Mesothelioma Causes

Mesothelioma - a cancer that typically attacks the lungs and abdomen - was profoundly rare until the industrial and commercial use of asbestos expanded in the 20th century. Medical researchers have spent decades investigating the disease and what causes it, and their findings are that asbestos exposure is the primary culprit.

Through studies aimed at pinpointing the exact causes of mesothelioma, researchers gradually learned how being exposed to asbestos triggers cancer.

In March 2009, the International Agency for Research on Cancer reconfirmed that all forms of asbestos can cause mesothelioma - and asbestos exposure is the foremost cause of mesothelioma.

Where Does Asbestos Exposure Occur?

Until the 1980s, asbestos was everywhere in homes and businesses and in many forms. It was used in thousands of industrial and household products.

Work-related exposure delivered the most potential for exposure, but it also can occur at home, at the office, in public buildings, in industrial settings, and even in urban areas that are generally considered environmentally friendly because asbestos occurs naturally.

With so many materials once manufactured with asbestos, there are a number of ways a person could have experienced exposure, including:

Working at an asbestos mine or asbestos processing plant

Living in a residential area near an asbestos mine

Working in a high-risk occupational setting such as the construction or automotive industry

Renovating an asbestos-containing home without adequate safety measures

Serving on military facilities or ships where asbestos was used in construction

It generally takes repeated, heavy exposure to asbestos in an occupational setting to be at risk for asbestos-related disease. Once asbestos fibers accumulate in the body, they can trigger a number of biological changes that may lead to mesothelioma.

How Does Mesothelioma Develop?

A person can be exposed to asbestos by inhaling or ingesting microscopic asbestos fibers. The fibers can become lodged in the mesothelial lining of primary organs, such as the lungs. Over time, damage caused by the fibers can result in the development of cancerous tumors.

The exact method by which asbestos causes mesothelioma is still being researched, but medical professionals have formulated several theories for further exploration:

Inflamed cells

Asbestos causes mesothelial cells to become irritated and inflamed, which leads to irreversible scarring, cellular damage and cancer.

Genetic changes

Asbestos fibers enter mesothelial cells and disrupt the natural functions of cellular division, resulting in genetic changes that lead to cancer.

Cancerous mutations

Asbestos causes the production of free radicals, which are molecules that damage DNA and cause healthy cells to undergo cancerous mutations.

Uncontrolled growth

Asbestos can trigger cellular production of oncoproteins, which cause mesothelial cells to ignore normal cell division restraints and become cancerous.

The factor uniting these theories is that asbestos leads to cellular damage that disrupts the natural cell cycle. Once normal function of the cell cycle is lost, cells begin to divide and grow uncontrollably. These cells then accumulate into tumors that trigger mesothelioma symptoms.

In a 2010 study conducted by the National Cancer Institute and the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, researchers may have confirmed a primary way that asbestos causes mesothelioma. The study reported that asbestos damages cells through a process researchers dubbed "programmed cell necrosis." This process involves the release of a molecule known as "high-mobility group box 1 protein" (HMGB1), which triggers a chronic inflammatory reaction that causes tumor growth.

Have You been Diagnosed Recently?

If you or a family member recently was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a second opinion may shed more light on what should come next for your treatment. Getting a second opinion is common for anyone who receives mesothelioma diagnosis. Specialists can clarify the diagnosis and sometimes can afford more treatment options. If you do seek a second opinion, feel free to contact the Mesothelioma Center's Doctor Match Program.

Other Potential Risk Factors

Although asbestos exposure is the primary cause of mesothelioma, other risk factors may be involved in the development of the disease.

These potential risk factors include:

• Non-asbestos mineral fibers such as erionite and taconite
• Radiation exposure (noted in approximately 45 recorded cases in history)
• Simian virus 40, a contaminant of polio vaccines administered in the 1950s and 1960s
• Chest injuries, chronic inflammation, genetics and organic chemicals

Smoking has not been found to cause mesothelioma. Researchers have, however, found that smoking can weaken the body's lungs and reduce the body's ability to expel the fibers once they are inside the body. Smoking can also aggravate other asbestos-related conditions such as asbestosis.

If you feel that you may be at high risk for developing mesothelioma because of past asbestos exposure or other potential causes, an experienced doctor can schedule the appropriate screenings to detect this cancer. To obtain assistance with choosing a qualified physician in your area, contact the Mesothelioma Center's Doctor Match Program.

Mesothelioma Prevention

The best way to prevent mesothelioma is to take a proactive stance on your health and seek regular medical exams to check for signs of asbestos-related disease. If a previous job or project exposed you to asbestos, an experienced doctor can schedule the appropriate screenings to detect mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease. Those with a history of asbestos exposure should not wait for symptoms to arise; monitoring development of asbestos-related disease offers the most opportunity for effective treatment.

View Article Sources