at-risk occupations, although
it is believed that the 15% of female cases are for the most part
due to secondary, passive exposure eg by washing the clothing of
their husbands or close relatives who worked in asbestos industries.
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